"Look at her sleeping.." I heard a voice whisper.
My eyes were still closed, but I knew I was awake. I felt an awful stinging in my arm, but I knew better than to reach for it. I sat up and sleepily rubbed my eyes with my non-injured hand.
"What time is it?" I yawned.
"Almost midnight." Sammi said quietly. I looked over to see her face stained with tears.
"Sammi? What's wrong?" I sprung up and started towards her, until I saw the blade in her hand, covered in blood. I stopped, halfway between her and the couch.
I looked around. Jinxx was standing next to Sammi, his hand on her shoulder. Jake, Ashley, and CC were sitting in the bar stools, looking down, not saying anything. They almost looked like they were praying.
And Andy. Andy was leaned up against the wall, his hands clenched into fists, staring right at me.
"What's going on?" I asked, nearly silently.
"I found this," Sammi began shakily. "right outside the bathroom." She held up the blade.
Damn it! I must have dropped it on my way to clean my arm!
"That isn't mi-"
"You're lying." Andy cut me off. He pushed away from the wall and walked swiftly towards me. "Show me your arms."
I looked at the ground. This can't be happening. I know I picked that blade up. I know I did. Andy grabbed my chin lightly, making me look at him.
"Show me your arms." I could see tears swimming in his beautiful blue eyes.
I sighed quietly and slowly rolled up the sleeves of my shirt, my un-injured arm first. As soon as the bandage on my left arm was visible, Sammi started crying. Jinxx reached around and held her, putting her head on his shoulder, facing away from me.
Andy slowly reached for the bandage, but I yanked down the sleeve of my shirt, rubbing against the wound and causing me intense pain. I closed my eyes to keep from screaming. Andy reached down towards me again, but this time not to grab my arm, but to hug me. No one said a word for a really long time. The only sound in the room was Sammi's quiet sobs. I wanted to go hug her, to tell her it was okay, but I just knew that would make things a million times worse. After Andy let go of me, he continued to stare at me, his eyes glistening with tears.
"Will you take a walk with me?" He asked solemnly.
I nodded slowly as he led me out the door and onto the street. We walked a few blocks before he ever spoke.
"Why?" He asked.
"W-Why what?"
"You know exactly what." He said through his teeth.
I sighed. "Because I'm a fuck up. Because everything I do is wrong, and if I don't do this now, someone else is gonna make me feel just as horrible in the future. I'm protecting myself."
He was quiet for a long time.
"So, you're hurting yourself... so no one else can?"
"Yes." I said quietly.
"That doesn't make sense."
I closed my eyes. "Can I show you something?"
"Of course."
I stopped and stood in front of him, lifting up my shirt far enoguh to show him the bruise on my stomach. His face turned pale as he looked at it.
"Who did this?" He whispered. God, he sounded so sexy when he whispered. Shut the fuck up, Cora! I thought.
"My father, just yesterday. When I asked him if I could come stay with Sammi. He.. He got mad, I wouldn't shut up and let him talk. It's my fault, I set him off, I make him angry. I'm so stu-"
"Shut up, please." His voice was filled with agony as he stared at my stomach. "This isn't your fault, okay? Don't blame yourself, please. This is his fault. This is that low life, mother fucking son of a bitch's fault. I promise, he will never do this to you again."
