The Broken One

Chapter 3

TIME SKIP (10 years)

Age: 16

"Pheonix! Let go!"

"Never!" He laughed.

"Stop! I'm barely b-breathing!"

"LOL don't care!"

I donkey kicked him off me and got on top of him. I hooked my knees to either side of him so he can't get up, and he instinctively held my hips. What a position it must have looked like.

"So you like torture-tickling me huh?" I asked ominously, looking into his blue eyes.

"Well... I wouldn't say 'torture'. More like-"

"Enough blabbering, peasant! I have asked you a question and expect a direct answer!" I said in an evil, British voice. Making us both laugh.

"No, I'm sorry!" He laughed shaking his head, making his blond hair sway across his forehead.

"I thought so. Now if you want to be set free from moi," I flipped my hair, "you have got to do one more thing." I say in an evil, still British voice.

"Which is?" He asked suspiciously.

"Say that I'm the sexiest person alive. C'mon don't be shy."

"I shall never lie! It is I who is the sexiest!" I gasp, putting my hand on my chest, insulted.

"Are you doubting the solid fact that I, Ruby Falcon, am the sexiest, most beautiful person alive? How insulting!"

"Okay fine I take it back. You're the sexiest, most beautiful person alive." He said defeated.

"Looks like someone got the sense knocked in him. And thank you!" I giggled, kissing his cheek and getting off of him. He pouted and I looked at him confused.

"What?" I asked, getting up and he did the same.

"I was enjoying that position." He smirked.

"Perv!" I shoved him.

"Kidding!" He reached to hug me and I let him. He hugged me tightly against his skinny frame. I hugged him back and he rested his head in the crook of my neck.

"You know, I still don't know how you stand to even breathe in my direction after what happened. Goddammit I love you, Red." He mumbled. I blushed at his words and realized what he was referring to. About a couple years ago, Pheonix went to a bad place after his dad committed suicide, he was depressed no one really knew why and the whole thing happened way too quickly. He met a gang outside some shop one day and they became friends and soon enough Pheonix was convinced by them to try alcohol, which led to drugs. He changed, his attitude was different. He lashed out at everyone and anyone including me, yet I stayed with him because I noticed something was off but I never said anything because I didn't know what it was. When he introduced me to the gang that made him like that, something about them made me uncomfortable and I knew that Pheonix's new behavior had something to do with them. And one day we were out together, just me and him, when something happened and we ended up fighting. I went back to the orphanage to clear my mind and that's when I started to put the pieces together. I ran out of the orphanage and headed straight towards his house. When his mom opened the door I told her to call 911 and headed to his room. He was passed out in his bathroom, his wrists were bleeding and his eyes were bloodshot. The bathroom was covered with blood and I noticed a syringe and a blade on the side of the bathtub. My eyes watered at the memory and I sniffled, he was only 15 and I almost lost him. He never let himself live it down after that and I always have to be the one to remind him that it wasn't his fault. His dad left him all of a sudden and they were best friends, closer than anyone I've ever seen before. They had an amazing relationship.

"Pheonix. Look at me," I sniffled and pulled away from our hug. I put my hands on either side of his face, "Pheonix, none of that was your fault, okay?"

"No it is-" I cut him off.

"Pheonix, stop. Your dad left at a time where we both needed someone. I only had you and you had him. I stressed you out, I stuck to you like glue and it annoyed you, I know that. So please Nix don't dare put yourself at fault anymore, please. If it's anyone's fault you were so angry all the time, it's me" I let go of him and walked over to his bed.

"That is not true and you know that Ruby." His eyes started to water. I could already feel tears slide down my cheeks. He wiped them away with his thumbs and grabbed my hands.

"Look," he started. I looked up at him, "I know I've said things when I got mad at you. And trust me, ever since, I've regretted the living shit out of myself for making you feel the way you did. I hated it. I hated seeing you so sad and insecure and unsure of yourself, and to make it worse, I caused it. I'm so sorry."

"Pheonix, that's in the past. Just forget about it look, how about we go to the beach and eat some ice-cream while we're at it?" I asked, smiling, hoping to brighten the mood.

"That sounds. Perfect."

"Kay let's go." I said getting up. He pulled me back, grinning.

"What?" I asked.

"Happy 16th Birthday, Red."

"Huh? Ohhh right. Oh my god I totally forgot." I laughed.

"You're an idiot. Let's go." He laughed, shaking his head.