The Self Harmed by Chalen D. (libby ebook reader .txt) 📖

a leg.” He then grinned. “You’ll have to help push me around school.”

“I will.” I nodded.

“They say we can go back tomorrow.”

“A new year.” I nodded.

“Yep.” Caden nodded.

“Let’s check those vitals.” A nurse came in.

I went to move, but Caden grabbed my arm, and I stayed put. They had let Caden out at nine. He was starving. We got some food and then headed home. Jackson Had put Caden in a down stairs guest bedroom, and I had slept on the other side of his bed.

~The Hallway~

Caden wheeled his self down the hall with his left hand and I had my left hand on the handle bar. We had both broken our right arm. Ryder turned the corner and called something. It was like a stampede as our friends had ran to us.

“What happened?” Ryder demanded, putting a hand on Caden’s shoulder, because Owen had scooped me up in a hug.

“Car accident.” Caden said, shaking Alex’s had.

“Are you okay?” Ryder grabbed my face.

"Yeah.” I nodded.

He gave me a kiss and pulled me into a hug.

“I thought something really bad happened.” Ayelie said.

“Like one of us died?” Caden asked.

Clara nodded.

“Nah.” Caden grinned and flexed. “Still going strong.”

They all laughed.

“So I’m going to be a big sibling.” Caden announced.

Everyone patted his shoulder.

“Me too.” I nodded.

Everyone looked at me.

“What He gets patted on the back and I don’t?"

Alex pulled me into a hug. A tight one.

“Our parents are getting married. “ Caden explained, “So Charlie and I are siblings.”

“Mom’s having twins.” I added.

“Really!” Clara hugged  me, “That’s so cute!"

“Do you know what they are?” Ayelie asked.

“Not yet.” Caden said.

“But Mom let us pick names out, we both picked a boy and girl name.”

“Yep, and Dad said if it was a girl I would get to set up the room, and Charlie will do the boys. A little Gender switch up.” Caden added, flinging his hair from his face.

I helped him, and he smiled at me. He knew what he was doing. Distracting our friends from our almost death experience.

“Caden says the best room wins, but not if Mom’s having both boys.” I grinned, rubbing my hands together.

“You have no idea how excited I am for you.” Alex smiled at me. “But If I jumped up and Down you all might hold it against me.”

“I did when I found out.”

“Really?” He jumped once.” We all laughed. “A Mother effing baby! Times two!”

People looked at us.

“I’m going to be a big Brother! Or cousin! I haven’t decided yet!” He yelled at them all.

Someone yelled Whoo! And tossed up both hands.

“Yes!” Ryder laughed and pointed at them.

“So there is two rumors going around school,” Clara said. "What to hear them?”

“They aren’t about you.” Ayelie reassured us, as Caden and I looked at each other.

“Sure.” Caden said as I nodded.

“Well There’s a game night activity that kids stopped going to so they’re holding a vote for the next activity. Rumor is that us kids get to vote in first period.” Clara told us.

“Well I know what I’m voting for.”

“Me too.” Caden high fived me.

“You guys became really close.”  Ayelie told us.

“We almost-“

“We’re siblings.” Caden stopped me. “We spent half the week in the basement with our Xbox and the other half learning French, as I taught her Italian on the side.”

“Apparently having money lets you learn things.” I said.

“You live together?” Ryder asked.

“Yeah, I have pictures.” I grabbed my camera. “Want to see?”

I walked in front of Caden and our friends circled around me leaning in. Normaly I would ask for space but I felt comforted with having them so close. My very own safety net. I explained every picture to them as I clicked it. The next picture was of me and Caden. I snuck it during French class. We both made afraid looks and pointed at her.

“Who’s that?” Clara asked.

“It’s our French teacher. She’s a bit scary. And here’s Baby A.”

“Aw.” They all said.

“Baby B.”

“So cute.” Ayelie pointed.

 “That’s it- Wait.” I said.

There was a picture of Caden and I in the basement. He had his controller in the air in victory and I hand my hands around his neck. It was from behind.

“Did You know I had this?” I showed Caden.

He carefully took my camera.

 “No.” He shook his head, “Dad might have taken it. We were already in the zone.”

“Are you trying to strangle him?” Owen asked.

“He kept winning.” I said, shoving my camera into it’s bag.  “What’s the second rumor?”

“There’s going to be a new year's ball!” Clara clapped.

“No.” I moaned.

“You used to love dances when you were little.” Owen said.

“I don’t like dressing up.”

“The theme is going to be outcasts.” Ayelie said.

“That’s even worse.” I said, as we all headed down the hall. “There’s so many decisions.”

“Well they’re taking us out in groups to go shopping.” Clara said.

“It’s just a rumor though remember.” Ayelie added. “They’re going to call our parents and ask for money.”

“What if you have no money?” I asked.

“I guess you would wear something from the drama department.”

“They have cute clothes.” Ayelie said.

We all looked at her.

“What?” She demanded. “This cat Eye didn’t learn to just walk onto my eye.”

“Can you do my makeup?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“I brought some makeup from home.”

We all hurried off to class.

~Gone shopping.~

Mr. Pepper walked into his classroom carrying box. It was normal for him to carry boxes, but what if this was the money that Ayelie was talking about.

“Alright,” He grinned. “Okay it’s no secret that we’re having a winter ball.”

“Whoo!” Everyone yelled.

I looked over at Ryder who just grinned at me.

“We called your parents and they all gave you money to go shopping.” Mr. Pepper called setting the envelope down. “You’ll go out in groups for lunch so after you get your money go meet in the food hall to get your group together!” Mr. Pepper quickly passed out the envelopes.

I opened mine and peeked inside.

“Yikes.”

“How much?” Ryder bent down and picked up my backpack.

“Not much.”

“You can tell me Charlie.” He said. “I won’t think you’re some spoiled brat.”

“Well Jackson want’s to spoil his only daughter.” I said as if I was in trouble.

Ryder smiled at me, “Hou much did he give you?”

“A thousand.”

“Yikes.” His face mirrored mine.

“Exactly.”

We hurried through kids to the lunch room. We had all planned that the first one there would snag Maggie for our group leader. Owen and Caden where waving their hands at each other, with Maggie close by, talking to Clara who was waving her hands. We hurried over. Owen and Caden where talking about the new video game I had bought him, and Clara was talking about how she wanted to do her hair. Aylie and Alex came over, Ayelie in the lead elbowing her way through the crowd. Alex let her pull him along as he watched the floor.

“Okay everyone’s here?” Maggie asked.

“Yeah.” Ayelie made it to us.

“Alright lets go.” She led the way.

Ryder grabbed my hand and we all followed Maggie to the bus. The bus let off at a shopping strip. All the other kids ran to the first store. We had two hours to shop. We all walked down to the last stores because everyone was shopping in the front and we wanted to have outfits that didn’t match every other person. And that’s when I saw it. A Masquerade shop.

“Okay.” I told everyone. “Wouldn’t it be cool if we looked like no one at the dance?”

“Yeah.” Ayelie said carefully.

“Let’s shop there.” I pointed.

“I don’t know.” Clara said Slowly.

“Come on it will be fun.” Caden jumped in with. “We can all get masks and take them off at mid night.”

“Okay.” Clara said. “But don’t get made if I can’t find anything.”

“Do get mad if I find something.” Ayelie said, leading the way. “Because It’s going to look fucking fabulous.”

“You know.” I told Caden as we fell behind everyone. “We make a pretty good team when we’re not trying to take each other down.”

He grinned at me, “Best mask wins?”

“You’re so on.” We hurried into the store.

Aylie yanked down a dress.

“I think this is it guys!” She hurried to a dressing room.

Ryder put a white top hat on his head.

“What do you think?” He asked Owen.

Owen nodded, “I like it.”

“Eh.” Caden walked over. “Try the black.”

“Yeah.” Owen agreed.

Caden took the white hat and Owen handed him the black. Caden Gave the black to Ryder and the white hat to Owen. Owen set the hat on the stand.

“Epic!” Caden and Ryder hugged.

Clara sighed a little and touched a white, black and pink dress.

“So.” I dragged my foot to her, and landed with a hop. “What do you think?”

“I love it.” She smoothed the dress, “But I’m thirty dollars short.”

“I’ll give you the rest.”

“Really?” She looked at me.

“Really.”

“Thanks!” She hugged me and then yanked the dress down and hurried to the dressing room.

“What color are you wearing?” Caden asked. “Ryder and I will be your date because we’re short a girl. We’re matching masks. Us, Ayelie and Alex and then Clara and Owen.”

“Most likely red.”

“Okay.” We walked back over to Ryder who was holding a black mask to his face.

Caden handed him red and gold one. Ryder Grinned and they high fived.

“Here it is!” Ayelie tossed her hands into the air.

We all clapped and she spun around.

“Charlie.” She waved me over.

“Yeah?”

“If I buy this dress and shoes I won’t have money for a mask so I –“

“I’ll buy you one.”

“Really?” She looked confused.

“Find some shoes I’ll get you a mask.”

“Okay.”

I Walked over to the shelf of masks and found The perfect mask for Ayelie. And Guess who’s mask was next to hers? Clara’s. I grabbed both Masks and walked over to Ayelie. She was standing in front of a Mirror looking at the heels she wore. I put the mask over her face.

“Are you sure?” She asked as I tied it in place. “It looks a little expensive.”

“It’s fine. It matches.”

“Thanks.” She hugged me.

“Guys look!” I called.

They all looked over, and Clapped.

“You don’t even know it would be Ayelie.” Owen said.

“That’s what I’m looking for.” She pushed open her dressing stall curtain.

Clara stuck her head out, “Charlie?”

I walked into her, and into her stall.

“You look good!”

“Are you sure?” She asked turning and looking at me over her shoulder. “Do I have back fat?”

“No.” I told her. “It’s your dress.”

She looked at herself, and I put the mask over her face. She fixed it and I tied it into place.

“I’m so excited this was a good idea.” She leaned into the mirror.

I poked my head out.

“Caden.” I pointed at the shoe rack.

He pointed to a