Pricked by the Autumn Rose

| 15 |

{ Blake }

After being in the hospital for a week, I was finally released and my parents found a therapist for me. I was so scared to return to school. "Are you ready to go," mom asked. I sighed as I sulked on my bed. I had the cuffs of my sweatshirt balled in my fists, afraid to even look at my scarred wrists.

"I don't know if I can go. I... I'm scared to face Weiss. I don't know if I'm going to get made fun of or asked constant questions. Ruby..." Mom came to my side and hugged me.

"You'll be okay. If today becomes too much, call me or your father and we'll come and get you.

"Okay," I said as I hugged her.

When I got to school, Weiss squeezed the life out of me. "Please don't ever do that again, Blake," she said.

"Can't...breathe..." She let go and softly smiled at me, tears starting to fill her eyes. "Weiss, please don't cry. I don't need that on my first day back." She wiped her eyes before her tears could fall. Although, she held this solemn face. "Weiss, what is it," I asked in concern.

"It's..." She couldn't even say her name. My heart raced fearfully. Please tell me she's okay! "She's changed. Things haven't been easy for her since you've been gone," she told me. I knew that Yang was probably the main cause of it.

"Has she done anything?" My best friend was dead silent. "Weiss, has Ruby done anything? I need to know."

"You'll see for yourself when you see her in class." Then she walked off to her first class after hugging me. Now I'm worried. Please be okay Ruby. Please be okay. When I walked into the biology lab, I saw what Weiss meant. Ruby has completely changed from that sweet little girl. Her eyes were glazed over, hair slightly strewn carelessly, dark circles under her silver eyes, and slouching in her chair with her arms crossed with the look of major lack of interest. I put my things at my desk and got my work from the teacher. When I turned around, I saw Ruby looking at me, this look of pain filling her eyes. I wanted to talk to her, help her through this, hug her again, and maybe even kiss her.

What has happened to the girl I love so dearly?

{ Ruby }

I was outside, hiding from everyone. In one hand was a small bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey as I had a half smoked cigarette in the other. My depression has consumed me. I met these group of kids that live nearby and they introduced me to these new habits. They helped wash the pain away, giving me the chance to breathe. Right now it was almost ten at night. This was an hour past my curfew set by dad. I was being more of a rebel than Yang usually is. So I smothered the cigarette I was nursing and hid the bottle of liquor under my cape. I carefully walked through the front door and snuck upstairs to my room. Then I put the bottle of whiskey in my desk drawer to hide it from my dad and sister. I don't need them taking it away from me. Tomorrow is Blake's second day back and I'm going to pull her into the restroom to talk. I can't stay away from her anymore. I need to see her again, be with her. So with that decided, I crawled into bed and fell asleep.

The next morning I was sluggish. Yang have me questionable looks. "You feeling okay Rubes," she asked. I gave her a look. I'm not feeling okay! I'm completely dead thanks to you! "Okay. Forget I asked."

When we got to school, Yang went her own way and I went mine. That was when I spotted Blake. We had ten minutes before the first bell rang. I walked up to her and carefully grabbed her hand, pulling her along to the restroom. When we got there, she just stood there in silence as she stared at me in shock. "We need to talk," I said, breaking our silence.

"B-But what about your sister? If she finds out about this, she's going to beat me again," the girl said fearfully. I wasn't going to let that happen.

"I'll deal with Yang. I can't stand this anymore. I'm dying on the inside from being separated from you Blake. I can't do this a-anymore," my voice wavered at the end with my eyes filling with tears. Blake immediately wrapped her arms around me in a hug. I felt so alive again. This is what I needed. I gently pushed her away slightly and kissed her. When we pulled away, she looked at me with concern.

"What have you been doing Ruby? You smell like smoke and alcohol." I sighed and looked to the floor in shame. "Ruby, have you turned to that?" I nodded solemnly. "Oh Ruby. My little ladybug," she said softly. She kissed my forehead.

"I'm sorry for everything."

"I forgive you. Promise me to stop though," she said, stroking my cheek lovingly.

"I promise." I was smiling and kissed her again. "Let's get to class. You go in first and then I'll follow. Don't need Yang to see us together."

"Agreed," she said, kissing me one last time.

Later that day, Yang confronted me when we were at home. "You talked to her, didn't you?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You did! I'm going to get her!" I panicked.

"No! Please don't hurt her! She's gone through enough!"

"Ruby, stop defending her!" Yang stomped over to me and smacked me across the face. The side of my face went numb.

"No, I won't. Blake is a good person and yet you think she's the enemy. What do you have against her?"

"She's taking you away from me Ruby!" What? That's Yang's problem with her?

"How? Because I like spending time with her?"

"Yes! I never get to spend time with you anymore ever since she came into your life!"

"Yang, she was the first friend I ever made here. She made me feel welcomed and that I belong here. I hated it here at first but now I've come to love it thanks to Blake." I wanted to cry because I was feeling hurt. Now I just want to run to go find Blake. Even go out to maybe smoke or drink again but I can't. I made a promise to Blake that I would stop. That was when dad piped in.

"You're grounded young lady," he said. Yang and I jumped. Dad was glaring at me. "I know what you've been doing Ruby. So you're grounded for a month until you learn your lesson." I'm what! "You're not allowed to go anywhere except here and school." I sulked and then went up to my room. Now I'm depressed again. I feel like I've been sucked into a pit of quicksand and being pulled down faster by the second until I was pulled under the surface, being left to die.