TRIGGER WARNING there's scenes of self-harm, mild abuse and bullying. I really hope you like it, it's a much longer chapter but I'm still getting the hang of things so it's not perfect. Please let me know what you think

Julia woke early and got dressed, she was in her usual black attire and started to apply her makeup, she wanted to stand out a little,she wanted Eli to really notice her she didn't really feel confident enough to think that he already thought she was perfect. When she was at least semi satisfied she went to leave to get to school. However her stepmom stopped her on her way out the door. "Where do you think you're going looking like that?"

"School" Julia replied coldly.

"Not looking like that you're not. I get it you wanna look cool for your weird little friends but I can't be associated with that" she said,gesturing to her.

"Well it's a good thing you're not really my mom then isn't it?" Julia replied sarcastically which drove her stepmom over the edge. She hit her hard several times across the face.

"I'm glad. No wonder she killed herself she needed to escape dealing with you. It's just unfortunate that I had to be the one you were dumped off on. You're just lucky your father is so good in bed"

That's all Julia needed to hear before she stormed out. She got to the abandoned church and when she was sure she was finally alone she just let herself cry. She was just sobbing uncontrollably, her stepmom had been right,she blamed herself. She deserved to suffer, she should be dead not her mother. She noticed a broken beer bottle out of the corner of her eye. She got up slowly and walked towards it, with shaking hands she picked it up, she would usually use anything sharp she could get her hands on but using broken glass was much more difficult even for an experienced cutter like herself. She pressed the jagged edge deep into her arm and watched as the blood trickled from her wound. She shut her eyes for a moment just enjoying the pain it was like a release for all her anger and pain. She didn't even hear Eli approach. He quickly took the bottle from her and threw it as far as he could before turning his attention back to her. "What are you doing?" he didn't sound angry or shocked or even upset like she had expected which settled her nerves slightly.

"I just wanted to feel something" she mumbled,looking down as the embarrassment and shame finally hit. He was going to say something but didn't, he gently placed his hand over the wound, applying gentle pressure. She watched as her blood dripped onto his hand but he didn't seem to really mind.

"Come on let's get you out of here" he said as he gently pulled her up.

"I can't go home" she said quietly.

"Who said anything about you going home?" he smiled a little. She was glad he didn't ask questions and he didn't tell her how what she was doing was wrong, she knew that already. He brought her back to his place, he assured her she didn't have to worry about his parents.

They got to the kitchen and he looked through the drawers before finally finding the first aid kit. "You really don't have to do all this for me..It's not my first time..." She stopped herself from saying anything else when she saw him stop what he was doing to stare at her a moment. She looked down and only looked up again when she felt him take her hand. She watched as he carefully bandaged her wound, she hardly knew him yet in that moment she felt safe and comforted by his gentle touch. "You'll be good as new in no time" he said once he finished.

"Thanks" she couldn't help but smile as she pulled her sleeve down over the bandage carefully. "It was really sweet of you to pity me and everything but this doesn't make us friends" she was already pushing him away before he had even really tried to get close. For her it was easier to be alone, not to mention she was only 13 and had never had a boyfriend before.

"It wasn't pity and I never said I wanted to be your friend did I?" he put the first aid kit away.

"Sorry I just-"

"You know where the door is. Don't let it hit you on the way out" she had watched his eyes change from kind and compassionate to cold and dark a change that happened so quickly it frightened her a little.

"Well thanks anyway" she mumbled as she turned and walked off out the front door. Eli just couldn't understand why she didn't like him but worse than that he hated how much he liked her. He found himself constantly thinking of her and always waiting for the next time he would see her.

Julia got to school early after ditching the day before she decided it would be a bad idea to be late on top of everything else. As she was walking down the hall she noticed a group of older guys, they had stopped Eli in the hallway. She kept her distance at least until one of the guys knocked him to the ground and started kicking him. She rushed over and pulled him away from him roughly. "Leave him alone and don't be such a jerk" she said angrily.

"Awe look it's his little girlfriend coming to save the day" he laughed a little and pushed past her roughly as he and his friends left. She knelt beside Eli and carefully helped him sit up.

"Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" she couldn't hide the concern from her voice she couldn't help but care for him even if she didn't want to.

"Don't worry I'm used to it. I don't need you fighting my battles for me" he said as he got up. She gently caught his hand to stop him from walking away.

"That wasn't what I was trying to do. Listen I think we got off to a bad start, do you ever think we could be friends?" she asked hopefully although his unreadable expression made her doubtful.

"Sure. Friends it is then" and so the two walked to class together. It was the start of a friendship but also they were both secretly hoping it would lead to something more...