Hybrid Theory: A [Linkin Park] Spinoff.

In Pieces.

I struggle to keep from crying as I step into the shower, not really caring that the hot water is burning me, No. This can't be happening. I'm sixteen. He's like....three times my age. I scrub furiously at my arms and hands until my scars turn an angry shade of red, tears streaming down my cheeks.
Phoenix knocks softly on the locked bathroom door,"Big E? You in there?"
I sob,"Go away!" I sink into a sitting position, my knees tight against my chest, the lyrics to Crawling playing through my mind.

There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface

Consuming, confusing

This lack of self control I fear is never ending

It's haunting, how I can't seem

To find myself again

My walls are closing in

I've felt this way before

So insecure

Great. So much for burning the pain away, I stand up and kill the water, opening the glass door.

[Five minutes later.]

I walk into the living room, "Hey guys."
Joe looks at me,"Eren. What's wrong with your arms?"
I unconsciously rub my inner forearms,"Just where the hot water hit my scars.
Phoenix shakes his head,"Eren. Don't lie. We heard you crying in the shower. What's wrong?"
I sink down onto the couch between Rob and Brad,"You want to know? Chester kissed me."
Five jaws hit the floor at once,"He did what!?"
I close my eyes, trying to keep from crying,"I don't know what i should do."
Chester walks out, rubbing the back of his head,"What's going on?"
I stand up, tears running down my cheeks,"You want to know what's going on!?"
"Eren. Calm down."
I quickly advance on Chester, green fire surging up my right arm,"NO! I WON'T CALM DOWN! YOU KNOW THAT WHAT YOU DID WAS WRONG!!! AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR YOUR MISTAKE!!!"
Chester backs against the wall,"Eren. You're starting to scare me. Please. Calm down."
I slam my fist into the wall mere centimeters from Chester's head,"YOU DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S HOW I FELT WHEN YOU KISSED ME!? I CRIED FOR TEN MINUTES IN THE SHOWER!!!! YOU BROUGHT UP PAINFUL EMOTIONS!!"
I drop to my knees, my body racked by uncontrollable sobs,"You did this to me! If you wouldn't have dared me to do that stage jump, I wouldn't be the emotionally unstable freak that I am now!!"
Mike walks over to me and kneels down, taking me in his arms,"Eren. You aren't a freak. You're just going through a rough patch. Everything will be alright."