Here We Are (boyxboy)

Here We Are part 4

I drew in a shuddering breath and shoved the razor back under my mattress. I slid my jacket on and edged open my door, listening hard for my dad’s heavy breathing.

                I tiptoed down the stairs, peeking around the corner to make sure he was still out cold.

I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until I made it outside. I started running as fast as I could, ignoring the throbbing in my arms and the blood staining my sleeves. I was running to see Lucas, and the sooner I got there the sooner I’d be okay.

I didn’t stop running until I reached the tree.

Our tree.

The tall oak near the park was where Lucas had kissed me for the first time, and where my razors were buried. We’d buried them together, and here was where I had promised not to do it again. The memory made fresh tears pool in my eyes, and I angrily wiped them away.

“Theo?”

I spun around. Lucas was standing there, his honey hair silver in the pale streetlight.

 A sob escaped me and Lucas rushed forward, wrapping his arms around me as I cried into his chest. Don’t get the wrong idea- I’m not much of a crier. Life’s just been giving me a crap deal lately.

“I’I’m sorry…I…”

“Ssh.”

I stepped back and wiped my eyes again. Lucas gasped sharply.

“What?”

“Theo… your arms!”

I lifted my wrist, surprised at the bloody fabric. “I guess I forgot.”

“Come on. I’ll get you bandaged at my house. You can stay the night.”

I nodded slowly as the night started to fold in at the edges. I swayed slightly and Lucas caught me.

“Theo? Theo, hang on-“

That’s when my world went black.

I came to when I heard Mrs. Thomason’s voice.

“Lucas? Is that you? Is Theo okay?” Mrs. Thomason came into the hall, tying her bathrobe around her waist.

“Mom, can you get some bandages? His wrists are bleeding out, he’s fainting.”

Mrs. T’s face crumpled and she came towards me, crushing me into a hug.

“Oh, Theo, honey, you stay here. You can’t go back there. It’ll kill you. I’ll call social services… the state…”

“Mom!” Lucas interrupted. “His wrists?”

Mrs. T wiped her eyes. “Oh, Theo, baby.” She took my right arm and carefully rolled up my sleeve, examining the cuts. “I’ll be right back. Go sit at the kitchen table. Lucas, get a towel and wrap it around his arm. I’ll hurry.”

Lucas helped me to the scarred wooden table and sat me down, then grabbed a dish towel from the sink and pressed it to my arm.

I noticed his face was set and his mouth a tight line.

“Lucas. I know you want to help, but there’s nothing we can do until I’m eighteen. My dad… he can’t be stopped. You know that.”

He looked up just as his mom came rushing in, her arms full of bandages and Neosporin.  She stretched my arm out on the table and started dabbing cream on the cuts. I winced. The slices were new, and still really tender.

“I’m sorry, Theo, we have to get the bleeding stopped,” said Mrs. Thomason.

I grimaced. “S’alright. It doesn’t hurt that bad.”

I sat as still as I could, wincing occasionally, until Mrs. T finished.

“Okay. Up to bed, both of you. Theo, you can stay home from school tomorrow if you’d like.”

She held up a hand at Lucas’s protests. “He nearly bled out. You, on the other hand, have midterms to prepare for. Now go on.”

Lucas helped me up and kept me steady on the way upstairs. He left me at the guest room door with a kiss and a promise.

“I’ll be in later.”