{Tyler}copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPzZXdvKxG
I watched Cameron work out of the corner of my eye, unsure if I should bring up what I had previously said to him, but decided to shoot for it, when I noticed how tense he was, “Uh, I’m sorry…” I mumbled,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1KbSSQ5dG
“Sorry for what?” Cameron looked me in the eye, making me feel how bad he was hurting.copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfM6vgTSpI
“For saying that I don’t care about you… I didn’t mean it.” I looked away from him, and sighed, copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡme6d2v7Tfo
“Oh.” He muttered,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KM4tzfQKH
“What?” I stole a glance, before realizing how overwhelming it was, and keeping my eyes focused on my hands,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrBHyObC9y
“I just don't really believe you.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7i9UQeyRzr
“Oh.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVg1K1Xlg8
“I'm not sure why though…”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQsqJtoZn3
“Dylan, the rest of your old friends…” I raised an eyebrow, though he couldn't see,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡU8qtL9UXwD
“Yeah, maybe.” He frowned, “Why won't you look at me…?”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡCd6oXaqzcN
“Wh-What do you mean?” I looked at him for what felt like ages, but it clearly wasn't that long, because Cameron only sounded more upset,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHxg5rhyVC
“Like that. You looked at me for a split second before turning away quickly.” I felt his eyes burn into my back, but I refused to look at him, “Are you upset?”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡi0EKCZQaPI
“No.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQSMDHuN6r
“Then why?” copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡWuOomJ1Zkm
“I just feel really… really guilty.” I sighed, “I said those things and then you just disappeared. It really freaked me out.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTXj2pJb19
“You know I didn’t leave because of you, right?”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡozS4IkwYML
“I know, but still. Holy god, it gave me so much anxiety.” I bent over and rested my head on the cold counter.copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLwfsViM46
“I’m sor-“copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55FUCKBOCK
“No, don’t say that. It was entirely my fault. I should be able to handle my emotions better.” I sighed, copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRRDJ3jZ1x
“Yeah, but-“copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVb4Qj5d8P
“Don’t justify it, Cameron.” I looked over at him with pleading eyes, and he gave me a sympathetic look in return,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1CPDtotCKU
“Okay.” copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJIuTKB2LK
“Thank you.” I smiled sheepishly, and rubbed the back of my neck, quickly looking away, “It helps a lot.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡe94JE0oU7Y
“It does? How? Doesn’t it hurt when you’re told something like that?”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡWk13naZ2iD
“Yeah, it does, but it’s helpful because it pushes me to fix myself.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡwd6BOwNfjn
“Fix yourself? You aren’t broken, you just function a little different.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKXkcQSRcx
“I sure as hell feel broken.” I trembled,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMTRHBe9vB
“I get that… but you have to mute that part of yourself. Tell it to shut up, and tell it that you are a good person, tell it that you’re important.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mNkGfBizT
“I am not important.” I scoffed, making him hug me from behind,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡoS68eKIzBF
“Yes you are. You’re important to me, you’re important to Rae, and you’re so fucking important to Preston.” copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡRU9h5bPrGz
“You don’t know if I’m important to Preston or Rae.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbyy4q3L2i
“Maybe not with Rae, but I do know that you’re important to Preston.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGnX15B8hz
“No you don't.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMFDKAfzMG
“Yeah, I kinda do. We talked, about you, last night, and he told me how much he cares for you.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡfe3fUQCKOb
“Oh, um, o-”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4rKus6Icj
“Tyler, we need to talk about something.” Preston burst in the room, seeming to be upset.copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡzllAS9TCxA
“Uh, okay.” I followed him out the door, until he stopped himself, and pulled, what I recognized to be my backpack, off of his shoulders, copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4FYfV9PttQ
“Why the hell do you still have these?” Tears built up in his eyes as he pulled out a package of cigarettes, and razor blades. “I thought you stopped.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡANtlXuLvAN
“I… I'm sorry.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡFT5cgJQXC0
“Sorry doesn't cut it, Tyler! You've been lying to me! Since the eighth grade! Why?” He began to cry, making me claw into my arm,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6o7TOz8jX
“I… I didn't want to bother you with it anymore.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0ritiOD8Z
“Bother me? Why would it bother me? When did I say that?”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡrd6SvGi8eJ
“I-I don't know, Preston!” I sobbed, beginning to break down,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2tishBoaj
“Then why did you assume it? Do I act bothered?”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡihIp37242h
“I can't help it!” copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Q0lrfQLqC
“But you can!”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡfo2nrWRQwC
“I am not having this argument with you, give me my shit back!” copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtsXwkUnXT
“No, because all you're going to do is cut, because you haven't learned how to handle your emotions like a sane person!” He screamed at me. I turned around, and banged my fist against the dumpster, causing it to scrape up, and bleed, while I began to walk away, “Don't walk away from me!”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡjShkk6D0xa
Even though I had a strong urge to say something to him, I knew that later on, I'd only regret it, so I kept quiet by biting down on my lip, until it bled.copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡD93QIx69JY
“Tyler!” Preston called, grabbing my wrist and yanking me backwards, “I'm not done talking.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7aBBXdbeov
“Well that fucking sucks.” I glared, even though it wasn't as effective as I thought it'd be, thanks to my sobs,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡRajGTeYqIQ
“What is your problem?!”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡihAOIFExwn
“Fuck off!” I yelled, my voice faltering mid sentence. I pulled out of his grasp, and began to run,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTQFBj2Iaf
I opened the plastic bag, pulling out the dinky pencil sharpener, and screw driver. Quickly, I unscrewed the blade, put the other pieces of the sharpener on the ground, and set the screwdriver down next to it.copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjKuQU0CUY
I rolled up a pant leg, and examined the previous cuts, before slashing away at areas that were bare, or simply scarred, which wasn't very many. As I saw blood begin to trickle out, I began to smile, satisfied with my work.copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXXOJbz7Vk
In a way, I knew Preston was right. No one who is mentally stable would cut themselves, and enjoy it, but I know I'm not insane.copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡcC0KNuXMkG
When I was out of places to cut on both of my legs, I moved to my arms. My arms still looked fucked, but it definitely wasn't as bad as my legs were.copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5UFd8vvTAg
Within minutes, my arms were drenched in blood, so I leaned back against the brick of the grocery store, taking deep breaths to try and stabilize myself. copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoHp8Y2f6c
Usually I'd just smoke a cigarette, and that would help, but I wasn't eighteen yet, which meant I wasn't able to buy any, and since I didn't live with my dad anymore, I couldn't hijack any, without getting into legal trouble.copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lxADQAHiQ
“Um, are you okay?” A man with dark brown skin, which matched his equally as brown eyes, and black hair, that was molded into a bowl cut, asked, as he leaned against the old sofa that I had hid behind,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLhQRpWlVA
“Yeah.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cDUr59siR
“Really?”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKJNK588qA
“No…” I sighed, knowing that I would never see him again.copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhdnBmBMHS
“What's going on that made you do… this?” He raised an eyebrow,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡlgHr6bb30V
“Just an argument with a friend, and addiction.” I confessed, as he took a seat next to me,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwup2yplEN
“What were you arguing about?”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡom6owO8t3B
“This,” I raised an arm, “and smoking. I told him I stopped when I was thirteen, but he dug through my bag, and found them.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHJtudz1HA
“And you're how old?”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡNreJ4Ywm0p
“Seventeen.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjpFE7Pajz
“Well, I see why they'd get mad. That's four years.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJp3jLrHNU
“Yeah, I understand that, but… He didn't have to tell me I'm insane, because I'm not. I'm just some depressed addict.” I tugged my hair,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKgUxgb1On
“Is there anything I can do?”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDse4DDA8k
“All I want is a damn lighter, and a pack of cigarettes, so probably not.” I shook my head,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡMA9MC0iNPY
He pulled himself up, “Alright, stay put.” I watched him enter the store, before quickly coming out with a package of cigarettes and a lighter, which he tossed on my lap,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQTOA9YSfo
“Thank you.”copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡx12axp7D9G
“Try and work on fixing things up with your friend though, okay?” He advised, while walking away,copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡbm8QqKHBBf
“Yeah, I will.” I nodded, while I lit up a cigarette, copyright protection124ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWXpquNKM8
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