*Phil's POV*

I wake with a start on Saturday morning, and feel surprisingly happier usual. The first thing I think about is Dan, and how happy he looked when I answered his skype call. His whole face lit up like a little child's does on Christmas day. His little dimples showed, and he just seemed so thrilled.

It's been nearly a week since I last felt the urge to hurt myself, and the cuts from last week have nearly faded to scars like the others. Ugly scars to remind myself of the past. And then I feel it again. That feeling like someone has dropped a stone in the bottom of my heart. I think about my mum, the only person in the world that I have ever truly trusted.

No Phil, don't think about that. I can hear my mums laugh from memory. Stop it Phil, think about something else. I can see her laughing, her tongue poking out the corner of her mouth like mine does. Stop thinking, Phil. I can smell the strawberry shampoo she used to use. No, stop. I remember everything I can about my mum in the space of ten seconds, and it hurts. I smash my face into my pillow, willing the pain to go away.

I need to stop this. I get up and go to the bathroom to take a shower. I need to do something to take my mind away from the bad things. I try my hardest not to think about mum, but her face seems to be stuck in my head. Half way through the shower, something catches my eye.

The razor blade in the corner of the shower, glinting in the sunlight coming from the window. I pick it up. These blades are what has got me so far. One cut won't matter, will it? I stand there for a moment, the good and bad inside me debating on whether or not to do it. The bad side wins.

I take the blade and run it down my arm. Pain rushes through me as the blood starts to seep out of the fresh wound on my arm. But the pain is bearable, because it covers over the heartache. The blood drops off my arm, into the water, and down the plughole. Gone.

I clear my mind, thinking about going to support group today. I will be able to see Dan today, and that alone gives me hope. I get dressed into my favourite hoodie, and quickly eat some lion cereal, and I am ready. I lock up my apartment, and go out to wait for Luke.

When Luke pulls up in his car, I notice someone sat in the back seat. A girl. A girl with the brightest red hair ever. She grins at me when I get in the car.

"Hey Luke!" I smile at Luke.

"Hi Phil!" he replies, returning the smile. "This is Emma." He gestures towards the girl in the back.

"Hi." She greets me, holding out a hand.

"Hey, I'm Phil." I say, accepting and shaking her hand, feeling aware of the fresh cut on my arm. "Are you going to the support group too?"

"Yeah. Luke wants me to." She says.

Within a matter of minutes, we have arrived at the Town Hall. After saying goodbye to Luke, Emma and I get out of the car and walk through the front doors into the building.

I feels as though my whole world lights up when I see Dan, sat in his usual seat on the end. And it makes me even happier to see that he's got his hand on the seat next to him as if he's saving it for me. It's probably just a coincidence, but there is always the possibility.

I take the seat next to him, and smile at him.

"Hey Phil!" he grins widely at me.

"Hi Dan!" I say cheerfully. "Oh, this is Emma, by the way." I say, pointing at the girl with the bright red hair next to me. "And Emma, This is Dan." I say, pointing at Dan.

"Hi!" Dan says.

"Hi Dan!" Emma holds out her hand, like she did to me. Dan shakes it.

"So, Phil. Are you okay?" Dan asks me.

"Yeah, I'm good!" I reply, making sure my sleeve is down properly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm better than okay!" he says, smiling. "Erm, Phil?"

"Yes?"

"I was wandering if you maybe wanted to go to costa after this?" he says, before blushing and looking down at the floor.

"Of course, Dan!" I say, giggling a little about how awkward he was.

"Really?" he says, looking up at me.

"Yes! You idiot!" I laugh, earning little smirk off Dan.

And now it's happening again. We get lost in each other's eyes, my round blue ones staring into his velvety brown ones. We stared at each other longer than socially acceptable, only looking away because Dave walks in.

"Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen!" he calls out to the room. "Today, we are joined by a new member! Emma, if you'd like to introduce yourself?" Emma stands up boldly and speaks.

"Hello, I'm Emma Blackery, I am nineteen years old, and back in 2008, I was diagnosed with breast cancer." She speaks confidently. "Fortunately, the tumour was only small, so the doctors whipped that out in surgery. But unfortunately, I went through chemo, so this," she points at her hair, "is just a wig!" she takes her seat.

*Dan's POV*

With Emma gone, Phil and I walk down the road peacefully, the sun blazing on our backs. I don't know what made me ask Phil to go with costa with me, but I'm glad I did, because I love talking to him. His is such an interesting person compared to the emo guy you see on the outside.

When we get to costa, I buy the coffees, and Phil saves a table for us outside. I walk outside, and I am just passing him his drink when I see it. As he reached out to take his drink, his sleeve went up his arm a bit. I couldn't be sure what I saw, but I didn't like what I thought I saw.

"Phil, what's that?" I ask nervously.

"What?" he asks, trying to casually pull his sleeve down.

"That." I say, reaching for his arm. He pulls away, but I am too fast for him. I grab his arm and roll up his sleeve. I let out a gasp when I see his arm

It is covered in scars.