*Dylan's POV*

        "You're not a freak," I said sternly, loud enough that Toby was able to hear me through the door, and over his crying. "Kat's a psycho bitch who tears people down to make herself feel better. Whatever she said is full of shit."

        I'm gonna go, Seth mouthed, looking embarrassed. I nodded and mouthed, Thanks.

        "Toby, please come out," I half begged, as Seth shut the door, slipping out.

        After no response and a pause long enough to make me think he was done talking, I heard the lock click, signalling that Toby had unlocked it. The door didn't open though, so I went ahead and opened it myself.

        Toby was leaning over the bathtub, with the bath water running. He had his arm under the rushing water and I could see it was coming out pink tinted. His face was pinched in pain and he was biting his bottom lip.

        "Are you okay?" I asked, stepping closer to him.

        "I-I d-didn't mean t-to," Toby stuttered, sounding terrified.

        "What did you do?" I felt my heart sink as he pulled his arm from the water.

        Among his many scars and fair amount of fresh cuts was a huge, deep gash, horizontally across his wrist. It was oddly jagged, in stark contrast of all the other, seemingly obsessively straight cuts. Already the fresh nightmare was dripping blood again, though it hadn't been out of the water for more than a few seconds. This was bad.

        "Oh fuck," I said, hurriedly grabbing the first aid kit under the sink and rushing over to him feeling queasy at the sight of blood. "What were you thinking?!"

        "I-I slipped," Toby said, wincing as I poured alcohol over the deep cut. "I d-didn't mean to go that deep."

        I wrapped the now clean cut tightly, then pulled Toby into a tight hug. I felt tears running down my face and I was glad he couldn't see me.

        "You're not a freak, and you're not whatever else Kat said. You're my best friend and I love you. I hate seeing you hurt like this, especially for people like her. She isn't worth you hurting yourself. Please, you have to stop." I was silently sobbing, and as I spoke, I felt him shaking, too.

        Toby nodded against my shoulder. "I'm sorry. I'll try."

        "I'm always going to be here to help you. You don't have to do this alone anymore." I said quietly, gently stroking the back on his head, then I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.

        "Thanks Dylan." Toby's voice was so think, it was obvious he'd been crying, too. He stepped back a step or two and sniffled, wiping his eyes.

        Toby looked up at me, his teary eyes filled with hope and he didn't look so sad anymore. It was just one of those classic moments where you just have to kiss... so I did. Toby eagerly kissed me back, standing on his toes. Our tongues moved in perfect harmony and for several minutes, we stood there, wrapped in happiness and bliss. Ruining the moment, however, my stomach growled loudly, making us separate, laughing. At first I was embarrassed, but then Toby's stomach growled just as loud and I guess we were even. Grinning ear to ear and walking hand in hand, we went on to the cafeteria.

*Toby's POV*

        "I understand you were involved in an incident with... Katrina Newell?" Tom asked. He'd pulled me into his office right after I'd eaten lunch with Dylan and Seth.

        "U-um... yeah," I said, nervously. I don't know why, but adults made me nervous.

        I was sitting in the thick leather armchair on the other side of his desk, which was abnormally cluttered. He'd looked happy enough when he'd come to get me, but now looked extremely pissed. I guess that didn't really help with my nerves.

        "Can you tell me what happened?"

        "I-it really wasn't that big of a deal... She just called me some names," I murmured quietly, wishing Dylan were here with me.

        "Mr. Hadidon tells me you were pretty upset?" Tom apparently caught the confusion on my face. "Seth Hadidon?"

        "Oh... Yeah, I guess I was," I said, feeling my face get red... Why would Seth tell him that?!

        "I'm sure you were just overreacting," Tom said, straightening a stack of papers on his desk. "I mean, she was just picking on you, right?"

        "She said... some pretty mean things," I protested timidly, earning a glare from Tom.

        "Katrina is a very nice girl," Tom said, almost protectively. I had to hold in a laugh. "She'd never say anything too bad. Besides, if you can't handle a little teasing, you sure don't need to be hanging around the likes of Dylan Monroe and Seth Hadidon."

        "What's wrong with them? Kat's the biggest bitch I've ever met." I said, without thinking, and regretted it immediately.

        Tom's face turned a deep red/purple and for a second I thought he was going to hit me. "I'm going to let that slide, since this is your first strike, but this is your last break. Now get the fuck out of my office."

        When I walked back into Dylan and I's room, he was sitting on the edge of his own bed, talking to Seth, who was sitting the same way on my bed. They both looked up and Dylan looked concerned.

        "Are you okay?" He asked, forehead creased in worry.

        "Yeah... I'm fine" I said, still kinda shaken up, sitting down next to him.

        "You sure? You're shaking." Seth pointed out, making mentally glare at him.

        "It's cold," I said, an obviously lie since it was just right in here, but they got the point that I didn't want to talk and carried on with their conversation.

        As they continued talking about their own psych ward drama, I sat in my own little world, thinking about Tom. Why would he seem so protective of Kat? She had to be close to him, maybe even related or something. But they look nothing alike... unless they're fooling around... but Tom's thirty something and Kat couldn't be more than 18, so I doubted it. My brain went into overdrive, trying to come up with an explanation, and failing miserably.

        "Toby?" Dylan lightly shaking me snapped me out of my thoughts. He was staring at me like I'd just come back to life from a week of being dead. o.O

        "Huh?" I looked over at my bed and Seth was gone. "He left?"

        "Yeah, like 5 minutes ago...We were talking for like an hour after you got back... You were pretty zoned out, huh?" Dylan laughed, wrapping an arm around my waist, pulling me closer against him.

        "I guess so," I said, giving a halfhearted laugh.

        I thought to myself that Dylan seemed like he was in a lovey mood and a second later I was proven right. He put his hand under my chin, tilting my head up so that I was looking up at him. He pressed his lips against mine, gently, but firmly. I returned the kiss and our tongues moved in sync, a pattern that was becoming quite familiar. Dylan kept kissing harder and deeper, more eagerly, like he couldn't get enough. I was in such a blissful daze, before I could realize what was happening, I was laying on my back on the mattress, with Dylan on top of me. His lips were trailing down my neck and collarbone, pulling involuntary moans from my throat. It felt good, but he was starting to bite at my skin and soon his hands were fumbling with my belt.

        "Dylan, stop," My words drown in one of my own moans, as he found a sweet spot on my neck I hadn't even known about. He smirked as he took my moan as a go ahead sign. Then he got my pants off.

        "D-Dylan, quit," I said, trying to be more firm, but my eyes were filling with tears. I'm not ready for this. I thought in a panic.

        "Dylan!" I cried as he started messing with his own belt. This seemed to get his attention, alerting him to my fear and tears, because he stopped suddenly.

        I quickly pulled my pants up and crawled desperately over the bed, to the other side. I was still kind of freaking out and was having trouble breathing. I'd been scared of it gong too far, but also him seeing the super fresh cuts on my thighs... I had just promised him I'd try to quit :/

        On the other side of the bed, Dylan was breathing heavily and looking confused, quickly redoing his belt.

        "Shit Toby. Are you okay?" I flinched as he spoke. Realization spread across his face. "Oh god, I'm sorry! I thought you wanted to."

        Dylan seemed sincere and I didn't move as he quickly walked over to my side of the bed and grabbed me in a tight hug. I hugged him back, burying my face in his chest. I could hear his rapid heartbeat drumming hard against his ribs.

        "I-I'm sorry," I said, calming down a little. "I just.. I've never done anything like this before... I was just... really nervous."

        "...you're a virgin?" I nodded into his shoulder, too embarrassed to pull my face into view. "Oh wow... I had no idea Toby... I'd never have even tried if I'd known... I'm so sorry."

        "You didn't know... I'm sorry I'm such a pussy."

        "You're not a pussy." Dylan said, pulling me back a few inches so that I could look him in the eyes. "Everyone's scared their first time. Don't worry about it. There's plenty of time, whenever you're ready."

        "Thanks Dylan," I said shyly, touched by his patience.

        "Anything for you, babe." Dylan said, chuckling at the blush I knew was covering my face. The he glanced up at the clock. "Fuck. It's only 4:30."

        "Now what?" I asked, bored and nerves still pretty shot, but perfectly content just hanging around him.

        "We could-" Dylan's suggestion, whatever it was going to be, was cut off by a knock on the door.

        "Dylan Monroe?" It was Tom's voice.

        Dylan raised an eyebrow in confusion and I shrugged, quickly fixing my belt, as Dylan went to get the door.

        "What?" He asked coldly, opening the door.

        "Can we go talk in my office?" Tom asked, standing outside our door with the nurse who hands out medication during lunch.

        Dylan looked back at me, like he was seeing if it was okay, and I shrugged. Why not?

        "I guess," Dylan mumbled, with as much enthusiasm as Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. He reluctantly left with the nurse and Tom, leaving me bored and lonely.

        After a few minutes, I decided I'd rather be bored in the rec room than bored in my empty room, so I started to it. On my way, however, I was suddenly pulled into a random bedroom and shoved against a wall. The door slammed shut as quickly as I'd been grabbed and as I got over the shock of being grabbed, I cringed as I realized who'd grabbed me.

I was standing, face to face with Evan Grimmet.

*A/N Oooooh a cliffhanger! xD Just had to leave it as super suspenseful... I'll try to update more often, but no promises xp*