Love Is A Strong Word

Part 7||We Need To Tell People

HOPE'S POV:
I was extremely happy when we went back home from the parade but then I realized it, where's Jason?
"Hey, uh, where is Jason?" I asked
"Vacation again" David said
"I feel like him coming here is just his vacation from vacations" I said
"True" Scotty laughed
"Does he know about me?" I asked
"No.  Neither does Dom.  But I'm protecting you with that Dom thing" David said
"Haha, true."  I had started watching david's vlogs and I stayed up all night watching his vlogs.  I loved his 420 vlog. 
We got back to the vlog house and everyone left for their seperate homes.  I dropped Liza off at her place and I drove Gabbie to my place because her car was there.  
She got in her car and drove home.  I went inside and layed down, skipping dinner.  I had eaten an ice cream cone today so I figured it's best to just, skip the meal.  I also had eaten breakfast so it wasn't like I was skipping all three meals or anything.  I started scrolling through instagram and I got on Alex's instagram.  I had already looked at his pictures so I got on the ones he was tagged in.  There was one from today
It was a picture of him and I kissing.  Only, from behind.  Our friends didn't post this.  

Look at this whore! She was holding hands with Gabbie and then she kissed Alex?! He told her he didn't want to kiss her and she made him! Such a slut! Just some crazed fan who felt the need to assault Alex and hold hands with Gabbie, who promptly pulled away!

There were a couple of pictures.  Like of Alex and I kissing.  Then of me and Gabbie holding hands.  Then of Gabbie walking away.  

I started crying.  I didn't sleep all night! I just read the comments

Can't believe her!
Who does she think she is?!
SLUT!
BITCH!
HOE!
HOW DARE YOU ASSAULT HIM!
LEAVE GABBIE ALONE!
DON'T TOUCH ALEX EVER AGAIN!
CREEP!
GO DIE!
KILL YOURSELF!

And many more like that.  I was just crying and crying until 

(TRIGGER WARNING! Not detailed events but just in case)

I couldn't even take it anymore.  They were all right.  Alex probably didn't want to kiss me.  I probably should just go die.  I wasn't gonna die just yet because I need to say goodbye to Gabbie in person.  I grabbed the knife out of the drawer and cut my upper thigh.  Five or six cuts later, and I finally stopped.  It was 4:00 in the morning when I fell asleep.  I woke up at seven and got dressed.  I put on leggings, converse, and my "I'm Fine" shirt (image above).  I then just layed back down.  Gabbie texted me

Gabbs: can you come pick me up?
Hope: Sorry, I can't
Gabbs: What, why not?
Hope: Let the vlogsquad know
Gabbs: you are in the vlogsquad
Hope: not anymore
Gabbs: what happened
I didn't respond
Gabbs: what happened?
I ignored it
Gabbs: I'M COMING OVER AND I'M BRINGING SCOTTY WITH ME!
Hope: Don't...he doesn't want to come
Gabbs: fine.  I won't
Gabbs: wait, we don't lie to each other.  So yeah, I'm totally bringing him
Hope: Asshole
Gabbs: Love you too

GABBIE'S POV:
I was afraid she was self-harming.  I didn't know what to do so I called Scotty "Drive to Hope's house.  HURRY! If you get there before me, wait for me" I said
"Why" he asked
"JUST DO IT!" I shouted into the phone
"Okay" he said, hanging up
I sped a little to her house.  I pulled up and got out of my car.  About five minutes later, Scotty's car pulled in.  He got out and I grabbed the spare Hope gave me. 
"She's at a low point.  I think she self-harmed and I need you here" I said
"Oh...you didn't tell me she was depressed" he said
"I'm her best friend.  I don't tell EVERYTHING" 
"Yeah, I get that"
I unlock the door and open it.  Hope is in her room 
I gesture for him to follow me.  I walk quietly up to her door and peak in.  She's fake sleeping. 
"Hope, I'm your best friend.  I know you're faking" I said
"Screw you" she said
"Hey hope" Scotty said
"Hey Scotty...look at you, seeing me at my worst before Alex does" she said 
"Lucky you" she added extremely sarcastically
"I've been worse" he said
she sits up.  "huh?" 
"I've been worse" he said
"Not possible" she says
"Can I see your wrists?" he asks
She stuffs her face in her pillows and shows her scarred wrists and cuts from a mere week ago.  
"Your legs?" he asks
she ignores him
"Your legs?" he asks
"Hope, put these shorts on and show him your legs" I say, tossing the shorts.  She heads to the bathroom slowly and comes out with the shorts on.  
Scotty walks over and lifts them a little bit.  There are cuts all over.  Some I can tell from last night.  
Scotty pulls up his sleeve and points out all the scars on his wrists.  He goes into the bathroom and puts on clickbait shorts that I guess he had brought.  He shows her scars that I can tell are recent.  Her jaw drops
"Why?" she asks
"Self-hate." he says
"what caused it?" she asks
"My dumb, fat, ugly, unfunny body did" he said
"But those things aren't true!" she said to him
"They aren't for you, either" he says
"Why you, Hope?" I ask
she grabs her phone and shows us the instagram picture and the caption and the comments.  
"Oh my GOD!" I say
"Sucks" Scotty says
"Were you thinking about killing youself?" I ask
"After I say goodbye to you" She spoke sadly
"DON'T!" I said
"I'd miss you" Scotty said
I saw her face ease up when he said that.
"Go put some leggings on" Scotty said
She went and put leggings on
"Oh, also, I know what your shirt says" Scotty says
"It says 'I'm fine'" Hope says
"Yeah" I agree
"I'm not stupid, Hope" he says

she blushes
"What do you mean?" I ask
"upside down, it says 'save me'.  It's a hidden feelings shirt" Scotty explains (true fact, recheck the picture above)

I cocked my head to the side and realized he was right
"IT DOES!" I shout
Hope lightly laughs
Scotty picks her up bridal-style and takes her to the car.  
We drive to the vlog house and go inside, Hope immediately dropping her head.  
"YO ALEX!" Scotty screams
"WHAT?!" Alex screams
"COME HERE!" Scotty yells back
Alex walks in the room and sees Hope
"Ah Hope-......what's wrong?" He says
"We need to tell people" Scotty says
"Why?" Alex asks
Scotty shows him the pictures.  
"JACKASS! How COULD he?!"
Alex clicks the persons profile.  "It's the dude who said we weren't allowed to be at the pride parade"
"SHITHEAD!" Scotty yells
Alex and I start writing our captions to the pictures of us with Hope.  

ALEX'S CAPTION:
Excuse me asshat, that's my GIRLFRIEND you're calling a whore! All of you who commented those horrible things! I screenshotted them so don't try and delete it now! I will make personal sure you are never a shoutout! I kissed this girl because she's my GIRLFRIEND! I'm the one who leaned in for the kiss! Because someone said we couldn't be at the pride parade because we're straight and she gave him a lecture saying she's pansexual so don't just assume and this is the guy! Making up stories about her! I love this girl and how about you don't be a bunch of idiots?!

And the images were the pictures of them holding hands on hollywood Blvd, kissing in the car, kissing at the party, kissing at the parade.  The parade one was the first one.  

GABBIE'S CAPTION:

Hey, Jackass, that's my BEST FRIEND you're talking about.  And that's Alex's Girlfriend! We have screenshots of your guys's comments.  How COULD you?! I held her hand because we were all holding hands with people of the same gender because we were expressing that we accept it and that we think it's sweet.  So I held hands with my BEST FRIEND

And the images were pictures of Gabbie and Hope hanging out.  They go back four years.  

DAVID'S POV:
"Can I use the footage for a vlog?" I asked coming in the room after seeing their posts.
"Also, why did you do it so soon?" 

Gabbie showed me the picture and caption and comments
"I'm so sorry Hope!" I said
"Thanks" Hope answered
"Yeah, we needed to tell people" Alex said