The tears chased each other down her cheeks, making her face redder with everyone. She brought her knees closer to her chest, hoping that if she closed herself off enough, the pain would seize. Her crayon brown hair hung in her face, trying pathetically to hide her sobs, and terror. Her muddy eyes streaked mascara down her cheeks and her nose was so red she looked like a human Rudolf. She pulled her hood over her hair, trying to sink into herself, hoping and wishing that no one would see her. A part of her wanted someone to reach out, but what was the sense in wishing... if no one knew what you were wishing for?
He saw her. The girl crying in the corner. She was trying desperately to hide herself... from what, he wasn’t sure. He felt a longing to reach out and help her, but he’d never talked to her before. He’d seen her in the halls of their overly crowded school, but never spoke a word to her. He sucked up his courage, and narrowing his algae green eyes strode towards the girl.
She heard footsteps, and she shrunk back. She didn’t want anyone to see her like this. She was a wreck, and gross. She had a snot line for goodness’ sakes. The footsteps stopped, she saw black shoes, and blue jeans. She looked up and saw a guy there. Even in her pain-filled mind, she had to admit he was quite good looking. In that; messy, devil meets hare kinda way.
“Hey,” He bent down. “Are you okay?”
“Does it look like I’m okay?” She snapped.
It was a knee jerk reaction. She was a horrible and cynical person, snapping at people came naturally.
He put a hand into his jean pocket and pulled out a Kleenex. He held it out to her.

“Here, you look like you need this.” He said.
She regarded it with suspicious eyes. “Don’t worry.” He assured her, “It’s not used.”
She snatched the Kleenex and pressed it to her eyes. “Thanks.” She said gruffly, stuffing the now wet tissue in her jacket pocket.

“I’m Austin by the way.” He plopped down beside her.
She looked at him, “I’m Sam. I... uh. I usually don’t sit in libraries and cry. Just... so you know.” Her cheeks pinked, and not from the tears.
He laughed, “Yeah, I assumed as much. You just looked like...”

“...Like a girl bawling her eyes out?” Sam finished for him.
He shrugged, embarrassed. “Yeah.”
Sam laughed under her breath. “Thanks for uhm... coming over. I’ve never seen you here before.”

“I’ve seen you before.” Then when Sam looked at him sharply he quickly corrected himself. “I mean, I’ve seen you in the halls at school. I’m not creepy, I swear.”

“No, you just walk up to strange crying girls and give them Kleenex.” She said, looking at him raising a single eyebrow playfully.
He laughed, and she noticed how his dark brown hair looked almost black in the dim lighting of the library.

“So, what do you say on going to the cafe across the road, and I buy you a coffee?” Austin asked, smiling.
Sam half smiled, “Thanks, but I better be getting home. I have to make dinner tonight.”

“Okay.” Austin said as he stood up. He held out a hand to help Sam up as well.
She grabbed his large, tanned hand and got up.

“Thanks. Again, for... the tissue.” Sam blushed again.
Austin smiled, “No problem, any time. See you around school?”

“For sure.” Sam agreed and watched as he walked away.


It was two weeks after Austin had found Sam in the library, and she wasn’t any better. She had had lunch with him a few times, and found him oddly intriguing. But there she was; back in the corner, sobbing again. She grabbed her coil notebook from her shoulder bag, and looked at the wire slowly unwinding. She had picked at it a little bit everyday during class, and now it was long, and curly. She pulled her hood over her hair, and gripped the wire.
She brought it to her wrist, like she had done many times before. She knew it would sting, but after that... it was numb. Her pain just seemed to wash away as the blood would flow from her skin. But then she’d heal, and she’d need to do it again.
The wire was cool as it met her sensitive skin; she held her breath and dug in deep.

“No.” Someone said from above her, a hand knocked the wire out of her hand.
She looked up and saw Austin’s green eyes. “No.” He said and again and sat beside her.
He wrapped his long arms around her thin frame, around, and around and around.

“No.” He whispered into her hair.
She shook from her sobs, and cried into his shirt, nothing stopping the endless tears.

“It hurts so much.” She heaved.
He held on tight, “I know.”
Austin didn’t say anymore, he just held her. Rocking back and forth... and that was all Sam needed.