Stay.

25. He's Back

Weeks went by with no reply from Jason.

Months.

School was out, and I wasn't motivated at all. Kevin texted me every week asking if I was okay, but I rarely replied.

And then a knock on my door. "Autumn?" I lost my voice. He was talking to me? Could it be? Thoughts ran through my brain. Hearing his voice hurt.

"T-Thomas?"   I thought about it. Its been a few months since I even spoke to him.

He walked in, his eyes filled with tears. He was holding a cloth over his arm, it soaking with blood. He shook, his legs giving out, making him groan.

I flipped out. Running to the bathroom I grabbed the first aid kit. I can't handle blood. The room was spinning, but I managed to stay calm. I sped back to my room and bandaged his arm. At that point I wasn't sure if he was the one shaking, or if I was...

I examined his arms. Cuts cuts cuts. Cuts all over his arms. Some were new and others were older, some were deep and some were light. I pulled him into a hug and stared sobbing. "Thomas w-why?"

"I love you." He said, filled with pain. He hugged me tighter. "But I just can't live like this anymore." He said, whispering. "I miss when we were a family. And told each other everything. And I'll just start by saying. Joey. He's back." His voice quivered.

I pulled away in pure shock. "J-J-J-J-" I couldn't say it. I wasn't ready for this.

Thomas sat on the edge of my bed and began. "Joey is back and I don't know why." His face grew from sad to angry. "He was watching our house like two months ago."

I shivered. "Why?!" He looked around the room. "Did Jason ever say anything about Joey?" I looked at my fingers. "...No."

That hit me hard. He's back? And he's stalking me? And what about Jason? Is he okay?? I sunk back into my brothers arms. "What if he tries to hurt me?" I shivered, but knowing that my brother is here for me was all I needed at that time.

"Thomas... Don't leave me. I need you. I need a brother." I cried, but I could feel Thomas's tears too. "I won't." His voice squeaked, and he was breathing hard.

Joey is back.

"Why did you do this to your arm?" I turned his arm over, making him wince. "I don't know, it's just... "Easy." He sighed as I lifted the bandage looking at the mess he made. It was a deep gash, something that would leave a scar. "Anxiety. I just think. Why should I even live anymore? I just get overwhelmed and feel the urge to just.. cut." He held me tighter.

"Promise me you won't do this again." I looked him in the eyes this time. "Even if you feel like you have to, you can't. Even if Joey comes back, you can't."

I held his arm, wrapping the bandage back down tight. He covered it back up with his hoodie sleeve. "I won't. And what happened to Kevin and Jason?" I looked at him and explained it all...

I told him everything.

Okay, I sugar coated it a lot. I didn't tell him about kissing Kevin at all. Or that me and Jason almost had sex. Or the fact he said that Jason said loved me. Okay, I didn't tell him a lot.

"Wait, someone killed Jason?! We need to tell the cops! I am not ready to die."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't know for sure. And its been three months. If someone wanted to kill me they would have already done it..."

I relaxed my muscles. "And I have too much going on with Joey and what happened at Valentine's dance. I just..." My breath hitched as I started to feel as if my mind was playing tricks on me.

He patted my back. "Life is so.... Emotional and hard. Just... Stay strong." He got up and walked out of the room, closing the door softly.