josh's pov
"i grew up a happy kid. my mom and dad were happy, mark was a great older brother. we never fought, we were very unusual from other siblings. when i was 13, i started getting mood swings; i would lash out at mark and my parents often. i eventually developed depression. i would sit in my room for hours and not eat or do anything, so i didn't have many friends. mark and i started to grow apart; he was growing older. i had no one. i found self harm one day. at first, i would scratch my arm until it bled, then i moved onto razors, and then blades. i would cut a lot. no one knew about that. i started getting anxiety when i was trapped in my room, and i would worry about what my parents thought of me, and what mark was doing, and how he wouldn't treat me the same after what i had done. i started to hear things and see people and shadows and these horrible monsters that caused insomnia. everything eventually got to a point i panicked together one night. i was feeling very sad, because my depression had kicked in. my anxiety was over the top, and i found pills. i looked the pills up and they were some painkillers my mom had used for her back. i took maybe about 10 before i couldn't function, and i passed out. i woke up the next morning in this hospital, with a doctor saying i was spending 6 years of my life in a mental hospital to treat my suicidal thoughts, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and occasional anorexia. i was the opposite from perfect. in the hospital, i was different from everyone. but one thing happened. one voice got into my head. it's a woman voice, and she tells me things and talks and talk and will sometimes go away and come back. she has never left. i lie during therapy, and i don't take my pills."
she let out a long sigh and looked up from her lap with tears in her eyes. i was crying a little bit. i leaned down and wrapped my arms around her small frame, pulling her close to me. she hugged back, just as tight. i smiled. "im going to help you, arlette."
she let out a sigh, but this time with a small smile on her face. i sat back down on the bed, crossing my legs. "i want to know more about you, josh." she looked me in the eyes again. i never noticed the distinct green in her eyes. they took me by surprise, but i had to look away so i didn't seem like a creep.
"i want to know more about you too, arlette." i locked eyes with her again. she giggled and looked away. damn.
"josh," i looked back up at her, she had more of a serious look on her face. "thank you. i think you saved my life."
i couldn't stand it. i smiled, but i looked at her bare wrist. i looked at her again. "can i?" i asked softly. she nodded, still looking at me. i grabbed her hand as delicately as i could, and slowly turned her wrist over, observing the white and red lines scattered across her arm.
arlette's pov
he was being so soft and careful with me, and i felt special. i didn't want to watch him look at my scars, so i turned away. i felt his fingers in my wrist, tracing over some marks. i couldn't help but to cry. why did he care? he doesn't care. he's doing this for his own amusement. i did not need her here now. but what if she was right? my hands started to shake; my anxiety was kicking in. josh noticed and let go of my wrist. i clenched my hands into fists to try to stop the shaking, but i couldn't stop. josh grabbed my hands and stroked them with his thumb. the shaking died down. my eyes started to get heavy as a wave of drowsiness came over me.
"josh," i whispered. he looked up from my hands. "i'm going to sleep, okay?"
he nodded, and i turned to my side and pulled my knees to my chest, smiling.
the nurse came in right when i was about to fall asleep and put another IV in my arm. i became sleepy quickly.
josh's pov
