"I love you," he whispered before tightening his arms around her. His friends whistled and he held her tighter. "Not now guys." They walked past them and Natalia buried her head in the crook of his neck. "Don't worry, they are going," he whispered. After ten minutes, he slowly leaned against his car and Natalia jolted awake.

"Were you sleeping?"

"I guess...I'm sorry..." Mark lightly chuckled and pulled her closer.

"I'll drop you off home."

"I can't. My mum is at work and I don't have my keys. Mark, I can't do this...It feels weird," she said as she slowly pushed his arms away. "I'm sorry."

Mark smiled through his disappointment and kissed her forehead before opening the door for her. "Ladies first." After he got into the car, he started to drive. "Where to?"

"Library? I don't go anywhere else."

"Have you eaten breakfast?"

"I don't." Mark pulled up into a driveway and turned off the car. "Whose house are we at?"

"Mine. You can eat something and sleep and then I'll drop you off home when your mum or brother gets back. How does that sound?"

"I don't know if I can...I just..."

"I won't touch you, I swear."

"Swear on your mother's life?" As soon as Natalia said that, she regretted it. "I'm so sorry!"

"That's okay." Mark quickly got out the car and then opened his door to his house. "But I swear on my mother's grave that I won't touch you. I promise." Natalia quickened her pace to catch up with him as he walked into the kitchen.

"Mark...I forgot and I didn't mean to hurt you. I forgot."

"I said it was fine."

"Mark-"

"Fuck sake, Nats! I said I was fucking fine! Just leave me alone!"

"I was just gonna ask where the bathroom was..." Natalia nervously rubbed the back of her neck.

"Upstairs, second left," he snapped. Natalia hurried out the room and followed his directions. After locking the door, she pushed the toilet seat down and sat on it.

"I'm such an idiot!" She lifted up her t-shirt and grimaced at the scars on her waist. "At least I forgot about everything." She got up and looked in the cupboard. A blade. She picked it up and ran her thumb against. She hissed when she felt the blade cut through her skin but she kept going.

"Nats?"

"Shit," she cursed when she dropped the blade. She looked down at the droplets of blood in the sink and began to furiously wipe it. "Wait!" Mark pushed the door open and stared at her.

"You didn't lock the door properly. Nats, what are you doing to yourself? This isn't good." Mark pulled out the first aid box from under the sink and took out a cloth. "Push that on it. It may sting because it has alcohol in it but just keep it there. Let me clean this."

"It was just there! I didn't mean to do it! I didn't know! Don't tell anyone! Please, don't tell anyone! I swear I won't do it again! I swear! You trust me, don't you?!"

Mark quickly cleaned up and pushed a crying Natalia out the room, carrying the first aid bag. He pushed her down on his bed and then put a plaster on the cut.

"I'm sorry, Mark! I didn't mean to! Can I hug you?" Natalia looked up at him innocently. He spread his arms open and closed them around her.

"Natalia, I need to tell your mum. I'll only tell her. She needs to know."

"Please, don't!"

"Talia, I have to. I'm so sorry. This is my fault. I'm so sorry."

After an hour of holding her, Natalia fell asleep. He lay her down under his blanket and then covered her. He heard the front door open and close.

"Mark?!" Natalia stirred in her sleep and he gently patted her back. Slowly, Mark walked down the stairs and kissed his aunty's cheek.

"Hey, Aunt Paige."

"Why are you so grumpy?"

"I'm not. Nats is upstairs and she's asleep. She...she took the blade out from the cupboard and cut herself...It was just the thumb and I don't even think she realised it. I put a plaster on it and she begged me not to tell anyone but I had to tell you. She said you were her mentor so I decided I would leave it to you."

"Thank you. I will have to tell her mum though. So when did she fall asleep? And what is she doing here?"

"It's all my fault, Aunt Paige. She cut herself because of me. She wanted to end her life last time because of me! I just...I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to ask her out or tell her how much I like her...so I started to tease her and just make fun of her. It got out of hand, Aunt Paige. I didn't mean for everything to come to this..."

"Oh my God. Wake up, Mark! Not everything is about you! She didn't only do it because of you! She had so many problems in her life and you just added it on at the end." Natalia came down the stairs and put her head on Mark's shoulder.

"Talia, you okay?"

"I'm tired..."

"She's gone to sleep. She does that. It's like she is half sleep walking. Weird."

"Yeah." Mark turned his head and kissed her temple. He put his arm at the back of her knees and lifted her onto his lap.

"You're lucky she is her. If it was anyone else, they wouldn't even go near you."

"I'm lucky. But I was a good bully." His aunty snorted.

"Yeah. Sure you are."

"I am! You're just jelly..."

"Jokes aside, what you did was...it was disrespectful, mean and damn right out of order. Mark, your mum wouldn't have been proud of that. That wasn't her son. That wasn't Mark Linton. She needs someone who she can rely on. Someone who she can come for help. Someone who won't let her down and leave her. If you walk into this, Mark, you can't walk out. She has had enough with people leaving her, that's why she came down to this. You know why she blamed you? Whether you knew it or not, while her parents were getting a divorce, you were the only with her. I'm not saying you guys used to be best friends in school or go everywhere together, but you were there. Yu were in all her lessons. In her tutor. Sat near her all the time. Used to talk to her. Then you turned into someone who I don't know. That was how you left her, Mark. Trusting someone is a hard thing for her. A very hard thing. The only person who she thought would stay just walked away. If anything, it's like marrying her now. I'm not saying stick to her like glue. But for the first few days, you kinda have to be there for her to know she can trust you, okay?"

Mark nodded his head and then let it rest on Natalia's head. "Aunt Paige, she's burning."

"She is? Take her onto the sofa in the living room." Mark followed her orders. "I need to take her top off. Let me check if she has a vest on," she said as she lifted the end of t-shirt. "Mark, go and get her one of your vest. I'll go and get her a pair of Jenna's shorts." Mark returned and found Natalia waking up.

"Talia, lie down. I'll shut the door and you put this vest on. Aunt Paige- wait, she's here. She's gonna give you a pair of shorts. You have to wear them."

"Mark, I feel sick..."

"Want me to get you a bag or a bowl?" Natalia nodded her head and took a deep breath in. As soon as Mark came in with the bowl, Natalia took it off and threw up. There was nothing in her stomach. She softly pushed it away and Mark groaned.

"That's kinda gross...Oh God! Aunt Paige!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to!"

"That's okay, Talia," Mark said, trying to calm down. "It's okay." Natalia pulled the bowl in front of her and Mark looked away. He heard the deep gurgle within her throat followed by the retching and the vomit splashing against the plastic bowl. "I'll just throw this away." Paige rubbed her back and smiled at Mark's disgusted face. Natalia leaned back and sighed.

"I'm sorry."

"That's okay, it happens. Go and have a quick shower and then change into these. We need to keep you as cool as possible to get rid of that fever." Mark helped her weak body into the bathroom and kissed her head before leaving.

"Mark?" she said. He stopped at the doorway. "Thank you. You didn't have to help me today." He just smiled before leaving the bathroom.