Tied Together With A Smile

Long sleeves covered her arms and part of her hands and denim covered her legs, brushing the floor gently, despite the glaring sun above. She walked towards me, along the edge of the school corridor, pulling at her clothes and keeping her eyes focused firmly on her feet. As she noticed me, her hands fell naturally into her pockets and she held her head up, allowing the hair out of her face briefly before it fell back to hide herself. A bell rang out, startling both of us.

"Hey, I didn't see you there, sorry," she smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. I returned the smile, turning to leave.

"Well, guess it's time for me to go home, are you staying for art club again?" She nodded, not making eye contact. I knew she was lying; she was really seeing the school's councillor but I wouldn't force her to tell me.

A while later, I was on the bus travelling home. It was a long journey which gave me time to think between the speed ramps and bumpy roads.

She hadn't smiled properly in months and I hadn't seen her face properly in months. But oh my god she was beautiful, if only she knew. She'd also lost a lot of weight. She wasn't fat before, but she was so skinny now. It worried me. She seemed so sad, but I didn't know why and it hurt so much not knowing how to make her smile that beautiful smile again.

**Switch POV**

Shutting my bedroom door, I lost it. I cried for so long, I couldn't breathe and I lost track of time. Before I knew it, it was time for dinner but there was no way I was eating anything ever again. I didn't know why I felt this way and I didn't really care. No one else did, why should I?

My eyes flickered to the packed rucksack behind the door, my mind instantly coming up with places to go, but it wasn't hard. I didn't care. Grabbing the bag, I ran down the stairs before my parents had a chance to see me.

Down the street was a park I used to go to as a kid. I ended up there and sat on a bench in the corner. Three hours later, that's how she found me.

**Switch POV**

I found her, curled up on a bench, tear-stained and shivering. Her sleeve had been pulled upwards by her deep sleep, to reveal tiny bloody cuts along her forearm. My heart broke as I noticed some had partly healed, some were scars and some still had a smear of blood around them. As I stroked away a tear on her cheek, she woke, pulling away instinctively.

"No, it's okay, it's me," after taking one look at my face, she burst into tears, burying her face deep into my coat. I stroked her back as she cried heavy tears onto me, trying to explain how she felt like she was never good enough and how she was alone and worthless.

Once I'd heard enough to the point that I was close to tears, I stopped her.

"You're amazing. And beautiful and smart and funny and worth so much. I wish you would see it and I don't know why you feel this way either but letting go isn't the way to help yourself. Fight for yourself. Hold on, you're losing it and faking a smile won't help anyone. You can and should talk to me. I'm here for you," her tears became heavier and she gripped onto my arm tighter, but I didn't let go. Now I knew how she felt, I'd never let go.