I Can't Cope (COMPLETED)

Chapter 53 - James

"Riley?" I ask, confused as to why she's in my room not Piper's. I look over at her and gasp. No. No. No. Her body is so thin, it's practically skeletal, why didn't I notice?

She spins round to face me and her eyes widen.

"James get out!" she says, covering herself with one of my hoodies. But my eyes have already travelled to her arms.

"Riley! Have you been... cutting?" I say, my voice rising in shock.

"Uh... of course not!" she says, moving her arms out of sight, her voice shaking.

"Riley..." I say, stepping towards her. She backs away from me, the fear in her eyes present again.

"Don't hurt me!" she croaks, her voice almost a whimper. Then her face crumples and she drops the hoodie to the floor and bursts into tears.

Spending a moment to take in her body, I notice the deep red scars on her thighs and stomach and I have to do everything I can not to burst into tears myself. I have to stay strong, for her. I just can't believe she'd do this to herself... Realising I'm just standing there, watching her cry, I move over to her and wrap my arms around her tightly, being careful not to crush her.

"James you're hurting my arms!" she winces through sobs which shake her entire body violently. I loosen my embrace and realise there's blood on my arms. Her blood. I take her wrists in my hands gently and surprisingly, she lets me. Her wrists are a mess, obviously hacked away by something sharp she chose to hurt herself with.

"Riley... why would you?" I ask, biting the inside of my cheek to stop myself crying at the thought of what she's done. I can't even finish my sentence.

"I... I..." she replies through her tears, unable to do the same.

We stand there for several minutes, Riley crying uncontrollably and me biting my cheek harder. I can't cry, this isn't about me... but maybe it kind of is.

"Was... was this because of me?" I finally force myself to ask, hoping not to hear a certain answer.

I feel Riley shake her head.

"N-No... not... exactly." she continues to cry, slightly less violently by now.

"Then why...?"

"I don't want to talk about it." she mumbles.

"Riley, we have to." I say, lifting up her chin gently. She refuses to make eye contact but still doesn't move away. "Riley, what's been going on?" I insist. She doesn't say anything but instead reaches for her phone, unlocking it and handing it to me with shaky hands.

"Nick." she mumbles.

"Nick? Who the hell is he and what has he-" I stop as I read through Riley's conversation with him. "Oh."

I don't know who this complete pervert is but he seriously needs to stop harassing her. Some of the stuff he's said is awful, there's nothing she could have done to justify him treating her this way. But there's still one thing I don't get.

"How does he even know you?" Then I stop, reading one particular message. "And what happened 4 years ago?" She covers her face with her bloody arms.

"James... please don't make me say it. I-I don't want to."

"Riley, you can talk to me."

"N-no..."

"Yes, yes you can. I haven't proved it well before, but give me one more chance to show you, please."

"James, I've given you so many chances!" she wails.

"I know, but it's me..." I say, resting a hand on her back, trying to calm her down. I know I sound ridiculously cocky, but I need to get through to her somehow. "And, deep down, you know I want to be the one here for you. Riley, I made a stupid mistake. I'm sorry! I'll say sorry until the end of time just to prove to you I mean it if that's what you want me to do. I know you don't trust me at the moment, but please give me one last chance so I can prove to you I can make you happy."