This is the second chapter. I put it in the past tense because I like it better. The first chapter was sort of in the present tense but I decided to change it-the rest of the story will be in the past tense.

Please tell me if you like this-or don't. It's my first story that I'm posting and I don't want it to be terrible. If there are mistakes, please tell me-I hate it when there are mistakes in stories. I would really appreciate feedback. Hopefully you like this!

Enjoy!


Dominik took Sylvia up to his room and sat her on his bed. He slipped off his jacket and took the pill bottles out of his pocket. He sat down next to Sylvia and took her hands in his. He examined her arms. Full of wounds-cuts and gashes. Many. Too many. He bent down and pressed his lips to a cut. Sylvia gasped and he continued to gently press his lips to every self-inflicted wound. When he was finished, he looked at Sylvia and met her gaze. There were tears threatening her eyes and her lips were slightly parted.

"You won't need your friendly knives anymore," Dominik whispered. He gave Sylvia a hopeful, half-smile that she returned.

"I won't mind leaving those friends behind."

Dominik pulled her into a hug and held onto her tightly.

"Do you have the alcohol?" Sylvia asked into his ear. He nodded and pulled away from her to go to his parents' bedroom to get some wine that they kept in a small cupboard. When he returned to his room, he found Sylvia lying on her back on his bed with her hands over her face. He walked to her and placed a hand on her arm as a comforting gesture. She tensed at his touch but then relaxed.

"I've got it, Sylvia," he said quietly.

Her hands slid from her face and she sat up to face him. She reached out to brush his hair out of his eyes and held his cheek with her hand. Gazing into his eyes intently, she asked, "Are you sure you want this Dominik?"

He looked down and then slowly brought his eyes back up. "Yes."

Sylvia took the pill bottles and dumped them on the bed. She separated each kind of pill into two piles. Then, she took two piles, one of each kind, and pushed them toward Dominik.

"I'll be fair," she said.

Dominik scooped up a handful and studied them. Little, white, with a small inscription. He set them back down next to the others and picked up a bottle of wine. He grabbed a cup from his desk with pencils in it and dumped them out. He opened the wine and poured a generous amount into the cup. Then he handed the bottle to Sylvia. She accepted but still had a weary look on her face.

"Are you okay, Sylvia?" Dominik asked her.

She nodded but he still didn't believer her. "Do you still want to do this?" he asked gently.

She nodded again but then tears started streaming down her face. Dominik quickly set down his cup and took Sylvia into his arms.

"Shhh. It's okay. We don't have to do this, Sylvia."

She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes and said, "You don't have to do this."

"What do you mean?" he asked, pushing a stray hair out of her face.

"You, Dominik. You don't have to do this. You don't have to feel obligated to die because I am. I'm not worth that much for you to just throw your life away too. I'm far too gone already. It won't be that big of a difference if I die. But you, Dominik? Think of all the people you'd be leaving behind. All the great things that I know you'll do. I've thrown my life away but you still have yours. Don't throw yours away because of me Dominik."

He just sat there, taking in her words. She didn't understand, she was the only one that Dominik actually cared for, that cared for him. I don't really have much to live for. I might as well throw my life away. And, I love Sylvia and would do anything for her. She doesn't understand that either.

"I want to die with you, Sylvia. You're the only one who cares for me or understands me. Those others don't get it. They hate me or make fun of me or are too oblivious to care what's happening with their own son. I want to die with you, Sylvia. I don't have much to live for and you mean too much to me."

Sylvia just stared at Dominik. She was in awe at his words. She meant too much to Dominik? She knew he was sensitive but she didn't want him to die. She didn't want him to feel like he had to die because she was ready.

"So," Dominik asked, "Do you want to start?" He paused. "I'm ready."

Sylvia kissed Dominik on the lips. No romantic feelings, just a meaningful, comforting, friend-to-friend kiss. Dominik started crying and Sylvia put her arms around him trying to comfort him.

Trying to keep some composure, Dominik pulled away and rested his forehead against Sylvia's, looking into her eyes. They remained like that for awhile before Sylvia spoke.

"I'm ready, too, Dominik."

Closing his eyes, Dominik took a deep breath and pulled away from the girl with pink hair. He reached for his cup and Sylvia took the bottle in her hands. She grabbed a handful of pills and Dominik did the same.

"On three?" Dominik asked.

"On three."

Kissing Sylvia one more time, Dominik started counting.

"One."

Dominik looked into Sylvia's eyes.

"Two."

They both raised their drinks and clinked them together. They lifted their hand full of pills.

"Three."

Dominik and Sylvia put their hands to their mouths and threw the pills in, washing them down with the stolen wine. Dominik fought back tears. They both grabbed another handful and swallowed them. Dominik took a long drink from his cup and could no longer control his emotions. His tears streamed down his face as he grabbed more pills. Darkness began encroaching the edges of his vision. His stomach started to flip painfully. He continued until there was just a few white pills laying on his dark blue bedsheets.

Sylvia had her eyes closed as she raised the bottle to her lips. She looked like she was in a state of piece even though Dominik knew she was in pain. He, on the other hand, was not anywhere close to peace. A phrase he had used before definitely fit this situation. After a hard workout or just a tiresome day, he would ofter say, "I feel like death." Right now, he felt like death. Oh, the irony. He felt like death and he was millimeters away from it. He knew it. His senses were numb but he knew the end was near.

As if they'd planned it, Sylvia and Dominik reached for the last of their pills at the same time. They scooped them into their palms and looked at each other for a moment before the pills were thrown into their mouths, soon accompanied by alcohol.

Dominik, completely lost and numb, took Sylvia's hands into and then embraced her. It was a little sloppy but he managed to lay them down onto his bed and take her in his arms entirely. She wrapped her arms around his torso and buried her face in his neck. Her eyes still closed, a single tear ran down her cheek. Dominik, an emotional and physical wreck, was already crying, and had been since almost the beginning.

He started stroking Sylvia's hair and pulled her closer. He brought his lips to her ear and whispered, "I love you, Sylvia."

Not opening her eyes, Sylvia replied, slurring slightly, "I will always love you, Dominik."

Dominik moved his lips from her ear to her lips. He kissed her. Not forceful, not urgent. Just a kiss. He wanted to die holding and kissing Sylvia. He loved her so much. He wished she could just understand how much he did. Hopefully she knew that he wasn't doing this because he felt obligated, he did it for his own reasons.

Kissing and holding each other, Sylvia and Dominik waited for the dark and peace to take over. They laid there and waited for the only thing they knew that could give them relief.

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Dominik woke and it took several moments before he could even begin to comprehend anything. He could tell, however, that he was in a hospital room.