Scars by Boy Epic
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When Jesse and India returned to camp Jesse instantly retreated to his tent where Aurora was already waiting. She was curled up with an intense thinking face on. Jesse let out a string of curse words; he really only wanted to be alone.

"What's up your butt," Aurora asked weakly, her eyes showing only a fraction of anger that they usually did.

Jesse rolled his eyes and struggled to sit down, wincing in the process. He knew that he should have gotten help as soon as he felt the pain but he didn't want India to know. "Can you leave? I need to do something," Jesse said through clenched teeth.

Aurora raised an eye brow and looked at his painful expression curious. "I'm not leaving this tent."

"Aurora," Jesse snarled.

"I'm hiding from someone okay? There's no way in hell I'm going back out there." Aurora threw her head towards the opening of the tent with a scowl on her lips. When she looked back at Jesse she couldn't ignore his pained look any longer. "Okay what's wrong," she asked worriedly.

Jesse breathed heavily through his nose, trying to calm his racing heart. "Nothing," he seethed, "just go away."

"Not going to happen," Aurora declared. She got to her knees and shuffled over to Jesse as he tried to hold back the tears. "Jesse, what's hurting?" From the look on his face she knew he was in a lot of pain and she needed to do something about it.

"Aurora please," he begged, grabbing her arm and weakly trying to push her to the outside. She wouldn't budge.

"Jesse, just tell me," she argued, growing panicked. When he shook his head, his blonde hair falling into his eyes from the sweat on his brow Aurora knew why he was refusing her help. "I won't tell anyone," she promised, holding a hand on his shoulder.

Jesse looked up at her, seeing the sweet and kind side of Aurora he never knew existed. "Okay," he whispered, "but if anyone hears about this I will ruin your fucking life."

Aurora rolled her eyes. "Got it. Now tell me what I can do to help."

"There's a bag under the passenger seat of my car. It's bright red, you won't miss it. Go get it."

Aurora quickly looked for his keys which she knew were right by his pillow at night, as if he was preparing to drive away any moment.

Once she got them she promised Jesse she would be back soon, receiving a grunt in response.

...

Keenan watched as Aurora ran from her tent and straight towards Jesse's car. He was afraid that she was going to leave, all because of a stupid kiss.

He stood up from one of the many lawn chairs, ready to go chase her down and demand she stay, but Ajax held him back.

"What are you doing man," Ajax asked his friend with confusion.

"Aurora's trying to leave," Keenan explained, feeling panicked and angry. "I need to-"

Keenan cut his sentence short when he saw that Aurora quickly slammed the car door behind her and ran back to the tent with a red bag in her hand, not caring to spare him a glance.

He sat back down, feeling the panic wash away like a tidal wave.

"What was that all about," Ajax asked Keenan, a knowing smirk on his lips.

"Shut up," he muttered, his eyes shooting to India as she approached with Luna by her side. "I'll tell you later."

Ajax nodded his head before greeting the two girls. India sat in the chair next to Keenan, wrapped up in a big sweater while Luna sat on the log next to Ajax. Keenan noticed the odd look his friend had on his face.

"Where is everyone," Luna asked curiously. After less than an hour Luna already looked better and less heart broken, but Keenan could still see the hint of sadness in her eyes although she tried hiding it.

"Probably still out there."

"Do you guys want to make a bet on who Alice is fucking right now," Luna asked, making the three of them all laugh. "I'm being serious," she said after the laughter calmed down.

"My money's on Lee." Keenan relaxed back in his chair, aching to grab a bottle of beer to calm his nerves but he knew India wouldn't like that. He wondered if he should anyways. He deserved it.

"Lee's with his girl right now," Ajax spoke up, shaking his head in disappointment. "I think he actually likes Willow."

"You think," Keenan asked interested. Would Lee even participate in the games like everyone else or was he too loyal to his chick?

"Why wouldn't he," India asked confused. "They're dating aren't they?"

Ajax nervously cleared his throat, making Keenan step up and cover their mistake.

"Not exactly, they're just friends," Keenan easily lied, a soft smile spreading across his lips at how easy it came across.

"Apparently not anymore," Ajax chuckled.

Luna piped up again. "I'm putting twenty bucks on Lee and Alice."

They all shared a laugh, knowing that Luna wouldn't stop talking about Alice's spread legs. They only reason they got to laugh though was that Luna obviously wasn't as torn up about it anymore. Keenan wanted to wonder why but he had his own problems to think about.

...

"I said slowly not a fûcking turtles pace," Jesse snapped, clenching the fabric of his jeans in fists.

"This is as fast as I can go without hurting you more," Aurora said worriedly. "Wait I have an idea."

Jesse huffed. "Yeah sure okay, take all the damn time you want. It's not as if I'm in a lot of fuckîng pain." Aurora rolled her eyes but proceeded to make a tear in the back of Jesse's shirt anyways. Once he heard the fabric tear he tried his best to look over his shoulder at her but couldn't look very far. "What are you doing Aurora?"

Aurora quickly tore the rest of his shirt in half, from the hem to the collar. "Getting your shirt off," she answered.

"Thanks for the warning," he mumbled. "I liked this shirt."

"It had blood on it anyways smart one," she muttered, slowly peeling the sides of his shirt off to reveal the injury that was making him bleed.

What she found made her gasp and Jesse tense.

Jesse had only one open scar which was sending blood running down his spine but that wasn't the only problem with him. There were scars covering every inch of his skin. Some were bulging and pink while others were thin white lines. One nasty pink one went from his right shoulder blade to the top of his pants. The smallest scar wasn't any smaller than six inches.

These were obviously done a long time ago but never healed properly, probably why one of them opened up again.

"Jesse," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

"Will you just fucking help me Aurora," he snapped angrily.

Aurora quickly nodded her head even though he couldn't see her and set to work. She took the bandages and rubbing alcohol from the first aid kit Jesse made her grab. As she cleaned up the opened wound she couldn't take her eyes off the other ones.

Who the hell would do this to him?

Jesse winced every time Aurora even slightly touched him and it made her heart break even more. She decided to try to get both their minds off of it.

"So what's going on with you and India?"

Jesse tensed. "What are you talking about?"

Aurora scoffed. "Oh please lover boy. I see the way you look at her and how she looks at you. Is there something going on there?"

Jesse sighed. "No," he mumbled.

"You sound pretty disappointed," she laughed. "You like her though don't you?" Aurora gently placed a bandage on his open scar.

Jesse didn't answer which was an answer all in its own.

Aurora cooed. "Do you want to know a secret of mine?"

"Not exactly."

"Well too bad." She taped the bandage on, careful to put enough on so it wouldn't fall off. The wound wasn't big at all but it still needed to be covered. "I'm an excellent match maker."

"No," he growled.

She smiled. "Yes."

"Aurora," he seethed.

"Jesse," she teased then laughed. "Alright you're done."

He sighed, happy to have that over with. He grabbed the closest shirt next to him and struggled to put it on.

The air around them was silent and tense. Jesse knew what Aurora was going to say next and he was dreading it.

"Do you want to talk about it," she whispered softly.

He couldn't help but hesitate. "No," he declared. He cleared his throat after he felt something in the back of it.

Aurora settled back on her butt and clasped her hands in her lap. "It's always easier when you talk about it."

"You're not my fucking shrink," he growled, still facing away from her.

"Nope but I am free," she teased. "I won't make you pay me thousands of dollars to ask you how you're feeling."

Jesse sighed, putting his head into his hands.

"You've never talked about it, have you," she asked.

He slowly shook his head.

"Then you don't know what it's like to talk about it. Just try it alright," she asked. What she saw in front of her was a boy who was covered in scars, but it wasn't like in the movies where the scars make him a warrior. Right now he was still drowning in them and didn't know how to get out.

He needed help.

"Where do I start," he whispered, clenching his hands into fists so tight that his nails were digging into his skin.

"The beginning," she whispered back.

...
To be continued...