WARNING
Just a warning this is a story who is suffering from depression, cutting, any self harm, suicide, suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts. Please don't read if you are triggered by those.
END OF WARNING

"Where the hell do you think your going sis?" Her brother, Ryan, pushed her to the side in the hallway. The way he said sis made it seem like it was the most vile word in the entire English language.

"Library. I have a paper to write." She muttered.

"Awwww does the little baby wanna fucking cry about it?" Her brothers best friend Tyler shoulder checked her even harder into the wall. "Fat fucking bitch." He muttered as he walked past her.

Tears threatened to spill over her cheeks from the bruises she knew were going to form on her shoulder. Just when the others were fading, they always gave her new ones. She needed a release. The only way to get that would be to run back up to her bathroom and just let that little razor do the work for her. Its winter so it's easy to hide the many scars that run up and down her body. Everywhere that can be hidden is marred with razor blade cuts that she has inflicted herself with over the years.

She has been bullied since the end of 6th grade by her brother and his best friend. Before then they were the best of friends. Tyler had been her childhood crush and he broke her heart that summer only to never apologize. That's when the bullying started.

Present Day

She sat in the quad at her new college. A 21 year old senior in college. She left her old home early. If she didn't she probably wouldn't be here today if it weren't for the therapy she received and Michael. Michael is very special to her.

The wind whips through her auburn hair as the last of the earth tones colored leaves were falling to the ground. She shivered and held her peacoat closer to her body. Her finals were wrapping up today and she was staring into her Accounting book...or was it Psychology....shit.

She sighs and looks around the quad expecting Michael to come running over at any second. She was starting to get antsy.

His dark disheveled hair pops into her vision as he weaves in and out of people leaving his last class. A huge smiles graces his face as he runs over to her.

"I'm sorry my love. Exam ran late. But I'm free now for the winter break. Just you and me." He smiled sitting next to her.

"About that Mikey....my parents called. They want me to come home for winter break." She said softly. She bit her bottom lip and stared at the ground. Her family was a super touchy subject because of her past with her brother and best friend.

He straightened his back and sighed. Serious Michael was back. "Willow. I will follow you wherever you want to go. But are you ready to confront them?" He asked.

"I have no clue honestly. I dont know if I will be unless I actually go. But I can't do it alone. I need you to come with me." She explained looking over at him. Her fingers gripping the textbook as her knuckles grew white.

"Ok then. But if you want to leave at any time you let me know and I will whisk you away to a faraway beach with an umbrella in a coconut." He said. She laughed softly.

"I love you Willow." He said grabbing her hands.

"I love you too Mikey." She said kissing his cheek.

"Let's get you to your last class. That way we can pick up some pizza and some beer to celebrate." He said grabbing her and wiggling his eyebrows. She threw her head back laughing at him.

He dropped her off at her last class. It was Business Law....of course. The exam was going to take 2 hours. She breathed deeply and delved into the test. Late nights with Mikey had paid off as the questions were very similar to what she was studying last night.

2 hours went by quickly as she was one of the first few stidents to leave the lecture hall. She smiled at her professor as she turned in the exam paper. "I expect a good grade Willow." The older gentleman smiled at her. She smiled back, "Me too Professor."

Mikey was sitting outside on the phone as she came out of her class. He hadn't noticed her yet so she took a moment to appreciate the man in front of her. He had been there from day one.

Literally. Day One.

He had been on the welcoming committee her freshmen year. She had graduated high school early with permission from the school board and left for college the beginning of her senior year of high school. He led her to her dorm and slipped his number in to her welcome pack with a smiley face and his name.

She was going through a lot and when she finally got the guts to tell him she wasn't looking for anything he was still there. When they would run in to each other between classes he would set up study dates with her, coffee dates, breakfast, lunch, and dinner dates.  He wouldn't give up but he also wouldn't push her.

It wasn't until her sophomore year when she broke open her past and shared everything with him over Chicken Lo Mein and Die Hard that he really saw her for who she was.

And the surprising part? He didn't run away. He held her and she fell asleep in his arms that night. He went to therapy with her sometimes and held her hand during panic attacks. Over time they lessened and the therapy became less and less.

He finally hung up with whoever he was talking about when he looked up and smiled. "Like what you see?" He asked playfully. "No but that beefy guy over there caught my eye." She said bluntly pointing to a guy on the school's baseball team.

He growled and picked her up to swing her around. "Mine." He whispered. "Ok. Calm down ya caveman." She laughed into his chest as he put her down.

"How do you think you did?" He asked taking her hand as they walked down the pathway to the bridge that led to the parking lot. They had gotten an off campus apartment for their last year of school. They knew they wanted to stay in the area since they loved New England so much.

"Oh I passed." She said confidently. He smiled and kissed her fingers that were still interlocked with hers. "Good job my love." He smiled. She winked as they finally made it to their truck and jumped in.

On the way home they stopped by at their favorite pizza joint and picked up a couple of six packs for the night. The trip to their house was much shorter and was only a few blocks from the pizza place.

After showers and pjs they settled on the couch to eat their dinner, drink their beer, and talk over their movie that was basically just background noise.

"I still need to tell them we are coming." She broke the silence. The movie was over and they were taking their last few sips of their beers. "If you want to call them just do it with me." He said turning to look at her. She nodded and grabbed her phone and settled closer to him.

She looked through her phone book and after a few moments hit the call button for what simply said Them. Not home. Not family. Not Mom and Dad.

She put it on speaker phone as he hands were shaking. Michael held her hands and attempted to calm her down a bit. She exhaled slowly as he held a cheek with one hand and smiled at her.

After a few rings a gruff voice answered. "Hello?" The voice asked. "Ryan. Can I speak to Mom?" Her voice cracked at the end. "Minnow? Holy shit. I haven't spoken to you since you left. Where are you? Are you ok?" He asked quickly. His voice strained. He sounded concerned but it didnt faze Willow.

"Mom or Dad." She simply stated. I rubbed my hands up and down her arms. Tears were at the corners of her eyes. For everyone to pick up the phone it had to be her brother. One of her worst tormentors from her past.

"Oh...ok. Here's Mom." He stuttered in to the phone. Clearly flustered by his little sisters call and demand.

"Its Minnow." He muttered in to the background.

"Sweetheart? Oh my God...hunny." her mother rushed out in to the phone. "Hey momma. I'm coming next week. But I'm bringing a plus one." She said all in one go.
"Oh of course you can bring a friend." She said. You could tell her mom was smiling through the phone.
Michael's eyes permanently stuck on Willow to make sure she wasn't breaking down.

"Not a friend. My fiancee Michael." Willow answered her mother.

Silence was met on the other line but you could hear muttering in the background.

"Finacee...when did she even get a boyfriend?....who would date Minnow?..." and then some laughing following quickly by her mother telling everyone to shut up. Michael felt her tense up and a silent sob wracked her body. This visit would not be easy.

"Sorry minnow. That was Ryan and Tyler. Remember him?" She asked.

"Yeah momma. I'm going to go. We will be there on Tuesday. We are getting a rental so dont worry about picking us up at the airport." She said quickly.

"Ok sweetheart. See you then." And with that Willow hung up.

Willow sighed very loudly and Michael pulled her closer so she wa straddling him.

"Was that him in the background?" Mikey asked softly. She nodded into the crook of his neck and he grumbled some profanities.

"We can back out Wills. I won't be mad. I wouldn't be mad taking you to a beach either." He said making her break in to a smile. She giggled in to his neck.

"I love you." She whispered to him.

"As I love you." He whispered kissing her gently.

The next few days went by quickly as they packed and basked in eachother because they knew they would be leaving soon. The night before they left they laid in bed. Mikey's fingers tracing an old scar on Willows shoulder.

"We need to sleep. We leave in 3 hours." Mikey grumbled. "Why don't we just leave now? We can stop by our cafe and get breakfast. Have a chill morning. Make out in the car in the parking lot. Get in to the airport and get drunk at the bar." Willow teased. Mikey laughed. "Hell yeah. Why not?" He barked out a laugh.

They jumped out bed and got dressed. Willow slipped on one of Michael's hoodies and a pair of skinny jeans. She slipped on a pair of grey Uggz that she has owned for about 6 years now. He slipped on jeans, a pair of tan boots, and a long sleeved white shirt and a camo green beanie. They threw on their winter jackets after they did their bathroom routines and packed their toiletries in their suitcases.

Breakfast came next after about 10 minutes of driving and they both relaxed at the diner making small talk and playing footsie under the table.

The trip to the airport only took about 10 minutes. The lovebirds didn't make out in the car though. They made out outside of the car near the trunk. They only got interrupted when parents jumped out of their minivan and coughed at the young couple and the teens who got out all snickered.

"Young people these days." The mother muttered walking by.

"Rude." Willow muttered back and Michael snickered.

Since it was so early getting through security was a breeze. When they finally reached their gate they made sure their tickets were tucked in their pockets and the bar was open.

They still had 3 hours till their flight. So they definitely made the most of it by getting a bit tipsy before the boarding calls started.