A/N: Sorry that it took me almost a month to finish this chapter! Also, while I'm not super descriptive about it, I want to warn you all that there is mention of self-harming in this chapter just in case you don't want to read it.
Teddy and Michelle walked together as they begun their search for Aaron. At this point they weren't looking anywhere specific. They were just wandering around aimlessly, talking to each other. Both of them were feeling badly; Teddy with guilt, and Michelle with worry.
"This is all my fault," Teddy sulked. "If I would have just kept my feelings to myself this wouldn't be happening."
"Look Teddy, we can play the blame game all day. It's not going to help us find him," Michelle said.
"The problem is now we have no idea where to find him. For all we know he could have got on a bus and left town," Teddy replied.
"Cody did say that Aaron said we would all be better off without him," Michelle realized. "Oh no, what if you're right? What if he did leave town?"
"Lets just keep wandering around and try to think of places he could be," Teddy suggested.
"He likes the park. We spent the day there before," Michelle remembered.
"Couldn't hurt to see if he's there," Teddy said.
As they headed towards the park, neither said anything for a couple of minutes. Both were too absorbed in their own thoughts to make small talk with each other. Teddy thought about what would happen once him and Aaron crossed paths again.
"So do you think once we find Aaron that he will be able to forgive me?" Teddy asked.
"If nothing like this happens again, then I'm sure he'll come around," Michelle assured him.
"I'm just worried I'll never have a girlfriend. I mean most of the kids in our class are paired up with someone, but that hasn't happened for me yet. The first time I confessed my feelings to someone it went horribly," Teddy sighed.
"Oh Teddy, trust me it will. Having a boyfriend wasn't even on my mind when Aaron and I clicked. It just happened naturally. When the time is right you'll know it. You're only fourteen," Michelle encouraged him.
"I guess I'll just have to wait and see," Teddy said.
"Why don't you try asking a girl to the school dance that's coming up?" Michelle suggested.
Teddy shrugged. "Maybe."
A few minutes later they found themselves standing across the street from the park. They looked both ways until the traffic passed by and crossed the street. Michelle frantically started looking around.
"Aaron!" Michelle yelled.
There weren't very many people there, mainly younger children with their parents. They didn't see him which greatly disappointed Michelle.
"It's hopeless. He's not here," Michelle sighed as she took a seat on a bench.
Teddy took a seat beside her and put his head in his hands, trying as hard as he could to think of anywhere he could be. He looked up at the bunches of trees that stood in front of them and it brought up an old memory that gave him an idea.
"I have an idea! Come with me," Teddy jumped up.
"What is it?" Michelle's face lit up.
"See that trail by all the trees?" Teddy asked.
"Yeah?" Michelle answered.
"Well two summers ago we built a treehouse back there. We haven't hung out there in a while, but maybe he's there," Teddy explained.
"Why has no one told me about this treehouse?" Michelle said in an offended tone.
"You were at summer camp when we made it. Besides we decided just to keep it a secret or everyone would find out about it and want to go there," Teddy responded.
It stung a little that they never told her about it. "Whatever. Let's just go see if he's there."
Michelle followed him as he led the way down the trail. She growled as branches that stuck out from bushes caught her jeans. After a minute she realized they were going pretty far back into the woods.
"If my dad found out I went into the woods he would be mad. You do know your way back right?" Michelle questioned.
"Duh," Teddy answered. "I wouldn't bring us all the way back here if I didn't."
When he turned away she shot him a dirty look. They remained silent the rest of the way. It wasn't until Michelle stepped on a stick which resulted in a loud crack that a voice was heard.
"Who's there?" they heard someone yell.
She couldn't see a face yet, but the voice sounded a lot like Aaron's.
"And we're here," Teddy said.
"Aaron?!" Michelle pushed past Teddy to get to him.
Aaron saw Teddy was with her and looked disgusted. "Now I see why you were dodging my calls."
"I wasn't talking to Teddy at the time either! I brought him with me because I needed help finding you," Michelle explained.
"I didn't want to be found!" Aaron shouted.
Michelle shook her head. "Well too bad because I love you and I'm not letting you continue to sit out here alone."
"You don't love me! Nobody loves me!" Aaron yelled.
"I wouldn't be out here if I didn't," Michelle replied.
"Just take that backstabber over there with you and go," Aaron ordered.
Michelle stepped closer to him. "We're not going anywhere until we work this out, and I'm not leaving here without you regardless! Now Teddy is going to say something and you are going to be quiet and listen to him. Go ahead, Teddy."
"Look, Aaron, I know with what I did it may seem like I don't care about our friendship but I do. I realize what I did was messed up and I deeply regret upsetting both of you. I'm sorry and I promise I won't do it again," Teddy apologized.
"You're sorry," Aaron mimicked him. "What about you? Are you sorry too Michelle?"
Michelle bit her lip as she grew angry at how Aaron was behaving. "You know what? No! You promised to let me deal with Teddy and then you went and attacked him in the hallway! You led us on a wild goose chase and made everybody worried about you! You're the one who should be sorry! I'm not standing in these dirty woods anymore! Either come with us, or I'll bring the police back here to get you. Your call."
Aaron folded his arms. "Only if he gets lost."
Michelle looked over at Teddy, who realized it would be best if he left them alone. "Hint taken. I'll see you guys later."
Michelle stood in front of him feeling like she was going to cry. Her voice shook as she spoke. "You had me worried sick Aaron! I didn't know what happened to you." She looked down at his wrist and noticed it was really red, but his long-sleeved shirt was covering most of it. "What's wrong with your wrist?"
Aaron quickly pulled his arm back and turned away. "I didn't mean to worry you."
Michelle raised her voice. "You didn't answer my question. What happened to it?"
"It's nothing okay? I was really mad and it just happened," Aaron answered.
"No it's not okay! You hurt yourself on purpose!" Michelle yelled. She walked over and raised his arm sleeve to look at the lower half of his arm. A fresh cut about three inches long went from his wrist down his arm. It wasn't very deep, but it was enough to make her feel like she had been punched in the gut. Aaron felt tears form in his eyes as he watched Michelle's shocked reaction. "Lets just get out of here okay?"
Aaron wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "Yeah."
Aaron led them out and they walked together silently. While Aaron had nothing to say, Michelle had plenty.
"I need to know. Is that the first time you, you know, hurt yourself?" Michelle asked.
"Yes. It's not a habit if that's what you're trying to imply. Once I calmed down I regretted it a lot," Aaron answered.
"Okay," Michelle accepted that answer. "Aaron when I said I love you I meant it. I'm sorry I ignored your calls. My day just sucked. After you attacked Teddy, it was all the people in class would talk about for the rest of the day. A bunch of nosey people would come up to me and ask me personal questions. Then Teddy and I ended up fighting and I just wanted to be left alone for the rest of the day. I still want to be with you as long as you want to be with me."
Aaron nodded. "I do. I'm just worn out. Would you mind if I just went home by myself?"
Michelle forced a smile. She was disappointed that he didn't want to talk more. "Yeah go ahead. Call me when you feel up to it."
The two of them hugged and went there separate ways. She was relieved that he was safe, but she was still very worried about him. The first thing she was going to do when she got home was take a warm shower, then sit by the phone hoping he would give her a call tonight.