Haylee’s POV
They had no idea what I was hiding. Dan and Phil and Chassidy thought that I was actually getting better and that I’d stopped cutting. They only checked my arms; never my legs or stomach. It was growing harder to hide, as the cuts on my abdomen made it hard to move. The ones that lay across my ribs were the worst, as when I leaned down, it pulled at them and made me yelp in pain. The first time it’d happened, I’d been able to play it off as a sore muscle.
The next problem I’d had was after I’d cut fresh wounds on my stomach, I put on a light colored shirt. They bled on my shirt and I passed it off as a stain. Dan had been suspicious though, and I knew he’d figure it out before long. I couldn’t look in the mirror anymore. All I saw in my reflection was my horrible self and the cuts that covered me. I dried myself off and dressed quickly. The fabric rubbed horribly at the fresh cuts on my body, making me feel like screaming. I heard the sounds of rockband being fired up from the lounge and I raced out to play with everyone. “I call microphone!” I sang for a while, until I felt a little weak from not eating all day and eventually ducked away to my room. I took a deep breath and called the person I’d been questioning to call all week.
“Grace? It’s Haylee. Listen, I need to get away from here for a while. No, Dan and I didn’t fight. Just, trust me, alright?” I explained. Grace agreed and I told her I had a ticket already. I grabbed my bag and left without them noticing. I’d left a note on the kitchen counter and that was it. I was gone, just like I’d said I would be.
Phil’s POV
“Hey Dan, why don’t you go see if Haylee wants something to eat?” I called from the front foyer as I put on my coat to run to the store. I was fixing dinner tonight and we’d all mostly decided on what to get except for Haylee. She’d snuck away in the middle of our game and we hadn’t seen her since. She’d become distant lately, and we had all found it best to let her have her time alone when she needed it.
“Alright, hang on!” Dan called back. I heard some noise and then Dan shouting. “SHE’S GONE!” I raced down the hall, thinking that she was dead and that Dan was going to go nuts. Chassidy had followed me as well. Dan was standing in the middle of Haylee’s room, looking heartbroken. She wasn’t there and some of her stuff was gone. “No…” he whispered brokenly. He sank down onto her bed and put his head in her hands. I felt so bad for him. Haylee was his whole world. I left the room, unable to bear the look on my best friend’s face. Chassidy was crying and I pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head.
“Stay with Dan, love. I need to see if Haylee maybe left us a note, alright?” I told her. She nodded and went and sat beside Dan. I walked around the flat, checking my desk and Dan’s as well. I found the note in the kitchen. It was addressed to me and written in Haylee’s elegant handwriting.
Phil,
I’m sorry, first off. To you, to Chassidy, and most importantly, to Dan. I never meant to hurt any of you at all and this is why I’m leaving. I’m not telling you where I’m going, but let’s just say I’ll be fine. Tell Dan that I’m sorry. I love him, make sure he knows that. I don’t know if I’ll be gone forever or if I’ll be back. Tell Chassidy that she’s my best friend and like a sister to me. This last one is for you. Phil, you were like a brother to me. You’re certainly like a brother to Dan. He looks up to you and trusts you. Don’t let him suffer, alright? Make sure he knows that I’m still alive, that I’m alright and that I’ll never be far from his heart. If a year goes by and I’m not back, make sure he moves on. I want him to be happy. I want you to be happy as well. Chassidy loves you so much and I hope you two live your lives together.
