The Photo Project (#Wattys2014)

31: I'm Here.

"I seriously did that?" Hayden asks as he laugh.

I nod and smile, sipping at my Starbucks drink.

"So let me get this straight. Even though there was girly glitter all over the poster board, I still presented it with pride?"

Shrugging, I stick my tongue out at him. "I guess you loved me that much."

He sighs and stares at me, shaking his head.

We sit in silence for a few seconds before he speaks up again.

"I make you sad, so why do you still come here? It's been, what, three weeks?"

I put my drink down on the table and stare at him, slowly placing my hand on top of his.

"I'm sad, yes.. But I'm even happier that you're alive. Even if I have to start all over, or even if you don't return those feelings ever again, I'm just so happy you're here, breathing and laughing. It's been three weeks, but it only feels like a few days." I finish with a smile and look away.

"God, I wish I could remember you, Isobel."

I lean over to grab my drink again and sip on it slowly.

Hayden's staring at me as if he's confused about something, and I'm not sure why.

Is he remembering something?

"What are those?"

"What are what?" I ask.

"On your arm."

I furrow my eyebrows and look down, noticing what he's talking about.

"Oh.."

"Why?"

I smile lightly and shake my head. "It doesn't matter."

"Why would you hurt yourself like that?" he asks sternly, sitting up straighter in his bed.

Sighing, I put my drink back down before answering. "It's complicated."

"Well, as you can see, I won't be getting out of this place for a while. So go ahead and babble on until you get it un-complicated."

I rub at my head for a few seconds before nodding.

"The newer ones are because I thought you were dead. I did them about a month and a half ago."

He nods for me to continue and I bite my lip.

"I used to.. Have this boyfriend." I look away from him, not able to look at him while I tell him this.

"Let's just say he liked to be physical towards me, and I just took it.. Then one day, you came along, as my project partner.. I stayed with him for about a month or so more, then finally got the courage to dump him, and we sort of started dating, or whatever it was.

I was happy to be away from him, and to be safe with you, but in my life, good things don't stay good for long.. I decided to bring him to court, and we lost.. Long story short, he's been pissed ever since, and-" I stop myself and take a deep breath. "And he's the one who sabotaged your breaks. You're in here, because of him."

I look up and Hayden's staring at the wall in front of him with an angry look on his face. "When I get out of here, I'm beating the asshole six feet under."

I smile lightly and shake my head. "No need."

"I.. I don't mean to sound like an insensitive jerk, because trust me, I really care.. But that can't be the only reason for you to.. To cut.." He trails off.