𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 | r. berry

On My Way

a/n - trigger warning for mentions of suicide, self harm, and eating disorders

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Ava paced the length of her room, silent tears streaming down her face. She anxiously chewed her nail, counting every ring as she waited for Adalynn to answer the phone.

Word had traveled fast about David Karofsky's suicide attempt, and even though she had no idea who that was, it was enough to bring back memories from her early childhood years.

She remembered hearing her mom crying to someone about how she was so scared of losing her best friend to her unhealthy coping mechanisms. She had a slight recollection of sniffing out the box of blades underneath Adalynn's bed when she was barely a year old. She'd seen the scars all over her body, and when Ava was old enough to understand, Bailey had sat her and Maya down for a serious conversation about what Adalynn had gone through in her youth.

"Hello?"

"H-Hi," Ava's shaky voice responded. She used the sleeve of her twin's Cheerios letterman to wipe the tears off her face.

"Ava?" Adalynn asked, worry in her voice. "Sweetie, are you okay? You sound upset."

"Uh, some guy at my school...he, uh...he tried to-to...you know...and I just wanted to make sure you were okay," Ava sobbed, her voice breaking as she attempted to talk through her tears.

"Someone from your school tried to commit suicide?"

"Y-Yeah...Are you okay?"

"What do you mean, 'am I okay?' I should be asking you that."

"Right, but...but...I just...I really miss you, a-and I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Ava..." Adalynn sighed. She stood up, running a hand through her hair as she paced the length of her dressing room. "You don't have to worry about that. I'm not relapsing. It's been years, and I could never dream about hurting myself again. I could never leave you or Maya or your mom, and I would never do that to Theo. I'm okay."

"Positive?" Ava sniffled and sat down on the bottom bunk bed, her knee anxiously bouncing.

"Positive," Adalynn reassured.

"Ava! Are you ready for school?" Bailey's voice called from downstairs.

"I-I gotta go, Ada," Ava said, wiping away her tears. "It's time for hell."

"Torture Mr. Pedo for me," Adalynn chuckled. "Is his hair still crusty?"

"It looks like it's filled with margarine," Ava laughed. She held her phone between her shoulder and ear as she finished packing her bag for the day. "He's so creepy."