Well, it's been awhile, hasn't it? I'm really sorry, but I've been busy and really uninspired as far as this story goes. But now I'm back with a new chapter that I hope you'll enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing it. Okay, guys, on a serious note, its Self-Harm Awareness Day. If you didn't know, 1 out of 6 teenagers cut and someone dies from suicide every 43 seconds. This is a serious problem that we can't keep pretending isn't there. We need to take a stand and tell all the people out there who feel all alone that they aren't. People care about them, and nothing would be the same if they were gone. They matter. And if you feel worthless or ugly, or if you feel like you're screaming on the inside, all the time, and no one can hear you... I hear you. We all hear you. And we care about you. You aren't worthless, you're beautiful and amazing and I love you. There is not a single person on this planet who deserves to die, and that includes you. Stay strong.
And on a much lighter note, lets take this chapter to make fun of the people who ruin life for the rest of us.
River InsterCloveslastnamehere
I stand in the mall outside of Abercrombie, waiting for Cato to finish shopping for his name-brand clothes, which are apparently very important to his soul… or at least, that's what he says. I'm dressed in black gym shorts, a grey T-shirt and skater shoes. No, not those stupid expensive ones that people pay three hundred dollars for, but actual skater shoes that one might actually take skating.
"OHMYGOSH you're so cute!" In an instant, I find myself being swept off the ground, and then all I see is pink. I hear several girls scream and I wriggle around until I finally free myself, stumbling backwards. In front of me are two girls who look rather familiar, one blonde and the other a brunette. They are dressed from head to toe in pink clothes, the same color as Cyrilla's house was. I burned down that house because it was that color.
"You're adorable!" The blonde squeaks, ruffling my hair.
I swat her hand away. "I know you from somewhere… did you go to the Sight Asylum?"
"Yeah, that was us!" The brunette nods, snapping a picture of me with her phone. That was right… these two were the geniuses who thought that their blanket would protect them from the murderers. Lovely.
"Like, can I get a legit pic for Instagram?" The blonde asks, twirling her hair. She doesn't even give me time to respond before kissing me on the cheek and snapping a picture of it. My eyes grow to the size of baseballs and I try desperately to wipe the slut off my face… I've been contaminated…
"So, yeah, like, I'm Caitlin," The brunette says, chewing her gum loudly.
"And I'm Brittany," The blonde nods energetically.
"I'm Rivera," I nod, still chocking on the pink overload. "Why so much pink…? It burns."
"Oh, it's Wednesday," Caitlin explains. "And on Wednesdays we wear pink."
"Why…?"
Instantly, they simultaneously reply, "'Cause YOLO."
"Oh, it burns…" I murmur, rubbing my temple. Brittany sweeps me up in a giant hug, holding me like a parent might hold a tired child, and no matter how much I struggle she won't let me go. Curse my tiny stature.
"Oh my gosh, I heard Conner was at the movies with Jordan," Caitlin says, like this news is life-changing.
"No way," Brittany gasps.
"Yeah, way,"
"But he's supposed to be there with Alisha!"
"Yeah," Caitlin nods, rolling her eyes. "I know."
"And, you know, Keegan says everyone is still talking," Brittany whispers, as if the news pains her. Meanwhile, I've stopped struggling, and have started trying to reach my switchblade. It seems to have fallen out of my back pocket when she picked me up the first time.
"No way," She says, looking shocked.
"Like, yeah,"
"OMG, did you hear what Lizzy said on Friday?"
"No, what?"
"She said she doesn't like One Direction, because, and I quote, they don't have swag."
"They have so much swag!"
"I know!"
"Oh, that reminds me…" Brittany reaches into her pink purse and pulls out red eyeliner. She quickly draws three lines on her wrists and takes a picture of it. "Instagram… upload… #cutforjustinbieber…"
"LOLz, girl, you hilari'," Caitlin says and they both burst out laughing.
"I wonder," I say out loud. "If I'm trapped in your arms long enough, will I become stupid, as well?"
"Did you hear Whitney is on the dope?"
"No way, who'd you hear that from?"
"I heard it from Brian who heard it from Kip who heard it from Sarah who got it from Whitney."
"Wait, so Whitney told Sarah who told Kip who told Brian who told you?"
"Yeah…" Brittany nods, looking distracted all of a sudden. I follow her eyes to a group of three boys, sauntering through the mall, the small crowd parting for them. By the looks of them, their IQs are probably lower than their waistlines.
"Yeah, buddy!" One of them yells at the girls, who start giggling like maniacs. If I could reach my knife, I would gut them like the fish their surgically-enhanced lips make them look like… But I can't, so I'm going to resort to yelling.
"CATO, HELP ME!" I shriek, kicking and screaming. "I'VE BEEN ABDUCTED BY SWAG GIRLS!"
"What?" Cato asks, blinking in confusion as he walks out of Abercrombie, holding ten bags of clothing that he'll probably never wear. Its okay, though, he's using Finnick's credit card, which we borrowed from his wallet.
"Oh my gosh," Caitlin says, blowing a bubble with her gum.
"You're freaking hot," Brittany says bluntly, eying Cato with ravenous eyes.
"Yes I am," He nods in agreement, walking over. He points at me. "I'd like to have my short, eight-year-old friend back now…"
"That is so cute!" Brittany shrieks after she's transferred me into Cato's arms.
"Totes adorbs," Caitlin grins, flashing another picture.
"Well, we'll see you later," Cato says slowly, picking up my switchblade and walking away quickly.
"TTYL," Caitlin waves.
"Like, legit text me," Brittany yells.
"Are you alright?" Cato asks, once we're far away from them. I rest my head on his shoulder and close my eyes.
"I don't… where are we?" I murmur, very confused.
"It's okay, buddy, you're just going to need a little while to recover." Cato says.
"Okay,"
"Dude," Cato says, showing me a picture of myself on his phone. It's the picture Brittany took of her giving me a kiss on the cheek, but with slightly-off lighting. It was posted by xoxobrittanystyles4evsxoxo. "You made the popular page on Instagram!"
"I'm never going to the mall with you again."
