Guns and Roses

Sixteen ~ Rya

Sensitive subject warning

My head is pounding. I knew as soon as I woke up that today was going to be shit. I didn't even drink that much last night but the gunshots mixed with the weed and the alcohol fucked up my head.

My room stinks as well. This is why I don't smoke in here.

I strip the bed as Quinn is in the shower and pile up the sheets that seem to have absorbed most of the smoke in the corner. Lisa usually does this for me but I really can't be bothered listening to her lecture me on drugs.

I start to put the pillowcases on when I hear a bang from the bathroom. "Quinn!" I shout. He must have slipped or something. He doesn't respond at all.

Lisa said he could still be in shock. I need to give him time but I need to know what he was talking about. What does he think I did?

I finish making the bed and turn to look at the bathroom door. He still hasn't made a sound. What if he's unconscious? He could have hit his head.

"Quinn?" I call out again as I walk over to the door. The silence makes me uneasy. "Is everything ok?" Still nothing in response.

I knock on the door "Just tell me you're alright, Quinn. I just want to know that you're alive" I laugh nervously. This is weird. Why is he so quiet?

I hear a sharp sob and I jump. There's silence again.

"Quinn?" I call out again, alarm in my voice this time. "I'm coming in okay?"

I step back and brace myself. I aim and just before my foot connects with the door I hear him "No!" He cries out but the door's already swinging open.

I'm frozen to the spot when I see what's in front of me. My white tiled floor is smeared with drops of blood and Quinn is sitting on the floor in only his underwear with a razor in his hand. He's crying.

I'm crying.

I dash over to him and wrestle the blade from his hand but it's too late. He's already done the damage. I slice open my palm as I pull the blade away from him and throw it across the room. "What have you done?" I yell at him.

He doesn't say anything, he just cries. I look at the wounds on his legs. It all seems to blur together in a red haze through teary eyes. "I'm going to get help" I tell him and grab the remaining blades from the counter before I leave.

Lisa is in the kitchen when I find her. Her eyes go wide as she sees me. I'm crying which is something I never do, with a handful of razor blades and there's blood running up my arm. "What have you done?" She asks me as she runs over.

I shake my head and struggle to get the words out "Quinn" I manage to sob.

She nods and runs off ahead of me towards my room. I chase after her and feel my head start to spin. I think I might be sick.

I've seen injuries so much worse but never someone inflict something like that on themselves.

When we get back to my bedroom, I have to brace myself against the wall. Lisa is helping Quinn to sit on the edge of the bath where she can bandage him up and I realise that I can't watch.

I look down at the razors in my hand. The wound on my palm. I put them into my bin and then tie up the bag. I dump it in the far corner of the room and grab a sock to wrap around my hand at the moment.

Hands on my shoulders pull me back into reality "Rya" Lisa says and she grabs my chin, steadying me "Listen to me. Calm down. Breathe. Everything's ok. He's going to be ok"

My heart is racing and my lungs are closing up. She can't see this, she isn't allowed to know.

"Rya, take a deep breath" she says but I'm not really listening. "I've got you. I've got you"

It passes quickly after this but she doesn't let me go for a minute or two longer. "Show me your hand" she says when I've calmed down.

I shake my head and shrug her off. He's still sitting on the edge of the bath but his clothes are on now and he's staring at his hands. I walk over to him and take his hands in mine. I open my mouth but I don't know what to say.

"I'm sorry" he mutters "I didn't mean to scare you"

"No" I say surprisingly forcefully "Don't you dare apologize. I just..  I don't understand"

He shrugs "Neither do I. Not really"

I hear Lisa leave the room. "I didn't want for you to find out" I tell him truthfully "You were never supposed to get involved"

"I thought you took my grandfather. I thought you had hurt him"

"He's missing?" I ask him. He nods. "Do you have somewhere to stay?" He shakes his head. I sigh and wipe my face "If you want you can stay here. There's plenty of space and nobody will hurt you. I'll make sure of it"

A small smile appears on his face "Will you help me get my grandfather back?"

I nod "I'll do everything I can" I owe him that much.

"What day is it?" He asks looking about. There's more life in him than I've seen for the last few days. As he looks to the side, I see a large purple bruise on his neck.

A smile finds its way to my face despite everything "Quinn Prescott, what is that?" I say and his hand jumps to his neck. "I take it the date went well then?"

He starts to go red "We never did anything. We just made out a bit and then fell asleep"

I get to my feet, glad for the change if subject "I'm sure you did"