Haylee’s POV
I stood in front of the mirror, my hands shaking. Dan had just dropped me off after a night that had ended horribly. My apartment wasn’t completely furnished yet and I hated it. My depression was getting worse and worse each day and being with Dan and Phil was only temporarily helping me feel better. Everything my father called me spun in my head, causing me to cry. I flashed back to the car ride home from Dan and Phil’s flat.
Dan pulled the car up in front of the apartment complex and shut the engine off. “You gonna be alright here by yourself?” he asked, looking concerned.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Thanks, Dan.” I replied, faking a smile. It was like he could tell. He knew I was faking.
“Ah, Haylee, wait. Here, give me your phone for a second.” He said. I handed over my phone. He typed something in, took a picture and handed it back to me. “I put my number in. If you need anything tonight, call me. Don’t worry about what time it is, I’ll be there, alright?” I nodded and pocketed my phone. I gave him my number and wearily climbed the stairs to my flat. I broke down in tears the moment I shut the door. Dan and Phil didn’t deserve someone horrible like me. I threw my jacket on the couch and headed straight for my drawer in my bedroom. I slid the blade from its hiding place and escaped into the bathroom.
I raised the blade to my arm and drew it across my skin four times, making four deep cuts. I fell to the bathroom floor from the pain. I shook my head and rolled up one leg of my sweats. I drew the blade across my leg, making three long cuts. I washed off the blade and managed to drag myself to my bed. Damn, these cuts were bleeding too much. I had cut too deep. I crawled onto the bed and lay back, shutting my eyes. My life flashed before my eyes. I fought hard to stay awake. I looked down at my sweatshirt sleeve. It was soaked clear through. I started to cry. I could barely move. Slowly I grabbed my phone and scrolled through my contacts finding Dan’s number.
To: Dan ;)
Dan… help…
My phone buzzed a moment later and I looked at his reply.
From: Dan ;)
Hays, I’m on my way. Stay there. Door unlocked?
I sent a quick reply telling him there was a key under the mat and laid my phone down, quietly crying. My arm and leg were hurting so bad and I knew I was losing a lot of blood. I cried quietly, part of me hoping that Dan would make it in time, and part of me wishing that it would be too late. I could feel myself fading as the words my dad had said spun in my head. It didn’t take long for Dan to arrive, as a few minutes later; I heard the sound of the door opening and Dan calling out my name.
Dan’s POV
As soon as I’d gotten the text from Haylee, I’d sprinted out of the apartment, shouting an explanation to Phil as I went. The drive was short and I may have been slightly speeding. I found the key under the mat like she’d said and I was shocked at the cold blast of air that hit me when I entered the small darkened apartment. I was ready to fight if need be, as I had no idea what was going on. “Haylee?!” I called, hoping she’d hear me.
“Back here!” She yelled weakly in response. My heart sank at how she sounded. I dashed to the main bedroom and flipped on the light. Haylee cringed from the light but I was the one who freaked out. She was pale as a ghost, curled up in a little ball in the center of the bed. I rushed over, taking hold of her arms. “I – I won’t die…” She whispered.
“What happened?” I asked, panic rising. I noticed her wince and try to pull her arm away. I let go and looked down at my hand confused. It was red and covered in blood. My stomach felt a little queasy, but I held my ground. “Oh my God! Haylee, what’s wrong?!” I cried. She pushed up the sleeve of her hoodie and too my horror, there were four long, angry cuts up her arm. They were bleeding way too much and I knew that she was losing too much blood. She rolled up the pant leg of her sweats and showed me the cuts on her leg. I ran to the bathroom and grabbed a towel. I hurried back and wrapped it around her arm. The leg wasn’t that bad and I figured it would be okay. “Come on, we’ve got to get you to A&E.” I told her. I called Phil to have him meet us there, telling him I’d explain when he got there. Haylee hadn’t spoken from the moment I’d found her and I was worried. “Love, say something.”
“I’m sorry…” she whispered, looking like a frightened child. My heart broke.
“Oh, sweetheart, don’t apologize. It’s okay, I promise you. It will all be okay.” I pulled her in for a hug and she shivered. No, she wasn’t shivering, she was crying. I rubbed small circles on her back and kissed the top of her head. I couldn’t deny it, no matter how hard I tried. I was in love with her. She was everything to me now.
Carefully, I picked her up and carried her down to the car. She was still crying, but now she was shivering as well. She was getting weaker and weaker and I was afraid she wouldn’t make it. How much blood had she lost? I set her down in the passenger seat and grabbed a blanket from the back. I tossed it over her and climbed into the car. She wasn’t talking and the only movement was her shaking. It was possible that she was still crying, but I couldn’t tell. Haylee had blacked out, and I was freaking out. I got her to the hospital in record time and Phil was waiting outside. I lifted Haylee from the car and carried her inside. Phil grabbed the keys from me and ran around to the driver’s side. He parked the car while I took Haylee in.
“Hello, how can I help you?” The nurse at the desk asked.
“My – my friend, she’s hurt!” I blurted out. The nurse came around the desk.
“What’s wrong?” She asked. I grabbed Haylee’s arm and pulled up the sleeve of her hoodie to reveal her arm. I heard a gasp from behind me and I realized Phil had just walked in. The nurse took Haylee back immediately, letting me go with her to keep her from freaking out. Once we were in a room, the nurse cleaned her arm and wrapped it until the doctor could take a look.
