Angels Can Fly

Chapter 3

      I get home and set my stuff down on the stairs. My dad is making a snack, and when he sees me, greets me with a warm smile. I hold my syllabi out and, once he takes them, I retreat to my room. I lock the door and finally break down. Sometimes I wish I still talked. I could really use a friend right now, but, of course, I suffer in silence. I take out my blades and make the first cut of today, closing my eyes and breathing in deeply. The pain feels good, so I make just one more. Then another. Then one last one. But soon my arms and thighs are completely bloody. I walk to my bathroom and wet a wash cloth and dab off the blood. I wrap my arms in bandages and put on sweat pants to cover my thighs.

I make my way down the stairs slowly and when my mom sees the bandages, she immediately starts crying. I knew she'd understand but I have to swallow back my sudden tears. I hate to see my mom cry. My dad rubs her back and whispers, "Shh... she's okay." He never quite could wrap his mind around the fact I cut. I absently rub the scar on my neck and he stares at me, understanding my meaning. 'Help! Today I'm bad!!' He brings out my white board and I write and tell them everything that happened. He sighs and pats my shoulder gently and my mom moves to wrap her arms around me, pulling back when I flinch. I stand up and make a sandwich, taking it back upstairs. When I finish, I try to speak, wincing at how horrible my voice. After a few seconds of internal turmoil, I decide it's time to start talking again.

I begin practicing getting my voice strong enough to say "I love you" without whispering or coughing horribly. Eventually, after a couple days of practicing alone in my room, I can speak loud enough to be heard. I make my way downstairs and find my parents dancing to the same song they dance to every year on their anniversary. I smile and, after a few minutes of watching, walk over and tap my mom on the shoulder. She stares at me and for a second I start to panic that she didn't want me there. But then she whispers, "Skylar, honey? You're smiling!" I nod and open my mouth, getting ready to speak and I can hear both her and my dad hold their breaths.
"I love you, Mom, Dad." She sobs and squeezes me and my dad joins in soon after, a single tear rolling down his cheek. I whisper, "I need to show you my arms..." She nods and I take off my bandages. She glances back at my dad and I say, "Please help me."