Behave Yourself

I don't want you to be mad at me

Chapter 24

The same day, 3:01 pm

In the bunker

Katie's POV

I wake up, with Dad giving me a weird look. I can't tell what this look is, but I don't like it. He doesn't look mad. He looks worried, and concerned, and maybe even a little scared.

Katie: Daddy?

Dad: I was gonna ask you about that He points at my arm but now I know that it's true.

I look down at my wrist and see that my sleeve moved up. I guess I moved, causing my sleeve to come up, in my sleep. And now Dad can see my cuts.

Katie: Um, you weren't supposed to see those.

Dad: Baby, why did you do this?

I can't talk about this. Not now. Not with Dad, who definitely blames himself for this. I don't know what to do, but I do know that I can't talk about this, right now. But there's no way that Dad's gonna let me out of this conversation. There's only one thing I can think of doing. I quickly get out of bed and leave the room. Now I'm running to the bathroom, where I plan to lock myself inside.

Dad: Katie. He calls, but I keep running.

I know that he's running after me, and he'll probably catch me. But it's worth a shot to try to make it to the bathroom. I can't face him, after what he just found out. He just found out that I've been cutting myself.

Dad: Katie, Sweetheart, please talk to me. He calls while running after me.

He's fast, but I made it to the bathroom just in time to close and lock the door, before he could catch me. Now I'm freaking out while Dad's outside trying to get me to come out.

Dad: Katie, I'm not mad. Ok? I'm not mad, Sweetheart. I just need you to tell me what happened. Why did you do this to yourself? Please just talk to me. I'm not gonna get mad, I'm not gonna yell. I'm just gonna listen. Ok? I'm gonna listen to whatever you have to say.

Katie: Please go away.

Dad: Except that. I'm gonna listen to anything you have to say, except that. I can't do that.

Katie: I love you, Daddy. But I can't tell you about this.

Dad: Baby-

Katie: I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I just can't talk about this. I'm so sorry.

Dad: Don't apologize, Baby. You don't have anything to be sorry for. You didn't do anything wrong. Don't apologize for this.

Katie: Please don't be mad at me, Daddy.