Going Back To the Past

" What about this one?" I said as turning my laptop around so Mark could see the house I had found.
"That's way over my price range." He remarked.
"But it's really cute. It would be worth the extra 60 thousand."
"It's also not in walking distance to the new office."

Last week the owner of the law firm that Mark works at finally bought a new office. It was right outside of the city so that meant the Mark was going to get a house instead of trying to get an apartment in downtown LA.

"Oh look at this one," Mark said.
"No fucking way it had a pool!" I said.
"And it's under budget."
"Well bookmark it, I could see you living there."

I looked at the clock on my laptop it was Almost 6 o'clock. When it was 6 her it was 11 in Australia where Vic was. We have been Skyping each other almost every day at this time since he left the US. I got up from the kitchen table, I pushed in the chair and headed out of the room. "You keep looking I will be back," I said while leaving the room. "Tell Vic I said Hi," Mark yelled back at me.

Before I could even pull up Vic's contact I heard the ring of an incoming call. Like it was clockwork Vic had called me right at 6.

"Hello, bedhead," I said.
"Hey, well it looks like you been up for a while."
"Yea I didn't work last night and Mark has been over today, But you on the other hand."
"Well, I guess I'll just hand up if I look that bad."
"No It's okay I think it's a cute look on you."

One reason we chose this time because we both would be waking up around the same time, Me at 6 pm and him at 11 am. It actually worked out nice.

"So what you and Mark been up to?" Vic asked.
"Not much we went out lunch earlier and have just been hanging out since then." I hadn't told Vic about how Mark was going to be moving I didn't want it to strengthen his argument about me moving back to California.
"Sounds like a bore." he laughed at his own comment.
" Sorry, we all can't be rock stars like some of us."
"There's nothing to be sorry about when you save lives for a living."
"Some could say the same about you," I noted.
"Barley"

We sat in silence for a bit, anytime someone would say anything about Vic's music saving their life it really bothered him. Personally, I think the individual saved their self, music was just there for support. Vic took the subject seriously. If there was one thing in his past that haunted him the most I think it was his old habits. High school is rough on anyone, and Vic didn't know how to handle it. He tried his hardest and made some bad decisions, and took everything out on himself. I had found out about his habits a few month before he decided to stop.

*FLASHBACK*

I skipped up the one step on to Vic's porch. We were going to go bowling tonight, with a few other people. I was supposed to come around 4 to pick Vic up but I decided to come a bit early so I could get notes for math from Vic. I knocked on the door which Mike soon answered.
"Hey Anna, come on in." He held the door open for me.

It being around 3:30 neither of their parents was home. Mike had been in the living room watching TV. Vic was nowhere to be seen. "Wheres Vic?" I asked. "Why do you always want to go see Vic, you never come over just to see me," Mike said in a sarcastic tone. "Maybe if you weren't a sarcastic ass all the time maybe I would want to hang out with you more." I joked. "There's no need to be a bitch and insult me in my own home." " Dude just tell me where your brother is." I pleaded. "He's in his room like always." "Thanks love, Oh and To make up for my bitchiness You want to go bowling tonight with me, Vic and a few other people?" "I have seen out with you guys no thanks but you can make it up to me some other time." He said with a shit eating smile on his face.

I walked down the hallway to where Vic's room was I knocked as I opened the door. " Hey, Vic I came a bit early..." I didn't know how I felt when I saw the sight in front of me. "..w..wh..at?" Is all I could manage to get out.

Vic was sitting on his bed wrapping his wrist with a white bandage. Beside him laid a mountain of blood-soaked wads of toilet paper. Vic's expression was a mix of complete shock and horror. I could only imagine what my face looked like.

"Anna... It's not what it looks like." Vic spat out as he tried to turn so I couldn't see what he had done to himself.
"Well please enlighten me with what is actually going on because it looks like you have really fucked yourself up."
He looked down at his wrist that sat in his lap. I moved to I was fully in his room which at that point I shut the Door. Something told me No one probably knew about Vic's doing and I didn't want to be the reason this Left the privacy of his room. I walked over so I was in front of him. He still had his head down looking at his handy work.
"I'm sorry. I just." He started but I cut him off."You don't have to apologize or explain yourself.''

We stayed in silence for a good minute until it was interrupted by Vic. "Damn it!" I looked down at his arm, the wound had begun to bleed through the bandage. " Jesus christ Vic" He began to undo the rapping, he graded another wad of toilet paper and replace the bandage with it. He had done it so fast I couldn't see the damage he had done.
"Dude let me see it you may need stitches." He was relucted at first but has the paper began to turn redder than White he held out his arm so I could inspect it.

As I pulled the paper back from his skin, I could see it all. There were rows and rows of lines of scares. Every one of them carefully placed so they could be later hid out of sight. "Fuck Vic" I let out."I need stitches don't I?" He asked. "No, I don't think so It looks like it’s starting to slow down. How long had it been?" "I don't know maybe five or ten minutes." "Here keep this on it and hold your arm over your head, I'm going to go get the first aid kit." He did as he was told and I left the room.

I left out a loud breath as I closed the door to the bathroom. I held my head in my hands, then moved them up through my hair. I looked into the mirror as I did it. I looked a mess, not so much physically but my expression told it all, I looked scared out of my mind. what the fuck is going on, I would have never guessed anything remotely like this would be happening. I felt like a horrible person. I consider Vic to be one of my closest friends, and I didn't know this was going on. I'm I that bad of a friend that My best friend has to cut himself up to deal with shit instead of coming to me.

I stood there for a second before remembering what I was there for, I quickly snapped out of my deep thought and went looking for the first Aid kit. I vaguely knew where it was. One day when I was over I was helping Mrs. Fuentes In the kitchen and I sliced my finger with a knife and she brought me in here and bandaged me up. After finding it under the sink I returned to Vic's room."Here give me your arm." Vic then presented it to me again. The bleeding had slowed quite a bit, I could now bandage it without worrying about it bleeding through.

As I but the last piece of tape on his wrist Vic started to speak. "Anna I don't know what to say." "You don't have..." I started but was interrupted."Yes, I do. You fucking just bandaged up my wrist after if fucking cut myself on purpose" As he said those words my stomach dropped."look at me I'm a fucking me and you came and saved me. You shouldn't have to save me from myself. But save me the lecture about how this is bad for me and it doesn't solve anything, I already know."

"Vic, Nothing I can say can stop you or change your ways just know next time I'm here, just a call away."
"Thanks." He looked hopeful now.
"From my observation, Mike doesn't know what’s going on in her does he?"
He just shook his head back a forth.
"Does anyone?"
He continues the shake his head.
"Okay, we can keep it that way."
"Thanks, I just really don't want Mike of my parents to find out, They will probably blame their self and I can't handle that."


*END FLASHBACK*

“Where are you playing today?” I broke the silence.
“It’s an off day so I think we are going to go explore Sydney later, there is supposed to be an amazing bar that a bunch of the guys wants to go check out.”
“That’s going to be fun.”
“Yea I only wish you could be here with us, it has been amazing you would love it.”
“I wish I could go too, but as you said I have to be here saving lives.” I smiled I really did wish I could be with Vic. Traveling the world would be so much fun. But sadly I can’t just quit my job to go travel

“Vic, who the hell are you talking to this early in the morning?” A very drogy Mike asked. Mike’s voice had something about it that was very distinct, it was very unique to him.
“Dude it’s Anna so shut up,” Vic responded.
“Good morning Mike” I yelled at my laptop In hopes that he could hear me.
“Anna I have no Idea what time it is there but it’s too damn early for your cheerfulness.”
“Mike it's like 11 there that not early.”
“When you had a night like we did it is.”

Mike then threw a pillow at Vic in hopes that we would stop talking so he could go back to sleep. Vic in return threw the pillow back and go up from his bed with the laptop and went out onto the balcony.

“We shouldn’t be interrupted out here,” Vic said.
“What was his problem, usually he loves talking to me,” I asked
“He just had a bad night last night. After a few too many shots he got into a fight with Lauren and she broke up with him.”
“Oh well then.” Mike isn’t really the type of guy to actually date, He had had a few serious relationships in the past but usually, he just goes out with a girl for a few weeks and moves on.
“I told him it wasn’t a good idea to bring her out but he did.”
“Aren't you being somewhat of a hypocrite. Since you left you have talked about how much you want me out there with you, then you tell Mike not to bring his girl.”
“Anna we are different, and Lauren was working for us. She's a merch girl so she was already stressed out and you know Mike gets after a few shots. If you came out it is amazing driving around seeing the world together.”

“Vic Jason just called we need to be ready in 30 to go do an interview.” someone said behind Vic.
“Okay man, I’ll be down in a bit. Well, I hate to have to hang up but my duty calls.”
“I understand anyway Mark is probably waiting on me.”
“Tomorrow same time?”
“You know it, Love you.”
“I love you too Anna,” Vic said as pressing the end call button.

The screen went dark for a moment then returned to the Skype contacts list page.

Notes