A Boy Worth Saving (Previously Let Me Help You)

Chapter 8: Finding Out and Figuring Out

Authors Note: Ok so I've been TRYING to get a chapter up every 7-10 days. I'll try to keep it like that. Also, how is the chapter length? Too short? Too long? Lemme know if you want to. It would help. And I'm guessing that if you have read this far you like the story, so I won't ask that. Ok if you read this then thanks.

This weeks song: The Ghost Of You by My Chemical Romance.

Hunter's POV:
Once Parker walked out, I turned on the water, so he would think I got in. Then I went to the cabinets under the bathroom sink and pulled out my small box of memories.
One was a picture of me and Parker from when we were 7. I was in the lower branches of a tree, sitting next to Parker. We were both marking silly faces. If only life were still that simple.
The next one was old Fall Out Boy concert tickets from last summer. I was 15 and Parker came running over to me during lunch, handed me one, and ran off. My other friends were so confused but I was so happy. Parker bought them so we could go to our first concert together.
The third one was a piece of my old mirror. I broke it the day I had my first panic attack. Parker was at my house when it happened, and so far has been the only person who can calm me down during one. I was on my floor and ended up knocking over my standing full length mirror. It shattered into pieces and scared me more.
The last one was my small bundle of razor blades. I had collected them over time. They ranged in sharpness, from dull to extremely sharp.
I took out one of the sharper ones. I pulled off my shirt and slid the blade down my arms. Then I took off my pants and slid cuts across my legs. I rinsed off the razor and put it back with the others in the bundle. I didn't realize that I was crying until I saw tears hit the floor. I stepped into the shower and washed my hair, then delicately washed my body off. I turned off the water, dried off, and get dressed. When I walked out of my bathroom, Parker was sprawled out on my bed, headphones in, eyes closed, with his face covered in tears. He looked so cute like the, but I felt awful as to why he was crying.

I pulled out one earbud and put on in my ear. Fall Out Boy. There was no way that he was listening to our band, when I had been looking at the old concert tickets. Parker opened his eyes and saw me. He sat up, quickly drying his face and eyes.

"Oh, uh hi." He said quietly.

"Hi." I said, awkward silence filling the air. "W-why were you crying?" I took the earbuds out of our ears, Immortals playing softer as they got farther away.

"I-I was just thinking about that night. How much fun we had. How life used to be." Parker got quieter as he spoke.

"Oh. It was only the summer before last." I remembered the night we got home. The epic sleepover at Parker's house that followed.

"I know. But it feels like so long ago." He was still staring at the ceiling. "Well, I guess I'll go take a shower now." He turned to look at me, his face inches from mine. Parker stared into my eyes, and I stared into his. Then he got up, and left to the bathroom.

~~after the shower~~
We sat around my room talking about random things. When we both decided to go to sleep, I tried to get up. Parker grabbed my arm and pulled me back down. I shouted out in pain. Parker instantly released my arm and looked at me wide eyed.

"Ar-are you ok? Ohmygod I am SO sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you! What happened? Can I fix it?" Parker said so quickly, I had to stand there for a minute to process every word.

"You're fine. You didn't do anything wrong." I sat down on my bed and avoided looking at Parker. Tears in my eyes were threatening to fall.

Parker sat down next to me, and I bowed my head. "Let me see your arms." He said calmly.

"Wha-no!" I snapped my head up.

"I knew it." He said. Grabbing my hand. I started crying.

Parker gently rolled up my sleeves, revealing fresh cuts. "Oh Hunter..." His eyes were brimming with tears.

"I know... I'm sorry. I just keep messing up." I said so softly I didn't know if I said it out loud.

Parker rolled down my sleeves and looked into my eyes. "There's better ways to cope you know." He sounded sad. I didn't blame him.

"I know. But this makes me feel something. I don't do it often. But when I do it's always a lot." I continued staring into his eyes.

"Did, did you do it on other places? Not just your arms?" Parker sounded genuinely concerned and I felt so guilty.

"Yeah. But, do I have to show you?" I said, turning my head away in embarrassment.

"If you can. Please." He had tears in his eyes.

"Ok, but please don't get mad." I started turning pink.

"I won't, I promise." Parker was holding onto my hand now.

I was so embarrassed that I had to show him my thighs. But he needed to know. No, he deserved to know. I slowly and shakily revealed the crimson lines on my thighs. Parker turned a small shade of red. But was it really anger? Embarrassment? I didn't know. "I'm sorry Parker. I'm just a disappointment." I said solemnly.

"No you're not. You're hope. You're joy. You just, you just need to be patched up." Parker said, struggling to find the right words.

"I guess." I said miserably.

"Boys! Time to go to sleep! You've been with each other long enough now." My mom yelled up the stairs to us.

Parker and I both giggled before I yelled back, "Ok mom!"

"Can we actually go to sleep? It's like midnight and we have school tomorrow!" I whispered to Parker.

"Yeah sure." Parker whispered back.

We finally went to sleep. Somehow, when morning came, I found myself back in Parker's arms. But we were on the ground.

My alarm went off. "Parker? How did I end up on the ground? In your arms?" I was honestly so confused.

"I-I. Don't. Actually. Know." He sounded as confused as I felt.

"Maybe I sleepwalked. That happens sometimes." Just then, my mom opened my door.

Now, this wouldn't have been as awkward, but Parker was still on the ground, holding onto to me cuddled against him. Under his blanket.

We both shut up, turning a deep cherry red color.

"Well, I was GOING to tell you that you're late, but seeing as I now know why, I think you know." My mother said, winking at the suggestion.

"Nonononono. Mom it ISN'T LIKE THAT!!" I frantically tried to convince her.

"Ok, well, either way, get ready." My mom finally closed the door.