Chapter 13

"Scorp, eat something."

"I'm not hungry."

"I will shove it down your throat if I have to, you know."

"Fine."

Scorpius tore off one piece of his sandwich and put it in his mouth. He faked a smile.

"So tasty!"

"You are the worst liar I've seen in my life!" Albus laughed.

"I just don't like food, okay?"

"Okay."

They were sitting in the kitchen. They'd been in here for almost an hour. Scorpius just refused to eat.

"You know, Scorp… I really want to help. I can help you! Just tell me what to do!"

"I don't know what you could do, Al… In all honesty, I believe myself to be broken beyond repair. And I strongly advise you to not try and save me. It'll only break you too."

"But what if I want to take that risk?"

Scorpius smiled. "I would love that. I love how you are trying to fix me. I love you too, so that's why I'm telling you this. Just… Be my friend. Don't try to fix me. It's better like this."

"You know I can't do that."

"I know. But I can tell you what I think is best."

"But it isn't! I've been your friend for a week and already I can see you slowly falling apart! I know for a fact that you will reach your breaking point! And when you do, you will start cutting again. Cutting so deep you'll actually die. I don't want that to happen! I won't let that happen! I need you, Scorp! And I can help. Just tell me! Tell me whenever something's wrong. Whenever you feel the urge to cut! Just tell me!" Albus yelled, looking very frustrated.

Scorpius felt a tear rolling down his cheek. "I'm sorry. It's already too late… You've grown to care for me too much…"

"Scorp, don't cry. Please. I'm not angry with you. I'm angry at myself. I'm angry at myself because I don't know what to do!"

"Don't do anything. Go to Rose. Save Ricky. Forget me, please."

Scorpius stood up and rushed out of the kitchens.

The second time you bailed on him, Scorpius.

-o-O-o-

"Where's Scorpius?" Ricky asked Albus when he sat down next to him during lunch.

"I don't know." Albus was on the verge of tears. "We were sitting in the kitchen and I told him I wanted to help him. You know what's going on right?"

After a nod from Ricky, Albus continued: "Right. So I told him I could help him. Make him feel better. Fix him. But he said he couldn't be fixed and then he told me I needed to go to Rose and you and try and save you?" He looked at Ricky, who shook his head, as if to say "not now". Albus continued again: "Then he ran away. I've searched the Library and the Common Room. I went up to the dormitories and I even checked the Quidditch Pitch! I don't know where he is and I'm worried…"

"Have you checked the Room of Requirement?"

"Not yet. Ricky that's brilliant! Thanks!" He quickly enveloped Ricky in a hug.

"I know, I'm smart," Ricky said, smiling and pretending to flip his hair arrogantly.

"Shut up," Albus laughed.

"What are you waiting for? Go look for him!"

"Right, I'll see you later."

"Where is he going?" someone said behind him. "Looking for the fag?"

Ricky's heart skipped a beat when he turned around.

"That's not nice of you to say, Damon, but yes, Albus went looking for Scorpius."

"Listen, Ricky, I'm sorry… I don't want to lose you to the fag too."

"It's a little too late for that, Damon. You've really hurt me." He continued in a whisper: "I know you've seen them."

"Seen what?"

"My scars, Damon. You know I cut sometimes. You've seen them, yet you didn't say anything about them. As if you didn't care. That hurt me, Damon. I thought we were friends."

"We are. I care about you! A lot! Even if it doesn't show all the time!"

"You made me bully Scorpius. Scorpius is broken because of us. I never wanted to be mean to him, but you made me! I don't even know why I love you!" Ricky said angrily, before realizing what he'd just said.

He said he loved Damon! How could he let that slip!

Damon apparently noticed his slip-of-tongue too, as he stood up and looked down at Ricky with disgust.

"You are just as bad as him," he said, before punching Ricky square in the face.

"Ricky!" he heard a female voice screech as he fell to the ground.

His vision was a little blurry, but he could see Rose running up to them.

"You monster! He was your only friend! The only one not sick of your behavior! And you punched him! Why would you do that!"

"I'm no friend of his. I'm not friends with faggots," he replied coldly, before walking away, ignoring Professors Vector, Kellington and Longbottom, who were all three running after him, yelling all kinds of punishments.

Ricky felt his heart crack when Damon said this. Tears started forming when he stood up, still dizzy from when Damon had punched him. He ran out of the Great Hall, followed by Rose.

"Ricky! Wait!"

"No! Rose, please leave…"

"Where are you going?"

"Somewhere peaceful," Ricky said, before running off again.

He ran to the Whomping Willow and crept through the secret tunnel at the base of the tree.

Once in the Shrieking Shack, he got out his razors and he didn't hesitate to cut himself. Over and over and over again. He slowly felt himself lose consciousness as the blood poured from the cuts he'd made.

His only thought before he passed out was: Damon…

-o-O-o-

"Scorpius!" Albus sighed in relief when he walked into his friend on his way to the Room of Requirement.

"Albus…"

"Scorpius I was so worried! I thought you were going to end it all!"

"I was planning to, actually…"

"Why didn't you do it?"

"You…"

"Why me?"

"Because you are trying to fix me. I want to be fixed, I really do. And if you believe you can make me feel better, I will let you." And because I won't die before you kiss me. Oh, and because I would hate myself even more when the only person I love is disappointed in me.

"Oh Scorp, I'm so glad you didn't do it. Never scare me like this again, please!" He hugged Scorpius tightly. "I'm so glad you're letting me help!"

Scorpius smiled weakly, pulling the sleeves of his hoodie further over his hands, before reaching out and hugging Albus back.

-o-O-o-

Damon's PoV:

What the fuck happened to him?

Since when is Ricky gay? Let alone be in love with me?

The fag really needs to be punished for this. He caused this.

First Albus, now Ricky.

And to even think I was his friend! I cared about him! I truly did. I did notice his scars, but I thought he wouldn't want to be confronted about them by me, so I kept quiet…

How dare he say I put him up to bullying Scorpius?!

I thought about it.

Merlin, I really made him bully Malfoy! Well, he could've decided not to get involved, like Albus. He didn't help me either.

This is it. I won't let Malfoy get away with this.

He will pay for this.

Again, credit goes to Animexstream for the idea he gave me about Ricky.

Don't do drugs!

Peace :3