Treat Me Gently

Chapter Seven

Ingrid

"What do you think you'll be wearing for graduation next year?" Isa asked me as I laid carelessly on her bed, singing along with the song she currently had playing from her phone speaker.

I had been spending a lot more time with Isa than I usually did. I could tell she was struggling again. If there was one thing I could do, it was to make sure that she never felt alone.

I didn't answer her question as I continued to sing along with the lyrics to the song.

"Ingrid?"

"I heard you Isa. Graduation is a whole school year away, don't you think it's way too early to be picking out an outfit for that?" I didn't look at her as I answered, chuckling at her odd question.

"I know, but I'm so excited." She threw herself next to me on the bed. "Okay, what about homecoming? Is that close enough?" She asked me excitedly, looking over at me with her usual bright smile.

"It's July, Isa. Let's just wait a little bit longer until we decide that." I laughed.

We stayed laying in the bed through another song, singing it together as we stared at Isa's ceiling. We didn't always have to say things to each other, we just knew we could be in the same room, with no words said, and it was comforting, it was safe.

"What about-"

"Isa, I don't have any outfits planned for anything," I interrupted, and laughed again.

"Ugh, you're so boring!" She suddenly told me as she grabbed her phone from beside me and turned off the music.

"Hey! I'm listening to that." I tried to grab the phone back from her hands, but she jumped up from the bed again and hid the phone behind her back.

"Come on Ingrid, let's do something, I'm so tired of being in this house all day, I just need an escape or something." She begged.

I narrowed my eyes at her. I really wasn't in the mood to go out, but the way she was looking at me in the way she knew would make me give in was enough for me to know I would not be getting my way.

"Fine! Where do you want to go?" I asked her in defeat.

"I know somewhere really cool," She said excitedly. "Hurry up! Get ready." She said as she pulled out a pair of shoes from her closet and quickly throwing them on. She was a lot more energetic than usual.

"Wha- right now?" I groaned.

"Yes, now. I promise you'll love it Ingrid." She said, making her way out of the room. I just sighed and laid back down on the bed, hoping I didn't actually have to go with her.

"I'll be in the car!" I heard her yell from across the house.

I groaned again.

When I finally got changed and made my way to the car where Isa was sitting in the passenger side, as usual, I noticed her gazing out the window with a distant look on her face, she was also smiling.

"You okay?" I asked her as I opened the door and climbed into the car.

"Yes, why?" She turned her head to look at me.

I stared at her for a moment, trying to figure out if I could read her, but she gave me nothing. "You seem extra happy today." I smiled at her. "Don't worry, it's really nice to see you like this, after everything you've been through." I assured her.

I thought back to her depression from three years prior, I didn't notice at first. The way she would eat less of her food, or stayed in bed just a little bit longer than normal. It started out small. She would forget to set her alarm for school, or fall asleep in her jeans and sweaters. She would go an extra day without showering or cleaning her room. As more time went by, the little things grew bigger, and her heart became too heavy for her to carry by herself.

I remember how hard I cried when I walked into her room, and finding out that her new escape plan was the now faded scars left on her wrists.

"Thanks, Ingrid."

"Okay so where are we going?" I asked her as I put the car in drive.

"To the tallest cliff in town," she answered calmly.

"What?"

"Just drive!" She laughed, pointing out of the window.

It took us about 10 minutes to drive to where Isa wanted me to go, we drove up the road on the small mountains that surrounded our city, and when we finally arrived to an old parking lot that was hiding between a plethora of tall trees, we were at the tallest point of it, where it hovered over the ocean water like a fjord.

Walking to the edge and seeing the glistening water shining below us under the sunset was terrifyingly beautiful.

"Wow Isa."

"I know."

"It's so beautiful, almost like a painting, or a dream," I admired the view of our town on one side, and the ocean on the other. "How did you find it?"

"I just looked for the tallest cliff," She murmured. "Technically, We're not supposed to be up here because of how dangerous it is, but what they don't know can't hurt them right?"

I nodded my head and went to sit on a log that had fallen onto the ground, Isa following after me.

There was just a small breeze in air, enough to rustle the leaves on the trees and make our hair flow softly around our faces. It was peaceful, the sound of crickets echoing in the air, and the glowing light of the almost fully set sun shining on our faces.

"I want to give you something," Isa finally spoke again. "A gift."

I watched as she took of the necklace that was hanging around her neck. It was her favorite necklace that I had never seen her without. It was a dainty golden chain with a heart shaped locket attached. Inside was one picture of her and another of me. She got the necklace when we were 15 years old, and she told me she kept it as a reminder that she would never be alone, that she had me, her best friend.

"What are you doing?" I looked at her with surprise.

"I want to give you this." She held the necklace in her hand, holding it out as she waited for me to accept it.

"Isa... I can't take your necklace, why are you giving it to me? I thought it was really important to you."

"It is important to me, that's why I'm giving it to you." She saw that I had a confused look on my face and continued, "Ingrid, this necklace is just a reminder of the person I was, lost and weak." She answered me sadly.

"You're not weak, Isa, you're the strongest person I know. Look how much you've overcome." I assured her, suddenly feeling a sense of worry.

"I just want this to be safe, with you." She answered softly. "I just don't want to remember who I was anymore, I want to look forward, I want to be at peace, and when I look at the necklace, I just know it would be better off with you."

I stared at her for a long time in confusion, I wasn't sure what she meant. She seemed lost in thought as she kept her eyes on the sun.

I've always known there were battles going on in her head that I would never be able to understand, but I wished that I could help her realize how special she is.

"I know that you've been through a lot Isa, but you're strong, I promise. I'll keep the necklace safe for now, if you really want me to, I just want to help you heal."

"Thanks Ingrid." She sighed softly.

I gave her a sad smile, but I held out hope. Today, Isa seemed to find some light again. I could finally see a glimpse of the girl who would laugh uncontrollably, compliment random strangers, wear beautiful flowy dresses, and dance around carelessly in her room.

"You know, I really do think you're going to look so beautiful at graduation." She said, smiling at the sun and laying her head on my shoulder.

I chuckled as I remembered our conversation from earlier. "So will you Isa." I held her hand, and hoped she could feel all of my love for her through this one, simple gesture. "We both will."

She said nothing as she lightly squeezed my hand, and I leaned my head onto hers as we watched the sun slowly disappear from the horizon.