Simple

7

A/N: Self harm and suicide are mentioned.

After a long day of shopping and checking out some beautiful areas with the guys, I'm finally back at my dorm. As I started to drift to sleep on my bed, my phone buzzed.

Hey, I hope you don't mind me texting you. Phil gave me your number. xx
No it's okay. Um, who is this though? O.o
Oh right, sorry. It's Chris ;) xx
Oh haha. Hey!
Did you have fun today? xx
I did. You guys are the best. But sadly, I'm falling asleep. Good night see you tomorrow :)
Good night beautiful. See you tomorrow xx

Next morning
I wake up to a knock at my door and then my doorbell. I couldn't think of who could be here so early until I checked my phone and noticed it was almost 1 pm. Oops.
I opened the door and noticed Dan had a shocked look on his face and then started giggling.
I looked down and noticed I had slept without pants on.
I covered my face with my hands and started laughing and pretty sure I was as red as a tomato.
"Can I come in or are you going to die from embarrassment at the door." he really is like an older brother. I turned to let him in and felt his finger trace my thigh where some old cuts and scars were.
"They sent me to come get you and to make sure you're okay. Are you okay?" he said while sitting on my bed and glancing at my thigh.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I haven't felt this happy in a long time. And these happened before I even moved out here or even met Phil. If you guys didn't stay over the other night, I probably would have added some more because of how upset I was, but I'm glad you guys stayed and I'm glad I didn't." I smiled at him before turning to grab a new pair of skinny jeans and putting them on.
"Doesn't it bother you when they rub against them? My brother told me it would get irritating." he looked at his hands in his lap after mentioning his brother and finished in a low tone.
"It did at first but I kinda got used to it. Are you okay, Dan?" I sat next to him and rubbed his back slowly.
Dan started crying.
"Dan, what's wrong?"
"The reason I said I was going to help Phil on helping you get better is because I lost my brother to the same thing and you remind me so much of him. Not because of that but you just have some features as him and I don't want to lose you like I lost him. He was my rock, my best friend. I thought I was helping him get better but he was just covering it up so I would stop worrying. I was the one who found him and I still see the way he looked and all the mess. That's why I was so bad when I met Phil. If I didn't, I'd probably be with my brother and not here with you." he began sobbing the more he talked. I couldn't hold back my tears and felt them come out.
"I... I'm so sorry Dan. You can't blame yourself at all for it. He was trying to help you while he was falling. He wanted you to be happy not sad. He loved you-"
"If he loved me he wouldn't have left me alone!" he stood up and ran his hands through his hair while crying even more. He was getting angry.
"Dan.. Sometimes people show their love in other ways. Even if it's what we don't want to happen. He was going through something you or him couldn't control or beat. He had his own demons like I have mine and everyone else. Everyone fights their demons in different ways. You were helping your brother, even if it didn't seem like it. You were there for him when nobody else was. He saw your love and left with it in his heart." I tried to keep my tears back but failed.
Dan stopped and looked at me while crying still. He walked in front of me and dropped to his knees. He then hugged my waist and began crying into me. I rubbed his hair while he continued to cry. I wiped my cheeks with the sleeve of my sweater and noticed he was looking at me.
"Thank you Aubrie." he sat back next to me on my bed and I handed him a tissue so he can wipe his face.
"For what?" I smiled at him.
"For explaining it to me like this. I needed that. I know how much he was hurting and I tried so hard to help him. The last time I saw him, he hugged me and told me he loved me so much. I didn't think anything of it, I thought it was a sign I was helping him. I didn't know it was the last time I would see him alive." he did a small smile as a tear ran down his cheek.
"We should probably get ready before they come here and steal us." he said while smiling. I can tell he was doing a little better and I hugged him.
I finished doing my makeup and grabbed a new sweater that didn't have wet sleeves.
"Okay, I'm ready!" I said as I turned to see Dan dancing in the doorway waiting. I couldn't help but laugh.
"Lets go then sis!" he said in a sing-song tone and grabbed my hand.
I locked my door and off we went to meet up with the others.

I know this chapter was a bit on the depressing side but thought we should get into why Dan was depressed before.
Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter :)