You're Not Alone.

*Marie's POV*

Do you know how hard it is to remember that you have scars down one side of your arm? Do you know how tired you get of wearing long sleeves in the middle of summer in Southern Cali? I do.

And it was getting harder and harder to come up with excuses for the guys and girls as to why I was swimming in a longsleeve boardshirt and not in that adorable black bikini you had in Miami as Lacey so aptly put it.

"Because," I groaned, groaning only to save me time to come up with my millionth excuse in the past four days. The scares were just raised lines now with a tinge of pink in the middle, but I was still conscious about them "Because I don't want to get leathery skin from tanning." I stuck my tongue out at Zack as he sat down after asking, with a very curious tone might I add, as to why I was once again wearing a boardshirt. Boardshirt? One of those longsleeved tops surfers wear. Y'know... the rash guards, yah, those.

"That's a lame excuse." He rolled his eyes and poured sand on my leg "Who cares if you have leathery skin when you get old? You'll be old, it's not like anyone actually cares."

"Marie!" Jackie shouted as she stepped onto the beach, running over in her teeny pink and black bikini.

"Jackie!" I smiled as she tackled me into the sand "What's up? I Didn't know Brian was dragging you along today." I gave Brian a salute as he joined Zack and Matt in a game of frisbee.

"Well yah. Hi Hanna." She smiled and brought Hanna down into the sand with a thunk.

"Hi." Hanna laughed and sat back up, wiping the sand off her shoulders.

"Why are you covering up your boobs?" Jackie asked suddenly as she settled herself next to me, spreading out her towel, getting sunblock out, etc.

"Because she doesn't want leather skin." Hanna stuck her tongue out at me "Stupid excuse."

"You and Zack need a vacation away from eachother." I laughed and laid down "I'm wearing it because my arms burn, not tan." I shrugged.

"Weird." Jackie laid down "Because if I didn't know you better, I'd say you're a cutter. That's what they do, right? They don't show their arms?" She asked and looked over at Hanna, who nodded in agreement.

I was silent, not wanting to lie and not wanting to spill the beans. I think it was unanimously decided that they knew, since each one sat up and moved closer.

"Uhm... Marie?" Jackie asked slowly "Why didn't you laugh and deny it?"

I shrugged "I dunno, because it's a rediculous accusation."

"Rediculous. But is it true?" Hanna asked, biting her lip.

"Is what true?" Zack asked as he jogged over, retrieving the frisbee that soon landed behind Jackie. She picked it up and placed it in her lap "Jay, give it back."

"No." She pouted at him "Now, is it true? Because if you don't answer me, I'll know it is babe. And don't hesitate just because Zack's here. And if you say for him to leave so you can tell us, I know it's true too." She flipped the frisbee in her hands.

"Shads! What's with your girlfriend?!" Zack shouted over to Matt. I could tell his facial expression shifted since his aviators didn't cover the fact his eyebrows raised up significantly "The girls are trying to get something out of her, and I don't think she wants me to know!"

Matt and Brian jogged over, Brian took a seat and smiled like a kid on Chrismas "Oh boy!" He smiled "A secret worthy of spilling. Come on, out with it. Out out out!" He bounced in the sand.

Matt stood infront of me, next to Zack, and gave me a worried look as he took off his sunglasses.

"Does it have to do with why you're wearing a rash guard?" Brian asked.

Matt coughed and sat down "Can we get back to our game guys?" He asked "Leave her alone."

"Why is he defending you? That's new... what's the secret?" Hanna asked, scooting closer.

I could see Jackie shaking her head, her mouth slightly open as she stared at me "Why?" She asked "What happened that you'd do that?"

"Wait.. what?" Brian asked, looking over at her "What does she know that I don't?" He pointed at her and looked pointedly at me "Hmm?"

"Matthew." Jackie turned to him with a stern look "You wanna help explain? I heard your conversation with Brian the other morning, does this have to do with that?" She asked "Is that why she... this... MATT?!" She asked.

"Jackie, stop it." I grabbed her arm, my rash guard riding up my wrist slightly. I reached down and covered it up quickly, but not quick enough. My action caught each wondering eye and they all stared at me "Stop drilling him, it's not his fault."

"But he hurt you!" She shouted "It bruised, right? And then on top of it you.." She covered her mouth a little "Why didn't you just call someone, babe?" Her arms wrapped around me "Never do that again, call me, I'm sure Brian would beat Matt's ass up for you."

"I would... if I KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON HERE!" Brian shouted in frustration. I looked over at Matt, who just shrugged and took a deep breath.

"Uhm... I'm not sure who knows.." I pulled away from a teary Jackie "But,"

"I snapped the other morning." Matt mumbled.

"Dude." Zack lightly kicked Matt's leg as he sat down "Not again!"

"It's alright, he didn't do anything." I groaned "But... I got upset and stupid and... confused." I crinkled my nose and unzipped the back of the rash guard, taking it off since I already had a bikini top underneath it. Jackie's eyes flicked from mine to my arm. Her lip caught between her teeth again.

"Holy fuck in a shopping cart!" Brian leaned forward and grabbed my arm, pulling it to his face "What... did you get in a fight with a cheese grater or something?" His eyes stared up at me "Kid, that's...."

"Did you just call her kid?" Zack asked, moving in to look at my arm as Hanna stared with wide eyes. He looked down, then back up at me, down again, and then to Matt "Dude. I swear to God... you have horrible luck with keeping girls."

"I know." Matt fell back into the sand with a groan "I'm sorry."

"We've been over this a million times, Matthew." I sighed "It's not yor fault."

"YES IT IS!" Brian shouted.

"NO!" I smacked his chest "Stop that! It's not, ok? Stop blaming him! It's my fault, I should have packed my shit up and left ok? I shouldn't have taken it out on myself." I groaned "Now that it's all out there, and you all know, can we live like normal people?"

"But.. b-b-b-but you could have died!" Brian's eyes went wide as he stared at me, his arms soon around me as he tackled me into the sand "WE COULD HAVE LOST YOU MARIE!"

"But you didn't." I laughed under his body as he hugged me and rolled back and forth in the sand.

"People are going to think you're raping her." Matt reached his leg out and kicked Brian's foot "And she's mine."

"You can rape mine if I'm ever as much of an ass as you are." Brian called out as he sat up and pulled me into a hug "If he's ever this mean again, call ok? I swear I'll kick him a few times or until he's dead."

I laughed as Zack pulled me into a hug also, "Same here." He wiggled back and forth, trying to hug for longer but Hanna pulled me from his arms as she and Jackie squished me in a hug.

"If I didn't die from suicide, I sure as hell will get smothered to death with love." I laughed as they let go, and yet someone else pulled me down.

"Of course, because that's the best way to die." Matt breathed into my ear as he hugged me to his chest.

"I feel so safe." I laughed "But really, I do... I'm sorry." I sighed as he kissed the side of my face, his sign for telling me to stop apologizing, which I knew I couldn't do. I was truly sorry.