Sterling

Chapter One

"You're cutting? Again?" Jimin asked the small brunette boy, eyebrows furrowing in concern. Taehyung tugged his arm away, turning his head to the side as he pulled his sleeve down, now covering the fresh cuts that were carved in his skin. He felt ashamed that he was cutting himself again, and he couldn't help but feel extremely small and guilty for doing it. "You were doing so good. What happened?"

"It was only two weeks," Taehyung stated as he pulled his bag off his back and stuffed his books inside, zipping it up and slinging it back on his shoulders. He wrapped his arms around himself, eyes trained to the floor. He heard the three males in front of him let out sighs, causing him to look up and see they seemed genuinely worried about him.

"Two weeks or not, it was still a big step for you," Hoseok chimed in gently, grabbing the small male's uninjured wrist, giving him a sympathetic smile. Taehyung's heart broke at the sight of his best friends looking genuinely worried about him. They knew about his past suicide attempts, and they knew about the cutting—hence why they were always worried—but they didn't know what was going on at home behind closed doors—never telling them because he didn't want them to pity him.

"I really thought you were gonna stop for real this time," Yoongi mumbled, his eyes glued on the small male, hands in his pockets. Taehyung just nodded, looking anywhere but them. He hated the looks they were giving him, he fucking hated it. The looks held too much emotion, too much pity, too much sorrow for him, and he couldn't stand it. "What happened, though? How long have you been back at it?"

Taehyung sighed, looking off to the side, eyes scanning the now empty halls, arms wrapping around himself tighter, feeling vulnerable and completely exposed, "I-I... I started doing it again... last night." He turned his head down in shame, lips forming a small frown as he felt arms wrap around his body once again. He didn't know why, but he felt like balling right here in the hallway, not even caring who could hear or see him.

He just wanted to let all the toxic emotions out that he couldn't do with his parents, or else he would get scolded for being weak and a baby, telling him they didn't want to hear him crying. He hated his life back at home, but he couldn't go anywhere because of all the threats his parents have made about him leaving. He knew they would physically kill him if he ever dared try to leave.

"What? Why? What happened?" Hoseok asked, reaching out to place a reassuring hand on Taehyung's shoulder, trying to comfort him. The younger male shook his head, keeping his gaze away from his friends, not wanting to go into detail about the huge fight that pushed him back over the edge between his parents. "Tae, you can tell us. We're here for you."

He looked into their eyes and seen thy were telling nothing but the truth. They've all been friends since forever, and it sickened him that he never went to them to vent. He never went to them when he needed to cry and let out all of the emotions his body just couldn't handle anymore. He never went to them for anything, and he wished it were that simple—that simple to just go to them and tell them everything that was happening back home.

He couldn't. He was afraid of what they were say, what they would do. He was afraid they would look at him differently, treat him like everyone else treated him—like he was nothing. He couldn't bear the though of his best friends doing that and finding out. He couldn't risk what they had—they were all extremely close. And if they found out, what would happen to him?

Would they call the police and he be taken away from his home? Or would they just not say anything and continue to let their best friend live his life of hell? Either way, he didn't like the outcome and he didn't like either of the options. He couldn't risk being taken away and out into foster care. Even though he would no longer be living with his parents, he could be put into a worse home than what he was already in.