That One Rainy Night...

You’ll NEVER be good enough for anyone. I don’t know why you even try; you’re a worthless pile of trash.

These thoughts invaded Vic’s mind as he ran down the empty street. The rain beating heavily against the concrete drowned out the sound of his footsteps, and he knew no one would notice him out here, without a coat or an umbrella, his soaked hair and clothes sticking to his skin. Even if someone did notice, it's not like they would care, anyways.

Why don’t you kill yourself? Everyone would be so much happier. Scum. Nothing but scum, stupid emo faggot.

He came to a bridge he knew far too well; one he had practically lived at during his high school years when the kids mocked him, pushed him around, broke his bones and his pride. He didn't have anyone who could help keep him afloat. His brother even began avoiding him, for fear of getting hurt.

All of his classmates words and actions, his brother's actions, the obvious disinterest from their parents, they were like anchors attached to his feet. Those anchors were slowly dragging him underwater like a long-suffering nightmare, and no matter how much he struggled, he couldn't get himself free.

After awhile, he just stopped trying and just let himself sink.

You deserve all the pain you get. In fact, you deserve more. Die and stop being such a burden to everyone. You’re NOTHING. Absolutely nothing.

He climbed on top of the railing and looked down. Cars drifted past on the highway below. The rain was so heavy that you could barely see in front of you, so only the headlights' faint glow was visible, and Vic smiled to himself. They won’t see him until it’s too late.

He took a deep breath and stared long and hard at the road. Scenes began to flash through his mind, and he could see them clearly in the pavement. Scenes of when he was happy, and scenes that destroyed that happiness and eventually himself.

He bit his lip, moving to the very edge of the bridge, his hands clamped against the cold steel of the railing. Kicking a pebble that was by his foot, he watched it as much as he could as it fell to the ground below, just as a car passed. He imagined that the pebble was his body, flailing off the edge, getting hit by that car who wouldn’t have seen him in time. Death would be by his side in an instant, welcoming him to a place of happiness. A place without pain.

"VIC!" He head someone scream, although it seemed like a distant memory. The rain pounded harder, and Vic imagined it was the clouds crying. Not tears of sadness for his impending death, but tears of joy.

"VIC, PLEASE DON'T DO THIS!" The voice screamed again, a little louder. Vic sighed, and looked over his shoulder.

Standing a few feet behind him was Jaime, drenched and unprotected from the rain, an arm extended. He was breathing heavily, and fear outlined every pore of his features.

Vic couldn't help but think it was all an act, and that on the inside, Jaime was secretly jumping for joy.

Why haven’t you done it yet? Why haven’t you jumped? Just do it! No one cares. They pretend to, but once you’re gone, they’re gonna throw a party. They’re going to celebrate the fact that this poison is out of their lives.

"I’m sorry, Hime." He whispered, although he wasn’t. Not really. Because Jaime doesn’t care, and Vic felt like he was doing the bassist a favor by taking his own life. He felt like he was doing everyone a favor.

Sucking up his nerve, he released the steel and spread out his arms, like a bird ready to fly, and jumped.

"No!" Jaime, finally finding the strength to move his feet, rushed over to the edge of the bridge and grabbed the smaller boy's wrist at the last second. If it wasn’t raining so hard, those in the cars passing on the road below would see Vic dangling at the side of the bridge, with another man’s hand wrapped around his wrist being the only divider between life and death.

Vic was sobbing harder when he felt the hand hold him up. He wanted to die. He wanted that more than anything, because he didn’t deserve anything better than that. He was scum, and everyone knew it.

Jaime focused all of his strength in lifting his best friend back over the edge, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t move his friend more than an inch before he felt his grasp weaken, and Vic’s hand beginning to slide through. The rain was beginning to blind him, and the darkness of the night intermixed with the rich color of his friend’s skin. Touch was the only sense Jaime could rely on.

With no other options left, Jaime began to scream. “HELP! SOMEONE COME HELP ME, PLEASE!”

He screamed even after his voice felt raw and his lungs felt like they were going to burst. He screamed louder and louder as each minute passed. Someone had to hear his voice over the rain. Someone with a heart had to come and help.

He couldn’t give up. This was his best friend’s life on the line.

Jaime tightened the grip around Vic’s wrist, not caring if he hurt the fragile man, and screamed the loudest he ever had, his voice breaking at the end from crying so hard. He was about to lose all hope.

Then he heard the pitter-patter of running feet.

"Hello?! Who’s out there?"

"Over here!" Jaime screamed. "Help!"

The footsteps approached him, and Jaime looked up at two rather large figures hovering above him. He wiped the rain out of his eyes as much as he could with his free hand. The men had fearful and concerned looks in their faces, and the fear escalated when they saw what was keeping Jaime there by the edge.

Jaime could feel the strength washing out of him, and his muscles were burning from holding up Vic for so long. One of the men grabbed Vic’s arm, just below where Jaime held his wrist, and together, they pulled. As Vic was lifted higher over the edge, the second man wrapped his arms around Vic’s chest, and all three of them brought the man back to the safety of the bridge.

At this point, Vic was unconscious, worn out by the overwhelming emotions that was in his chest. Jaime held him in his lap, one arm wrapped around his waist, the other pressing his head against his chest gently. He cried in Vic’s hair and rocked back and forth.

He sat like that until one of the men said, “you need to get inside, or else you both could get pneumonia. Our house is just down the street if you want to crash there.”

"Yes, please." Jaime whispered, struggling to make his words clear through his sobs and the constant pounding of the rain. He lifted Vic and allowed the two men to escort them back to their condo.



It felt like hours before Vic, who was wrapped in a soft wool blanket and laid by the fireplace, finally opened his eyes. When he took in his surroundings and the fact that he was still alive, he started crying again.

Jaime got out of his seat and held his best friend in his arms.

"Why did you save me? Why didn’t you just let me die?" Vic said between tears, clutching to Jaime’s chest.

"Because Vic, I love you." Jaime whispered. "You’ve saved me multiple times from myself, and if you were to die, I-I don’t know what I would do. You’re my best friend. Please don’t scare me like that ever again. Please.”