**Chapter 3: A Descent into Chaos**

As the days went by, Tracy found herself becoming more and more entrenched in Evie's world. She was spending less and less time with her old friends, and more and more time with Evie, Astrid, and Ariah. Her grades were slipping, and her mother was starting to get worried. Melanie would often come home from work to find Tracy's room a mess, with clothes and books scattered all over the floor. She would try to talk to Tracy about it, but Tracy would just shrug her off, saying she was fine. But Tracy wasn't fine. She was getting deeper and deeper into a world of substance abuse, sex, and crime. Evie was introducing her to all sorts of new things, and Tracy was eager to try them. She started skipping class, and would often sneak out of the house to go to parties or hang out with Evie and her friends. Melanie was at a loss for what to do. She was trying to be a good mother, but she was also struggling with her own issues. She was working hard to stay sober, but it was a daily struggle. And she was so busy with her own problems that she didn't have the energy to really focus on Tracy. One day, Evie came over to the house and asked Melanie if she could stay with them for a couple of weeks. She told Melanie that her adult cousin and guardian was out of town, and that she had nowhere else to go. Melanie agreed, and Evie moved in. At first, everything seemed fine. Evie was a good guest, and she helped out around the house. But as the days went by, Melanie started to notice that Tracy was changing. She was becoming more and more withdrawn, and she was spending less and less time with her family. Melanie tried to talk to Tracy about it, but Tracy just pushed her away. She said she was fine, that she was just hanging out with Evie and her friends. But Melanie knew that something was wrong. She could see it in Tracy's eyes, in the way she was acting. As the days turned into weeks, Tracy's behavior became more and more erratic. She would stay out late at night, and would often come home with strange boys or girls. Melanie would try to talk to her about it, but Tracy would just get defensive. Evie was having a big influence on Tracy, and Melanie could see it. She was a bad influence, and Melanie knew it. But she didn't know how to stop it. Ariah, on the other hand, was watching Tracy with a concerned expression. She had seen the way Tracy was spiraling out of control, and she knew that something had to be done. But she was torn between her loyalty to Evie and her growing concern for Tracy. As they hung out at the mall, Ariah tried to talk to Tracy about her behavior. "Hey, Tracy, are you okay? You seem really upset lately," she said. Tracy just shrugged her off. "I'm fine, Ariah. Don't worry about it." But Ariah knew that Tracy wasn't fine. She could see it in her eyes, in the way she was acting. And she knew that something had to be done to stop her from spiraling out of control. For now, Ariah just smiled and nodded, trying to be a good friend. But she knew that she had to do something to help Tracy, before it was too late. As the night drew to a close, Tracy and Evie were laughing and joking, while Ariah looked on with a concerned expression. She knew that Tracy was in trouble, and she didn't know how to help her. The city lights twinkled outside, a reminder of the vibrant and exciting world that Tracy was now a part of. But as Ariah looked at Tracy, she knew that she was losing herself in it. And she wasn't sure if she could be saved.