Million Paper Cuts

Chapter 1

But today, it was different.

I sit there, looking at the new student. He looks like a long lost twin of mine. We have the same clothing style, same hair type, scars and bruises. Everything.

I sit back in my chair in amazement. Just...wow. He is not like the others, he's just like me. He walks over to the chair next to me with a sad look. I look over to him to see what is wrong.

"Hi, my name is Ashton Pines." I introduce myself. I barely even talk during class, but somehow I feel comfortable around him.

"Jacob Zane," he says back cheerfully. How is this guy happy but looks so depressed?

"Nice to meet you, Jacob." I welcomed him, feeling a little neighborly.

"Nice to meet you too, Ashton." Jacob says with a smile.

It is about lunch time. My stomach is making the rumblies, and I am starving. I am starting to crave chocolate bread for lunch.

I look over to Jacob, and I see he is staring at me.

"Oh, sorry." Jacob stutters.

I don't reply.

My stomach grumbled when I sat there in silence, and my face felt a little warm. My body seems to be attacking me already because I didn't eat this morning or last night. I start to sweat.

"You okay? You seem hungry." Jacob said, concerned.

"I'm fine." I told him.

"No you're not. Here." Jacob hands me a croissant from his bag.

I take the croissant and look at him, confused.

"I have a question...why the fuck do you have a croissant in your bag?"

"I bring French specialties to class sometimes for extra credit."

It was time for lunch. I run down the halls and get in line for food. I grab a spoonful of mac and cheese, and grabbed a banana. We always have to take at least 1 fruit for our lunch. But, I never eat the fruits. Only the greasy, good stuff.

I sit down at a table where nobody else really sits. Jacob then sat in front of me.

"Hey. I wanted to ask you a question." Jacob said, breaking the loud noise of people chewing, nastily.

"Sure, I don't mind." I tell him politely.

"How did you get those scars on your wrists? I've been wondering. I don't mean to pry, I'm just curious." Jacob says, glancing down at my wrist.

"I dropped a plate and hurt myself picking it up." I tell him.

I shouldn't worry him.

"Bullshit." Jacob says, raising his voice a notch.

I look down at his arms and ask him the same question.

"One day, I was so mad at my ex-boyfriend-"

Whoa. So, he isn't straight?

"Cause he said out of nowhere that we had to break up. We had planned the future in front of us, saying that we will adopt kids, live together, and stay with each other til death do us part. When he broke up with me, I felt like a vase that just fell down and shattered everywhere." Jacob explained.

"Wow. I am so sorry to hear that," I hesitate, "Does that mean that you hurt yourself?"

I was curious now.

Jacob stares into my eyes, looking directly into my soul.

"I don't wanna answer that." He responds, his face hardening into a mental shield of some sort.

The bell rings, signaling the end of lunch. I find it hard to focus for the rest of the day, Jacob's words resonating throughout my mind.

Is his life as bad as mine?

Class to class, I sit there in silence, staring at the whiteboard. Finally the bell rings, and everyone was getting pushed into the halls, the tight space soon filling with the stench of sweat and perfume. People start to file out of the school, some getting into cars, some walking, and some boarding the buses.

I drive back home and head straight to my room, laying down for a long nap.

During my slumber, I feel the side of my bed getting heavy. I open my eyes. The person looks so familiar. I wasn't able to see clearly, but is it...

"Dad?"