"Callie sweets are you ok? You've been in the bathroom for a while."
After getting no response, Stef pushed the door open. "Callie baby, what did you do?" Callie sat in the corner of the bathroom with blood running down her leg. Stef walked over and kneeled next to the teen.
Callie inched further back into the corner. "I'm sorry please don't send me away, I won't do it again, I'm sorry!"
"Callie baby, I'm not mad at you sweetie, its ok come her love."
'No, I'm sorry"
"Callie can I see your leg for a minute?" At this point Callie had her legs pulled up to her chest. Callie didn't say anything, she let out small whimpers, burying her head in her knees.
"Callie, I need to make sure you're ok."
"I'm fine, it's not that bad."
"Sweetheart I need to look at them, I need to take care of them and make sure they don't get infected. Would you like me to get Lena to come up here with us?"
"No, I don't want her to see me like this."
"Ok baby, let me see now."
Callie slowly lowered her legs, so that the cuts where now visible to Stef's eyes. She studied them for a short moment, she then reached over to the cabinet below the sink and grabbed the first aid kit.
"No, what are you doing?"
"Sweetie I need to get these cuts to stop bleeding."
"It's fine."
"No Callie it's not fine"
"Please don't touch me!" It was supposed to come out strong, but instead it came out barley a whisper.
"Baby, its ok I'm going to help you, I'm not going to hurt you."
Stef placed a thick towel on Callie's thigh putting pressure on it to insure that the bleeding would stop. Callie whimpered and jerked away from the touch.
Stef moved to where she was sitting against the wall. "Callie come here love." Stef pulled Callie into her side holding onto her with a firm grasp.
"Stef, I don't feel good."
"What's wrong baby, are you lightheaded?"
"Yeah, I'm tired."
"Callie, you can't fall asleep right now baby.'
"LENA, honey can you please come upstairs for a moment." Lena knew by the urgency, and firmness, in Stef's voice that something was wrong. 'Stef what's wrong?" She said as she walked into the bathroom and saw Stef holding Callie, while still putting pressure on her bleeding leg.
"Callie sweetheart!"
"Lena please go get me a juice box and a pack of those gummy snacks, we need to make sure Callie doesn't pass out."
"Lena came back with the requested items. 'Stef, are you sure we shouldn't just take her to the hospital she doesn't look to good."
"No please don't make me go, I will be good I promise! No doctors I'll be a good girl"
"Shh calm down baby. We will take her if the bleeding does not stop in 10 minutes."
"No Stef please don't make me."
"It's ok honey, you only have to go if things get to much worse."
"I don't like hospitals though, there scary."
"I know baby" Lena put the straw into the juice and handed the juice and gummies to Callie. "Her sweetie you need to drink and eat this, it will make you feel better."
Callie took a few sips of juice before moving onto the fruit snacks, slowly nibbling on them.
"Ok Callie I'm going to wash the cuts off with a washcloth ok? I'm going to be very gentle." When Stef started washing Callie's leg of a look of pain crossed Callie's face, Lena reached for her hand holding it in a comforting manner.
"They bled a lot, but they don't look to deep so good news is you won't need stitches. I'm going to put some Neosporin on it now, and bandage it up.
After finishing cleaning Callie's cuts Stef pulled Callie back into her side.
"Callie why did you do this to yourself?"
"It hurts…"
"What hurts baby?"
"My heart."
"Baby why does your heart hurt, maybe I can help you sweetheart, but first you have to tell me what's going in inside that little head of yours."
"Everyone leaves me, I don't actually belong anywhere, I'm too damaged to be loved, and I have too much baggage. Why can't I be normal?"
"Oh sweet girl I know you have been let down in the past, and people have hurt you. But you have got to believe me when I say Lena and I are nothing at all like any of your foster parents that you have had in the past. You are not damaged goods my love, you are so much more."
"I don't want to feel like this anymore."
"I know honey, things are going to get better for you I promise baby, and we are going to help you through all of this."
"You know what I think Callie needs?"
"Mama Sandwich!"
Callie sat in between Stef and Lena giggling. "Callie you need to promise me that you are going to try your best to stop self-harming, I know it's not easy, but promise me with our help you will try."
"I promise."
I'm thinking about adding in some cute family moments with Callie. What do you think should I keep the story only on Callie's struggles or should I add in cute moments as well? Let me know your ideas for upcoming chapters. :)