Falling (SEQUEL TO 'THE SECRETS WITHIN')

Chapter 12

Erens POV

Levi and Armin were fine to go the next day. Luckily it was nothing too serious. They both sat in silence on the way home, but I think we all did.

As soon as we got in the front door, Armin instantly pulled Levi into his arms, they both began crying.

"W-Why?" Armin sobbed.

"I-Its not what you think it is." Levi cried back.

"I need you to tell me w-what happened." Armin sniffed, pulling Levi to the couch. I sat on the end of the couch and put Petra on my lap.

"I think Petra can explain." Levi said quietly. Armin turned and looked at Petra who looked down in guilt. I looked at her.

"Whats happened sweety?" I asked.

"... Some kids are bullying me." She said softly.

"W-What!?" Armin and I exclaimed.

"They make fun of me because Im weak and not cool like them. And I have boy parents..." She said. "N-Not that its your fault, they just think its weird. B-But Levi swoops in the save me but they always get into fights..." A tear rolled down Petra's face.

"So no I didnt do this to myself." Levi said, pointing to the 4 small cuts on his arm. "One of the kids had a fork and sliced me with it really deeply. I dont know how because it was just a fork but yeah... Then they held me down and all scratched it and broke it open even more and I couldnt stop the bleeding. Thats why I asked for more bandages, to try and stop it b-but I guess it was too late and I just fainted." He explained.

Armin let out a relieved sigh and looked at the two children seriously. "I want the names of these people, I need to report them to your-"

"N-NO!!" Petra squealed. "N-No."

"Why not?" I asked.

"They said if she told that they would do something really bad..." Levi whispered.

"They cant do anything." Armin said. "What grade are they in?"

"6." Petra said.

"WHAT!?" Armin exclaimed. I shushed him to try and calm him down. "Year 6 kids are bullying a year 2 and 3!?"

Levi and Petra nodded slowly.

"Thats disgusting. Thats absolutely-" Armin stopped himself from completely raging and rubbed his temples, letting out a sigh. "Im calling the school right now."

"But-"

"We wont let them do anything." I assured them.

---

"I spoke to your principal." Armin told Levi and Petra who were sitting on the couch together. "He said he knows exactly who they are and they are being expelled."

"W-Well thats good." Levi sighed happily but Petra stayed silent.

"S-Sorry for putting you through this Levi." Petra sighed.

"It wasnt your fault." Levi smiled. They hugged and I smiled.

"Are you okay dad?" Petra asked Armin.

"I-Im fine. I was just worried that Levi was cutting or something..." Armin said shakily.

"What do you mean by cutting?" Petra asked.

"He means cutting yourself and hurting yourself when your sad." Levi explained.

"How do you know?" Armin asked him.

Levi shrugged and looked away. "Ive witnessed it."

"What? When?" I asked.

Levi looked at Petra and then at Armin. "Dont worry."

"I can go." Petra said, walking upstairs.

"W-Where have you witnessed it?" Armin asked.

"Here." Levi replied.

I saw a tear roll down Armin's face as he looked down.

"Why?" Levi asked him, giving him a hug which I joined in.

"I think its time you told us why Armin." I said.

"You dont know either?" Levi asked.

"No I dont."

Armin sighed and nodded, calling Petra back downstairs. We all sat on the couch, watching Armin as he paced back and forth infront of us. Eventually he stopped and sighed.

"Sometimes... When something bad happens or you get too stressed out, your body can be pushed overboard and can be forced to do stupid things. When all of my closest family died, I began to get bullied and I couldnt handle it. I'm not a very strong person physically or emotionally, so depression kind of... took over. Now cutting is hard to stop because its the only way that helps me with handling depression." Armin explained.

"But doesnt hurting yourself make it hurt even more?" Petra asked.

"Well when your depressed you cant think properly, so your brain makes you think that cutting helps, when it really does nothing but leave ugly scars and pain." Armin smiled weakly.

"Are you still doing it because your stressed out?" I asked.

"Y-Yeah..." Armin mumbled.

"Can I see?" Petra asked, not exactly understanding the whole situation as deeply as the rest of us were. Although Levi was only a year older he seemed much more understanding. Levi and I looked at Armin, awaiting his reply to Petra.

"U-Um... I dont think you should." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Why not?" Petra asked.

"Its not good for a girl your age seeing problems that your father is having... Its not a very good influence." Armin smiled at her.

"Okay." She smiled back.

Once the kids went upstairs, Armin placed his hands on his hips and sighed.

"Im proud of you for letting that out." I gave Armin a hug.

"Im glad I got it off my chest." He hugged back.

---

I would never make the kids cut themselves that would be too cruel to armin...

he would probably have a spazz and stab himself again but this time aim right and end up kill himself so uhm...

yeah i woNT DO THAT

~Biffleinator_xx