Therapy [KRISTEN STEWART] (DISCONTINUED)

8

On the next morning, as Anton was getting ready for school, he was feeling calmer than usual. Having spoken up to the principal had boosted his confidence that everything would slowly be back to normal. He knew it wasn't going to be easy for Kristen to speak up, but he had decided that if she needed a shoulder to cry on, he would be there.

Right now, Kristen needed emotional support more than ever. At home, the relationship between her family members had decayed drastically. Her brothers were never interested, whenever she wanted to sit down and have a deep conversation with either of them. Her parents were always too busy. She felt like she had no one to rely on.

She had debated whether or not to speak to a teacher. If not at school, perhaps her singing tutor? Or another adult could help her. Had she forgotten Jodie Foster, for example? The woman who would always be the closest thing to a second mother?

Kristen was playing with the rubber bands around her wrists, waiting for eight o'clock to strike. That was when the school would slowly fill until there was very little time left to start the school day. She did not even know why was she at school so early. She supposed she liked the solitude. She felt less anxious. Like she was preparing herself for the hard day she knew was waiting for her.

Her thoughts were interrupted with the sound of footsteps approaching her. She wondered who else would be at school at such an early hour. It was Anton. He had come to school earlier to speak to Kristen. He needed to let her know about his conversation with the principal.

Seeing Kristen sitting all by herself shattered his heart. He couldn't help but notice her playing with what seemed to be a bracelet. Looking closer, he could see her snapping it against her wrist. And why was she wearing a sweater? It was almost mid-May already. Too warm for such clothes.

"Kristen?", he called.

The girl sharply turned her head to face him. Of course, it would be Anton. Who else? She stood up on her feet and was about to leave when he stopped her.

"Show me your arm," he demanded.

"You think I'm self-harming?!", Kristen shouted, unable to control her voice.

"Please, just show me your arm."

"Why do you care about me so much one day and then the other you can't even look at me?"

Anton was getting impatient. "Come, on Kristen! I can sit here and wait all day!"

She sighed, feeling defeated and slowly rolled the sleeves of her sweater to reveal what was underneath.

Anton studied carefully her arms. On one of them, there was a scratch - the kind of would one would do to themselves. On the other, however, were written words. What else he had noticed were the strange pink lines on both her arms. They looked like the kind of lines one would have after wearing a too tight bracelet. And then he realized - she was snapping the rubber band to create scars that wouldn't last for the rest of her life, but would still be a punishment for everything she felt she had done wrong.

Anton concentrated his gaze on the words written on one of Kristen's arms. He had to grasp her arm and to turn it to be able to read it. On it, it was written with bold letters GOD LOVES UGLY.

The curly haired boy gasped from anger. Why? Why her of all people? "You're nowhere near ugly! How could you write this? You have to go to the bathroom and wash it away!"

Kristen rapidly shook her head, "I can't."

Anton raised his eyebrows, not able to understand why not, "Is it a tattoo?"