Dangling Off the Edge

"My legs are dangling off the edge..." I start to sing quietly, arousing a few looks from people passing my by on the bridge. I sigh, closing my eyes. Do I really want to do this? Should I do this? Would anyone even care if I wasn't around?

The answer to the last question is a definat NO!

I snap my eyes open, looking down at the choppy water. I'm ready.

Raising a shaky hand, I pull myself up the first rung of the railling. A few people walking, and in cars, glance my way. That's all they do; just glance at me and continue on their merry way.

I climb the rest of the rungs slowly, waiting for my mind to start screaming at me to stop. It doesn't. Good...

I swing one leg over, then the other. Shakily, I place my feet on the second highest rung. Slowly, I stand, using a pole for balance. I turn, looking down at the rushing water. I'm--

"She's going to jump!" someone shreeks behind me.

I turn my head and see that ever person now stares at me. The only thing that moves is the traffic, and even then people stare at me through their windows. A little kid stares, wide-eyed at me through the back window of her parent's car. They're just curious, I tell myself. They don't care about you. They don't even know you!

I turn away from them, a small tear running down my cheek. No one really cares. No one ever cared about me, Laura Grey. And after I jump, no one will get the chance to hurt me again. Never, ever again.

I close my eyes again, tilting my head back. No voice in my head shouts for ne to stop. I'm actually ready to do this. I take a deep breath and--

"Stop!" a male voice cries. Ignore him, I tell myself. Just ignore him, whomever it is. I take another breath, readying myself again. Someone grabs my hand, stopping me from doing anything. "I said stop it, Laura!" the voice shouts.

He knows my name? I slowly open my eyes, turning my head slightly to look at the guy clinging onto my hand. Josh.

He's the closest thing I have to a friend, with his blue eyes and straight blonde hair. "Stop," he says again hoarsly.

The actual pain in his eyes shocks me, making me not turn away from him. Tears form in his eyes, nearly ready to spill over. I want to look away, but I can't. All I can think is: I want his eyes to be filled with happiness again, not pain. Anything but pain.

He slides his hand from my hand up my arm to my elbow, gripping it tightly. All he says are two words: "Dont go."

A tear runs down my cheek. I use my other hand to wipe it away furiously. "Why should I?" I close my eyes, not wanting to see the pain in his eyes. My pain is enough for me to handle, I don't want to see his. "No one cares, so why should I stick around?"

He tries to speak, then stops, clearing his throat thick with emotion. "I care, Laura," he whispers. "I've always cared."

I open my eyes again, staring into his eyes. I see something in them. Something I've never seen before: love.

Slowly, he climbs over the raillng. He sits down on the highest rung, slowly tugging on my arm. When I don't move, he tugs it again and I sit next to him. He reaches his hand up hesitantly and smooths away a few strands of hair from my face. A small tear slides down his cheek. "Please; don't leave."

This time, it's me that has to clear the emotion from my throat befor speaking. "I'm not strong enough anymore, Josh," I say, my voice quiet. Tears well in my eyes.

He wraps his strong arms around me, pulling me close to him. I berry my face in his chest and let the tears come. Sobs rack through my body, but still Josh holds onto me. When the sobs subside, I raise my head to look at him. "I'm not strong enough," I say again.

"If you have no strength left," he whispers, bringing me closer to him, "then you can have mine." He kisses my lips softly. "You can always have mine."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hoped you liked that :) ~Lau

oh, song to go with this (props to the person who guesses from the title of the story) is Bullet, by Hollywood Undead ^.^

"my legs are dangling off the edge, the bottom of the bottle is my only friend, think I'll slit my wrists again and I'm gone, gone, gone*