AN: TRIGGER WARNING: Self-harm and a suicide attempt!

Also, for those of you feeling this way, my PM box is always open if you need someone to talk to. We can even move it to an email chat if that feels safer for you. If I'm not the person you want to talk to, however, here's the national suicide hotline: 1-800-273-8255. Whether or not you read this chapter, for any of you who feel this way, know that I offer my sincerest love and a listening ear!

June Freeman treaded wearily through the dark and silent halls of Nevaeh University. It had been a long day. And it had been made even longer by the detention June suffered for talking out of turn. But that was nothing new. She probably knew the detention center better than the people who ran it. June didn't regret getting the detention at all, either, feeling that she had been totally justified in her actions. She was just tired because it was so late. She couldn't wait to get to bed! On the way to the dorm, though, June decided to make a quick stop in the powder room so she wouldn't use the dorm bathroom and bother her peers. The moment she entered the facility, though, she felt the hair on the back of her neck rise. For reasons unknown, something felt wrong. Trusting her instincts, June walked deeper into the bathroom and noticed that the very last stall had somebody in it. But June saw feet and legs! That meant somebody was on the floor of the bathroom instead of on the toilet. June frowned slightly before approaching the stall and calling out in a mock-innocent voice.

"Alexis? Is that you?" she knocked the door gently. She received no reply. June knew that what she was about to do was rude, but curiosity drove her on. She knelt down beside the door and peeked under, just hoping for a quick glance. What she saw made her recoil.

There, slumped over the toilet, was the shy teacher's-pet named Cora Stein. What threw June off was not seeing Cora there, it was seeing her in that slumped position and as June took a harder look, she realized that there were several lines of blood running down the side of the toilet. What? June crawled under the door and, through the tight squeeze, unlocked the stall from the inside so that some of the light could reach Cora better. The illumination served only to worsen the scene because, as June was able to stand in the stall more freely, she realized that although only a few streams of blood covered the external portion of the toilet, the water within with dark red and all of the blood was coming from Cora's wrists. There was also the outline of something sharp at the very bottom of the toilet bowl. June knew at once that it was a razor blade. June also noticed, then, how contorted Cora's face was. Clearly, she had been crying recently. Crying recently.

June immediately checked Cora's neck for a pulse and, without meaning to, sobbed in relief. Her heartbeat was faint, but it was still there. Quickly, June tore part of her uniform off in order to make binds for Cora's wrists. They would slow the flow of blood until she could come back with help. Then, without another thought, the blond went sprinting off to find the university's nurse.

10 minutes later, June had successfully argued the nurse out of her bed and back to that bathroom. Upon arrival, June saw the four other girls clustered by the door. From their disturbed expressions and worried whispers, June realized at once that they too had discovered Cora's body. Those four girls were other members of June and Cora's dorms. Apparently, even though it was late, they had all noticed two of their classmates missing and had gone out to find them. They found Cora first and, having not expected to find the girl in such a deathly state, were now panicking and trying to decide what to do. When they saw June, who had brought the nurse, they all let out audible sighs of relief and stepped aside, allowing June and the nurse to rush right back into the bathroom and to the very last stall. The four stood outside while June and the nurse went to fetch Cora. Only seconds after they entered the bathroom, the nurse and June were back out, June carrying Cora in her arms bridal style.

"We need to take her to our emergency center," the nurse instructed. "Now come on!" she urged. June followed at once, face set in grim determination as Cora lay curled up in her arms. The other four girls all exchanged frightened looks before running after June and the nurse. They knew they should go back to bed instead, but after seeing Cora's state, they would not rest until they knew if she would survive the night.

Upon arrival to the emergency center, June laid Cora down in one of the first open beds and the nurse set about, properly cleaning and binding Cora's bloody wrists. Her five peers all stood in the corner of the room, unsure of what to do but certain that they did not want to leave until they knew if Cora would be ok. Finally, they received the verdict.

"She will live," the nurse said. The other five girls exhaled in relief. Despite the trauma and chaos of the past 20 minutes, the nurse gave them a smile, but then that smile faded and her expression sharpened. "You five had best get back to bed. It's past curfew."

"We understand," the five responded, but only four left. Despite everyone's best attempts, June stubbornly remained at Cora's side.

"You all can go on without me, I'll be fine. I don't care what they punish me with now, but I can't just leave her like this," the blond insisted, looking mournfully at Cora. Her breathing and pulse were far stronger than before but she was still so pale and weak and she hadn't moved yet. "Go back to bed, guys," June repeated. "But I'm not leaving her."

The four girls exchanged looks with each other and then with June but when they saw that fierce determination in her eyes, they knew they had a better chance of uprooting the whole school with their bare hands than they did of convincing June to do something she didn't want to. They finally bade her and Cora a goodnight even though only June could hear it. Then, in single file, they all returned to the dorms while June turned back to Cora's limp figure. The blond took the brunette's hand in her own.

"Come on, Cora. Please… Please hold out!" she whispered. The nurse, who had watched the whole scene, sighed tiredly and wiped at a few tears.

Cora woke up groggily, feeling sick and miserable. She tried to sit up, but her head throbbed so much that she had to lie back down. She looked at her surroundings, not quite understanding where she was or how or why. Then all at once, out of the blue, it all came flooding back to her. She remembered everything! She remembered her excitement upon being accepted into Nevaeh University and she remembered the thrill of walking through those hallowed gates for her very first time. She remembered how smart she'd been and how much positive response from the teachers, but at the same time, it garnered a lot of negative response from her peers. She remembered how they used to bully, mock, insult, and maybe even attack her. Physically and mentally reminding her everyday what they thought about goody-two-shoe nerds like her. She remembered every cruel name and every hard shove. She remembered all the tears she had shed out of shame, loneliness and grief. She hadn't asked for this! She didn't want to spend her entire college career being hated by every student around just because she actually did enjoy learning. Worst of all, Cora hadn't had anyone to talk to. She had no friends and her parents, though they had sent her here initially, weren't exactly the warm and loving type anymore. Finally, the overwhelming loneliness, anxiety and shame became too much for Cora to bear and she turned to cutting for the very first time in her life. It was surprisingly easy to do and to get away with without being caught. She remembered that warm sting across her arm and how liberating and in control it had made her feel. At least, for a little while. Then she cut too deep.

Now she was here, in the hospital wing of the university. But how? Before she could think on it, though, the young woman heard the creaking of an opening door. On instinct, she feigned sleep, though she kept her ears open wide. At last, she even dared to open her blue eyes just a little and even though the lighting wasn't the best, coming from the hallway instead of the room Cora was in, she recognized at once who it was. The dean! Her blood ran cold. Although she had never met him personally, she knew of his fearsome reputation and already, she felt guilty, though she wasn't exactly sure why as she hadn't technically done anything wrong.

"What happened?" the dean asked roughly, his voice sending chills down Cora's spine as she tried to keep of the charade of sleep.

"Suicide attempt," the nurse replied calmly, though Cora knew the lady was afraid. She was just better at hiding it.

"Hmmm, that'll do no good. Especially not here," the dean grunted gruffly. "Expel her!" What?

"You can't!" a new voice cried, leaping to Cora's defense. Cora heard the dean and the nurse both make noises of surprise. Cora shared the feeling but for a different reason. The dean and the nurse were surprised by the bold line. Cora was surprised by the speaker. It was June Freeman. She would know that voice from anywhere, being well-acquainted with it, sadly. It was a very nice and commanding voice, it just always dripped acid and sadism whenever it was speaking to Cora. But now, however, it sounded protective and maybe even a little scared. What?

"What are you doing here?" the dean growled, voicing Cora's unspoken question.

"I'm looking after her," June replied. "I carried her here!" Had she really? Cora wanted so badly to ask why and how.

"Then you can help carry her out," the dean snarled impatiently.

"No I can't," June growled back. Cora felt the whole room inhale sharply, even she did. Nobody ever dared defy the dean. "And you won't touch her. I won't let you!" Cora thought she might faint from fear for June's sake.

"What?" the dean snapped, voice cold and soft as snow but twice as deadly.

"You can't expel somebody unless they've had a proper trial and she, obviously, has not and will not be able to for some time. You can't expel her until then. It's in the rules!" June dared to reply, with a tone matching the dean's. What followed was total silence and it felt like it would never end but finally, Cora heard the sound of receding footsteps. They were heavy and Cora could feel the anger in them.

"Well June, I must say that was incredibly dangerous of you," the nurse began. Cora, once again, found herself silently agreeing. She was sure her heartbeat was going crazy right now from fear and she wondered briefly if June would be punished for her insolence. But actually, everything she had said was true. There was a policy that allowed a potential expellee to try and explain themselves back into Nevaeh as a last shot at redemption and salvation, but the fact that June had reminded the dean of this to his own face was what worried Cora, and the nurse.

"I know," the blond finally answered the nurse. "But I don't care."

"That's a dangerous thing to say," the nurse warned.

"I know, but I don't care," June repeated. Cora heard the nurse sigh, fear and resignation within that one simple breath. The silence returned and this time, it did not lift for almost 10 minutes. In that time, Cora felt herself being tended to again. She still feigned sleep.

At last, however, the nurse spoke up again.

"You should come with me, June," the nurse said. "Don't risk the dean's wrath again."

"No, I want to stay here," June said yet again. There was no reply, but Cora knew that the nurse and June would now have a silent staring contest until somebody lost. Cora was betting money on June. Her gamble paid off. Just a few seconds later, Cora heard the nurse sigh again and then there was the tell-tale heels clicking away out of the office. That was how Cora knew that June had won and was still here and would be here until class the next morning. Finally, Cora decided to address her savior.

"Thank you," she whispered after she could no longer hear the nurse's shoes.

"Cora? You're up?" June asked, surprised.

"Yeah," Cora replied. She opened her eyes to prove her point and saw June hovering right over her, genuine concern in her soft green eyes. It was a flooring thing to see for Cora because, before then, she had only ever seen eyes of dislike and disdain.

"Oh Cora, I'm so sorry for what I did!" she began to weep. "Truly I am! I know I was absolutely horrible to you and I know that this is all my fault but I really am sorry. You must believe me! I never realized-" the blond was cut off by her own crying and it was then that Cora realized just how scared for her June had really been. At first, in Cora's pessimistic mind, June had only saved her to ease her own conscience. Now, as the blond continued to ramble desperate and sincere apologies, blaming herself for every cut on Cora's wrists, Cora began to see otherwise. She knew for a fact that June really was sorry and this was neither a game nor an attempt to save her own soul. Instead, June was genuinely scared for Cora, for Cora and not anyone else, not even herself. June genuinely worried for Cora's health as a human and not because she wanted to ease her own guilt.

At last, as Cora pondered this, she decided to speak up.

"June?" she asked.

"Yes?" the blond sniffled, shutting up at once the moment she heard Cora speak.

"I forgive you," the brunette replied.

"What?" June sniffled again, honest disbelief in her voice.

"I forgive you," Cora repeated patiently.

"But how?" June's voice cracked. "After everything I and the others have done to you, how can you forgive any of us?"

"I just can," Cora replied with a half shrug.

"But isn't there anything we can do first to earn your forgiveness? Or at least make it up to you?" June asked.

"Well, there is one thing I want…" Cora confessed, heart racing again. She was about to make a big request, she could only hope June would agree.

"Anything!" the blond promised, leaning in even closer to Cora.

"Your friendship," the brunette answered plainly.

For a moment, there was silence again and Cora began to worry that June would revert to her old, bullying nature and begin laugh. Actually, June was about to do the exact opposite. She had heard Cora and understood all the implications that were within her request, she just couldn't believe it. June could not believe that Cora wanted to be her friend. Although every student at Nevaeh University had picked on Cora at one point or another, June had always been one of Cora's worst tormentors. To hear the girl asking for her friendship now seemed like something impossible. But no, Cora was dead serious. The way her blue eyes shined through the dark conveyed that and June found herself nodding.

"Of course," June finally whispered, getting choked up. "I would be honored."

"You would?" Cora sounded so happy that June nodded again, fresh tears streaming down her face. In that moment, a friendship was made and June promised on her life that she would be the best friend Cora could ask for. She was going to make up for all the times she nearly killed Cora and she was going to take the brunette's time here the best in her life. And that was a promise! After that bond was solidified through a verbal promise, the two girls fell asleep together, hands intertwined.

AN: First off, once again, for any of you in Cora's place, I offer condolences and my PM box is always open. Here's the suicide hotline again too: 1-800-273-8255.

Second off, this is part of the NU series where Cora is a nerdy girl who is bullied almost to suicide. I apologize if this triggers anyone (and I'm using the word "trigger" with its medical definition because I don't like how it's become a colloquial term to replace "angered") and I apologize if anything seems rushed, forced, or inaccurate. I, myself, have never dealt with bullying or self-harm so I don't know if this was accurate and I don't know if Cora's quick forgiveness seemed too idealistic. I swear I am not trying to romanticize this, but please tell me if it seems that way and I will fix it. REMEMBER, if you are in this situation, please stay strong. I offer my love and a willing ear both!