"Petty... Petty!"
Amy dashed over and slammed the bathroom door open. She found Petty curled up in the corner, her head bowed, her left hand death-gripping her right wrist.
Amy's brief wave of relief vanished when she saw blood seeping through the fresh bandages. The original cuts hadn't been that deep and had stopped bleeding days ago. It was horrifying to imagine how much force Petty was using to tear them open again.
"Petty."
Heartbreak crashed over Amy, and her eyes welled with tears.
She took a step forward. Petty's frail voice drifted up. "Could you... close the door first?"
A lump formed tightly in Amy's throat. She gently clicked the door shut and sank to the floor in front of her.
Between her injuries and her illness, Petty had lost so much weight. When Amy gently gripped her shoulders, the prominent bones felt sharp beneath her palms. Aching for her friend, Amy pulled Petty into a tight embrace, rubbing soothing circles into her back.
She reached down, trying to pry Petty's left hand away from her bloodied right wrist. But the moment she touched her, she felt a warm dampness soaking through the collar of her own shirt.
Amy hurriedly wiped Petty's tears.
Petty's lips twitched as she forced a fragile smile.
"Don't worry. I'll get better."
Amy's vision blurred. Petty was the one suffering, yet here she was, comforting her.
Amy blinked rapidly, holding Petty even tighter. "I'm going to stay right here with you. If you're tired, tell me. Please don't carry this alone. It's not just Abacus who needs you. Me, Hans, Jackson... we all need you."
Petty used the back of her hand to wipe a tear from the corner of Amy's eye. "I never thought I'd hear you say something so cheesy."
Amy glared playfully. "I'm never saying it again."



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