|| Side-By-Side || A Sprace Love Story

Chapter 9 - Stress

Warning: Mentions of Abuse, Suicide, and Self Harm
Third Person POV

Race slipped.

Suddenly, he felt two hands on the back of his shirt.

Jack and Davey had grabbed him before he was too far down.

They pull him back onto the roof/fire escape.

Race presses his back against the roof, next to the window, his eyes wide in fear and tears still streaming down his face.

Jack and Davey stare at him.

"What we're you doing?!" Jack exclaims, his eyes wide. "You just tried to jump off of the roof!"

"I- I didn't- I promise." Race stammers, still staring off of the roof. "I didn't- didn't try to."

Davey shoots Jack a stern look. "Quit yelling." He whispers snaps at him.

Jack doesn't respond.

Davey bends down in front of Race. "What happened?" He asks quietly.

Race's frightened and tear filled eyes slowly make their way up to meet Davey's, his body trembling. "I- I burned- my-myself." He whispers. "Like my dad- taught me." His breathing speeds up again. "I realized it was- was wrong- and tried to throw the- the cigar off of- of- of the roof, and I- I slipped!" He tells him. "I didn't jump- I promise! I'm sorry!"

Jack's eyes soften. "Oh, Race." He whispers, sitting down next to him.

A sob escapes Race's lips.

"Can I touch you?" Jack whispers.

Race doesn't look at him, but he nods softly.

Jack gently wraps his arms around Race, nodding to Davey.

Davey nods, heading back inside through the window.

"Why did you burn yourself?" Jack whispers to Race, holding him close.

"I- I-" Race tries to explain, but it only made him feel like he was drowning.

Breathing was hard, his head was pounding, and his vision was blurred from the tears in his eyes.

"Shh." Jack whispers, playing with his hair. "It's alright. Stay calm."

After calming Race down a bit, he asked him again.

"I though Spot was dead, or at least hurting because of me." Race whispers, leaning against Jack. "It's my fault he's there."

"No." Jack responds. "It's not."

Race doesn't respond.

"Come on," Jack picks Race up. "Let's go to the bunk room." He whispers.

Race nods, laying his head on Jack's shoulder.

Jack carries him into the bunk room.

By the looks on the other boys' faces, Jack knew Davey had told them about what had happened, just so they could help a bit.

Jack sits Race down on his (Jack's) bunk.

Albert and JoJo sit down next to Race on the bunk, each other them taking one of Race's hands gently.

The other boys sit around them.

Davey and Specs walk into the room, holding bandages and stuff.

"Grazie, Jack." Race whispers, his eyes staring at the floor.

Jack raises an eyebrow.

Race looks up. "Oh right, you don't speak Italian, sorry." He whispers. "I said 'Thank you, Jack'."