7.23 – A bleeding heart

Warning: Pg-13 due to Sensitive material + gore + suggestive material

James’ POV

Alec and I rushed to Nix’s room. Alec had to be lying, Nix wasn’t the type to resort to cutting, right?

We entered her room without knocking and she stood up quickly from her bed as she saw us.

“Guys what are you…Alec what you saw it’s not-” She tried to say as she held the sides of her arms. She seemed so jittery and…unlike herself.

Without thinking I stepped forwards and grabbed her arms, effectively cutting off her sentence.

She recoiled in pain as I touched her self-inflicted wounds in the process. Nix really had cut herself…

“Let go James! You’re hurting me!” Nix said as she tried to pull her arms away from my grasp.

“Nix, why would you even-”

Nix managed to wrestle her wrists out of my hands, but I grabbed hold of her arms just as she tried to push me away.

“Will you guys just leave!?” She said in a strained voice.

“Nix, why did you cut yourself? Why would you do that?” Alec asked again.

Is she being bullied? I needed to know and she wasn’t being cooperative.

So, I did something I never dared do before. I controlled Nix, I made her want to talk to me, want to confide in me.

Her eyes met mine in a desperate plea.

“What else was I supposed to do James? He’s dead. I can’t feel anything anymore, and life is unbearable. How am I supposed to go to class, to study, to live normally when he…” Her voice choked. “It was just the one time; I just wanted to see if…” She trailed off and her eyes started to tear up. “Please let me go now…”

Next thing Alec and I did was tell mom and dad.

***

Lance: Hey man, I heard about Nix. Is she going to be okay?

James: Mom has her meeting a therapist because Nix refuses to leave school. She seems better though.

Lance: As long as she’s better. Man, I wish I could go over there and hug her. Can you do it in my place?

James: Sure.

Lance: Well on a happier note, I got my first official assignment today.

James: Great, what’s it about?

Lance: I’m not supposed to say, but I’ll give you a hint. It has the word ‘weapon’ in it 😉

Weapon? As in the weapon? Nah, probably just a random weapon.

Doubt still gnawed inside me so I decided to ask anyway.

James: As in the creature human thing?

I wasn’t too sure how else to say it. Lance took a good full minute before replying.

Lance: What do you know about it?

It really was it!

James: That it was made by experimenting on white-eyes. (I think anyways)

Lance: That’s all?

James: It’s got some sort of vampire bodyguard. Also, a bunch of people want it because it’s powerful, but I really have no idea what it does.

Lance: Where did you learn all this?

And then I proceeded to tell my brother all about the Time Keeper temple episode.

Lance: Damn man…I have to go now, but I’ll keep you updated on my case if you don’t tell a soul.

James: Okay. Thanks

***

Months later…

“Hello.” Jamie said before I pulled her towards me and kissed her.

“You guys ready for tonight?” Joshua asked excitedly.

“Yeah! Are you ready James?” Jamie exclaimed.

I tilted my head to the side as I tried to remember what was happening tonight.

“I sure am, I’m pumped!” Joshua said.

“Dude, don’t tell me you actually forgot? It’s the grad party for us seniors.” Joshua reminded me.

Already? A whole month before the end of school?

I do remember Jamie talking about it a lot though…

***

“The place looks packed.” Nix said.

“Don’t worry it’ll be fine.” Alec reassured her. We were both being a bit cautious around Nix. The therapist sessions seemed to have helped her, she was back to her normal self, so we didn’t really have any reason to be so wary.

“I know it will be! God for the hundredth time, I’m fine Alec!”

I gestured to my nose as I noticed a small bead of blood coming out of Nix’s nose.

“Huh? Oh thanks.” She said as she rubbed it off, sniffing in the process. “Anyway, are we going in or not?”

Almost instantly after entering the house both my siblings went their separate ways. We didn’t need to stick together like a timid little group. Jamie spotted me instantly and waved me over.

“Man just look at this! They got a bubble machine! They went all out for this!” Joshua exclaimed over the music, enthusiastically pointing at the machine.

“Yes we need to try it out!” Jamie joined in.

I agreed.

The party was an absolute blast, the music, the bubbles, the general everything was absolutely intoxicating!

I can only remember bits and pieces, some of it is kind of blurry.

But what I do remember was really fun!

At some point I’m pretty sure I lost track of who was who. The bubbles must’ve had something in them…

I was either dancing alone or with whoever. Sometimes I’d see Joshua and Jamie sometimes I wouldn’t. It didn’t really seem to matter.

Pee…I really have to go pee right now…

I used the wall to support me as I made my way down the corridor, searching for the washroom.

Maybe that room?

I opened it. Oh boy, now that’s awkward.

Without making a sound I closed it again.

There, this one ought to be the washroom!

I opened the door, suddenly struck with the idea that maybe someone was using it already.

I wasn’t that far from the truth.

Nix…

What have you done?