A decrepit corpse unstably stood upon an injured skyscraper, monolithic groans of pain echoing throughout the air from the leaning concrete giant.


    Chloe stood opposite the figure, green rain slowly drizzling upon the both of them as she slowly took off the shirt that she was equipped with.


    A series of high-pitched chuckles sounded out from the corpse, as it peered at the abundance of scars that dominated her body, almost like a gallery of gruesome graffiti chiselled into her flesh and blood.


    “More! Do you think that just cutting yourself a little bit is anything close to the eternal pain with which you have burdened me with? Criminal! Repent!” It screeched out, charging towards the small girl as the corpse dashed down the slanting skyscraper.


    It bent down to pick up an iron rod that solemnly laid atop of the rusted metal surface, causing the figure to stumble across the roof due to the wet surface, resulting in the bloodied figure tackling the small girl off the side of the tower.


    *Bam*


    As the corpse collided with Chloe, the little girl became winded, gasping for breath as the two figures plummeted towards the hell below them.


    Feeling a burning sensation stemming from her abdomen, she looked to see that a metal pipe had been lodged in her stomach, a cruel grin shaped expression evident on the corpse, as if it were proud of its handiwork.


    Closing her eyes, Chloe felt the calming whistling of the wind passing by her at breakneck speeds envelop her ears before as a series of deranged screams combined with a surge of pain exploding throughout her body as they both contacted the floor headfirst.


    <hr>


    A chorus of heavy pants erupted from the small girl as she throttled awake in her small bed.


    Body feeling as though it had been enveloped in a thick layer of sticky sweat, Chloe used her hand to rest her head on as she collected her breath for a few brief moments.


    The girl couldn’t remember the last time she had anything but a nightmare when she closed her eyes.


    Looking at the binder sitting upon her bedside table, Chloe looked at the photos that she and Aaron had taken together over the past three years, most of the pictures torn here and there whilst some of the more recent photos including an extra third person as her breathing slowly calmed.


    Turning the faucet on, hot water poured out of shower head and seeped into her body, causing a flurry of pain to once again assault the small girl.


    Looking down at her body, vision partially obscured by her long and unruly orange hair, what seemed to be thousands of cuts had called her body home.


    The girl held a small razor in her right hand, her left wrist jutted out as she placed the razor atop of her veins.


    The pain wouldn’t last long. At least not longer than what she’d felt over the past few years.


    “Hmph. You call that pain? Do it! DO IT! END IT ALL!” the figure beside her commanded, its hand grabbing onto Chloe’s right wrist and pushing it into her left wrist.


    Cutting in such a visible place, ignoring the lethal side effect, would signify the end of everything which she held dear to her, her friendship with Aaron and now, Lea.


    If they saw what kind of things she had done, then there was no doubt in her mind that she’d be all alone once again.


    Blood started to trickle down her wrist as her resistance slowly became futile, her teeth biting onto the corner of lips as she thought back to all the times she’d laughed with Aaron.


    All the good memories.


    She’d thought that starting a new school would result in more bullying once again. Especially so considering how both of them had come from a public school, unworthy to attend their current educational facility.


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    However, Chloe had quickly learned that Lea wasn’t one to be trifled with.


    <hr>


    A series of pristine white walls covered the empty room which Chloe had just been dragged into by a series of classmates, some female and some male.


    “Are you looking down on us? Huh? Is that why you aren’t talking to anyone else Aaron?” one brown haired girl spat out, kicking Chloe in the knee causing her to fall to the ground in the middle of the room.


    “So, what if he’s a little good looking? After I’m done with you, he’ll be next!” a male voice joined in, letting out a triumphant laugh as he peered down at Chloe who was cradling her recently kicked knee.


    Chloe flicked her head up, shooting the boy who had said the comment a sharp glare before receiving a heavy slap than spun her head and thrusted her to the floor once again.


    “Filth. How dare you look at me with such eyes!” a tall blonde named Nathanial spurted out in a fit of rage, going in for a few more kicks before retreating once again and appreciating his handiwork as if it were a piece of art.


    Chloe had been left on the floor, beads of tears seeping from her orbs as she grasped at her stomach and arms which had been used to block the flurry of blows.


    And just when the group were about to continue, the door flung open, followed by Lea who confidently strode out, mobile in hand.


    “So, which one of you assholes wants to get expelled first?” she exploded into a controlled fit of rage, lifting the phone up slightly before then pointing towards the injured girl who laid still upon the floor.


    A few of the lads who seemed to be on the stronger side of things readied their bodies, as if they were planning to rush the girl all at the same time before Lea spoke out once again.


    “I’ve already sent the footage to somewhere else, you won’t get anything by trying to take my phone away. Just face it, you’re all fucked.” She confidently stated, looking slightly pissed at the fact that they had even thought that such a simple tactic would work.


    The group shifted, unsure of how to proceed before the boy who had dealt the most damage stood forward, an uneasy look splayed across his face.


    “Lea, you’re one of us…! Why are you standing up for this… this filth? Just hand over the footage, and we’ll all be buddy buddy again.” Nathanial anxiously stated, the students behind him nodding their head eagerly in response to his suggestion, a few murmurs erupting from the crowd for her to hand over the footage.


    “One of you lot? Please, I’ll never be “buddy buddy” with your group and you know it. Now, you have one of two options. Risk getting expelled or grovel before the one you call filth and never even go so far as to breath the same air as her again!” she firmly stated, flashing a wide grin towards Chloe.


    The group uncomfortably shifted their gaze towards the girl below them, a fit of silence enveloping the students.


    Suddenly a student broke the pact, kneeling before Chloe and apologising, before hastily leaving the room under the group’s fiery gaze.


    Nathanial’s countenance turned grim as his group apologised one by one until he was the only one left to apologize.


    Turning to Lea, he bit his lip before speaking, “You don’t have any footage, do you? You’re bluffing, I can see it clear as day. Even if by some miracle you do have the footage, with my father’s power there is no way you can get me expelled.” He rambled, attempting to find any way out of this situation.


    Lea let out a loose laugh before firing back, “Bluff you say? Is that so. Well, Chloe over here does say that I frequently make miracles happen, don’t you Chloe?” she quipped, looking over to Chloe, seeing that the girl was nodding furiously in agreement.


    “Although I may not be able to get you expelled, ruining you and your father’s image will be enough of a repayment.” She added, a cruel smirk displaying her cynical confidence graced her features as her crimson eyes creased up into a smile of their own.


    Nathanial thought for a few seconds, his foot tapping hastily against the concrete floor before letting an expletive loose and getting on his knees to apologize.


    Leaving the room with such haste that Lea was sure his speed could have broken a world record or two, she walked over to Chloe, offering a hand towards the girl to help her stand up.


    Chloe peered at her, analysing her confident expression, the sharp red contacts enhancing her fierce appearance.


    The small orange haired girl grabbed onto Lea’s hand, quickly being lifted upwards until she could once again stand on her own.


    “Thanks for the help” Chloe mumbled out, brushing off her uniform as she rubbed her bruised stomach.


    Lea stood in front of Chloe for a few seconds, a dumbfounded look dominating her countenance as a goofy grin quickly developed.


    “No problem, besides I never had any footage the whole time anyways. Some say that had I not chose to be an artist, I would have been the next big acting superstar!” Lea grinned, exploding into a tight hug, lifting Chloe into the air for a few seconds before she finally let her down a bit.


    The small orange haired girl seemed to be at a loss of words after being on the receiving end of all this friendly affection, once again going back to her mute self.


    <hr>


    Just like Aaron had all those years ago, Lea had done the same. Perhaps she’d become as much as a friend to Chloe as Aaron was currently.


    Feeling a surge of willpower, the small girl yanked the rusting razor away from her left hand, resulting in a shriek being emitted from the dark creature beside her.


    Relief flooded into the girl’s head as she slowly slunk down onto the bottom of the shower as she relished the soft pitter pattering of the shower.


    *CRACK*


    The sudden sharp sound of a bottle breaking rendered any left-over calmness Chloe had in her system naught as a loud shout shrouded her world once again in darkness.