Another day in school means a boring and ridiculous day. A place where education is intended, but sleeping is projected. Lilly sits in the far left corner of the class where the heater above her, sends a rush of warm air downwards. She tapped her pen on the scratched up panel of the wooden desk impatiently. She wanted the final bell to ring so she could go home. She was tired of this little place, where the only thing she could think of was the people talking about her. She had overheard someone say her name, and after eavesdropping a little, she finally realized that they were talking about her ‘showing’.

Lilly was a heavy cutter. Someone that was neck deep in so much pain and stress, that she was literally a prisoner in her own suffering. She couldn’t run away from it. Lilly’s arms were covered in little pinkish lines where the skin was scarred. Her closest friends have tried to help her, but she just ignores it. She doesn’t want anyone worrying about her.

Finally, the bell rings. Lilly is the first one up in her history class. She scoops her books up and darts for the door, not looking back once to see if she dropped anything.

Michael and Elijah are in basketball practice now. It is at least 3:45 pm; almost an hour after school has ended. Elijah is tired and sore, glad it’s Fridayy. He doesn’t want to wake up at 6:30 tomorrow to get ready to go to school. He’s just not in the mood. After hearing about his friend’s secret getting even worse, he doesn’t want to even think of it. Instead, he focuses in on what the coach is really saying.

Michael isn’t paying attention either. He can hear the coach saying something about making sure that “someone is there to back them up”. He honestly doesn’t care. He is a junior now, and he has been playing basketball since he was little. He knows what to do.

Michael looks around the gym. Upstairs he can hear some of the seniors lifting weights. He can hear a locker being slammed in the locker room. He can hear two girls gossiping outside the two doors.

Typical High school, He thinks to himself as he rolls his eyes. Just as he is about to think to himself all the different stupid things of this place, coach tells them practice is over. The players all scatter, some of them going to the locker rooms, others are putting the basketballs away.

Elijah jogs to Michael’s side and nudges his elbow to his ribs. “Hey man,”

“Hi,” Michael says softly, almost as if he hasn’t talked in 50 years.

“You heard didn’t you?” Elijah’s voice gets quiet; making sure no eavesdroppers can listen in on the conversation.

“Yeah I did, and I’m going to her house right after this.”

Elijah nods, and whispers, “I just may too.”



Lilly isn’t in the mood. She sees two familiar cars pull up to the house. She doesn’t know weather or not to ignore the door, or to hide. But her car is in the drive, and both of the boys are comfortable enough to walk right in. Lilly sighs a deep sigh, and goes to the door.

“Hi Lil’” Elijah says with a smile.

Lilly smiles but her eyes aren’t meeting the grin. She steps aside to let the two in.

The three of them go into the living room, and Michael jumps right into the point. “Lilly, you have to stop.”

Lilly can feel the lump in her throat, and her eyes start to prick.

“It doesn’t do any effect but make you feel worse. You have great friends that love you, a family that loves you, and a huge future ahead of you. It wouldn’t make any sense if you just cut it short.” Michael doesn’t lose eye contact with her. “Lilly, will you at least please look at me, so I don’t feel like an idiot?”

Lilly’s fair cream like skin was blushed a fair pink, and they were wet from her tears. Once she met her Benitoite gem blue eyes to Michael’s, all the sadness and worry he had stored was escaping his eyes. All the emotion he had for Lilly’s safety that he kept hidden in a welded cell, had found its way through the cracks and revealed itself.

Elijah, who was leaning on the far wall, stood up straighter noticing Michael’s tears.

Michael shook his head and stood up. He wiped away a couple of fat tears as he walked out the back door.

Lily inhaled deeply then started to cry, hard. Her hands covered her eyes. She didn’t know what to do besides sit there and cry until her body was drained of all liquids.

Elijah moved towards her, resting his hand on the middle of her back. He rested his head on her right shoulder. “Just listen to us alright. Michael looks out for you. Well so do I, but he really looks out for you.”

Lily looked up. “What in the world are you talking about?”

Elijah laughed to himself. “What I’m trying to say is, you are throwing away something that is rare—“

“Dude, cut to the chase; I don’t want to listen to stupid riddles.” Lily said annoyed.

Elijah nodded in approval. “Well, Michael looks out for you because he ‘loves’ you. I know you don’t like the whole meaning of love because in high school it never really means anything, but this is serious. You have known him forever, and he rarely loves anyone.”

Lily was starring out into blank space; anyone who knew her would know that she was scared. Lily has had plenty of boyfriends, but after a while she lost the meaning of love.

“Lily?” Elijah asked, shaking Lily’s hand.

She blinked and looked up at him with her nervous eyes. “Are you being for real?”

Elijah nodded once. “Mm-hmm.”

Lily got up from the couch, and slowly moved towards the back door. There was almost a hesitant puzzle in her steps, like she was about to turn and run anytime now.

She shut the backdoor behind her quietly, leaving Elijah in the living room to himself.



I didn’t know weather or not Elijah had been kidding or not, but I didn’t care. I was comfortable around Michael, and no matter what I said he wouldn’t care.

Each step I took felt like the world was being pressed against my shoulders; so heavy and defining. He was sitting on the porch steps, holding his face up in his hands.

With careful easy steps, I made my way next to him. I sat down slowly, because I didn’t want to scare myself.

I held out my right hand, a simple movement he does when he wants to hold my hand. He set his left hand in mine.

Warm, like always. I squeezed and kissed the top of his hand.

“I’m sorr—“ we both said simultaneously.

“You go first,” I laughed.

Michael looked down smiling then looked back up to meet his eyes with mine. “I’m sorry Lil’. I seriously shouldn’t have freaked out like I did. And I shouldn’t have even brought it up. It only makes it worse and—“

I didn’t want to listen to it, and without warning for either him or myself, I grasp either side of his face and kiss him.

Not just a normal kiss, a full on firework kiss. For a second I was expecting a push away or him to not kiss back, but I was wrong.

Michael’s hand was now in my hair and holding me closer. With a sigh, he pulled away.

He smiled, a warm friendly smile.