One Day Too Late

Brandon

-Harmony's P.O.V.

Answers. The one thing I needed, she left for me.

October 18 

Things are changing so fast. I miss who I used to be, my old life, the friends that left me. I can't take the abuse much longer. I have to tell someone about this, but I can't. Who knows what he'll do to me? I'm so scared, so lost. I need to tell someone, so I thought, why not write it down? Here goes. There's other stuff going on too by the way, my best friend is being a jerk for no reason, and I'm pretty sure we're done. I'm tired of dealing with her drama, she's so fake. And on top of that, the freaks found out I was cutting. What do I do? I'm lonely, hurt, confused, broken, empty. I feel so hollow. And sometimes, I wish I wasn't alive. Am I crazy? What's wrong with me? 

I'm frozen. Heart pounding, lungs burning. I realize I'm not breathing, and I take in the cool air. She was this bad? The page, like all the rest, is bloody. How could she have been this messed up, and not gotten help?! Why didn't she talk to someone? And the thing about me being mad at her? I check the date again and realize it was about a week before I met her. 

Oh. I did hear a lot about this traitorous best friend. I think her name was Ellie? Apparently she dumped Echo after she went emo. What a jerk.

 Another line stands out to me. The abuse. . .from her parents? I knew they were hard on her, but they abused her? How terrible! I could never have kept this inside, it must have been so hard for her. How could I have not noticed?  

The next day I see Brandon in school, and I walk up to him. Just as I start to say something, I begin crying so hard that I can't breathe. I stagger and almost fall to the groundbefore he catches me. 

"Whoa, hey, it'll be okay," he murmurs into my hair. 

"How?" I choke out, "Echo's g-gone."

"We have each other." I hug him harder for saying that, he always says the right thing.

I lift my head and stare into his eyes. He leans down and his lips brush mine. He deepens the kiss, and my eyes widen as I realize I'm kissing him back. All of the emotions I've been holding back are flowing out of me and into the space between us. 

Guilt rushes through me and I step back. I can't do this! He was Echo's and. . .no. Not so soon after her death. I I break away from him and run. 

"Harmony!" He calls after me.

I ignore him and keep running, never looking back. I can't talk to him right now, too many thoughts rushing around inside my blackened mind. 

When I get home, I take out Echo's journal, feeling so completely lost. I see the blood on the pages and an idea claws it's way into my head. I need to punish myself for earlier, it was a betrayal to Echo. I remember how he hurt her.

I run over to my dresser and take out a pencil sharpener and a screwdriver. I unscrew the blade from the sharpener. Cold air fills my lungs and I exhale, pressing the silver metal against my wrist. Crimson blood dances across my skin. The pain is enticing, enchanting. Quickly, I carve a few more lines into my arm. My blood joins with Echo's in the depths of her journal. Shivers course through me, so beautiful. My breath gets caught somewhere in between my throat and mouth. Suddenly I'm gasping for air, I feel so. . .alive. 

As the pain, confusion, and amazement wash over me, I lay across my bed, letting my tears wash away the guilt of surviving.