Find You in the Dark

one pure thing in my life. I wanted to keep it all to myself and not share it with anyone. She was the last thing I thought about before I went to sleep and the first thing my mind went to when I woke up.
    I constantly wondered what she was doing, if she was happy, if she had started dating anyone. That thought hurt. A lot. Because I really did want her to live her life, even if that meant moving on from me. But that didn't mean I had to like it. “No. I don't think that would do either of us any good.” I admitted, repositioning the picture frame so that I could see it.
    Maria frowned. “Why? If you love her so much, don't you think talking to her would be a good thing?” I gritted my teeth. Explaining anything regarding my relationship with Maggie made me defensive. But I forced myself to calm down, using those breathing techniques the counselors had been drilling into our brains for months.
    “Because Maria, the fact that I love her is the reason I can't go turning her life upside down anymore. I won't fuck with her like that again. She's been through enough because of me.” I sounded so pathetic. Maggie's hold on me was as unyielding as ever.
    Maria's face softened, her eyes getting that dewy look that girls get when a guy says something sweet - (Maggie used to get that same look every time I told her I loved her-). “She's lucky to have your love, Clay. I hope she realizes that.”
    I swallowed, getting a little uncomfortable talking about this with Maria, particularly with Tyler five feet away. Maria reached out and squeezed my arm, her fingers, I noticed, lingering on my skin. “Just keep doing what you're doing and maybe one day you'll feel like you can call her.”
    I smiled. Yeah. Maybe...one day.

Depression, suicide and cutting are serious issues. Statistics show that 2-3 million people in the United States and 13% of 15-16 year olds in the UK cut every year. Self injurious behavior is often a way for people to cope with bigger issues.

    If you or someone you know is dealing with cutting or depression, it is important to talk about it, to get help and to find a way to stop!

    There are so many great resources out there, taking the first step is the place to start.

    Depression and bi-polar Support Alliance (DBSA)
    www.dbsalliance.org

    Teen Self Injury hotline:
    1-800-Dont Cut

    Teen Suicide Hotline
    1-800-SUICIDE

    Great resource and information about self injury:
    www.selfinjury.com

Acknowledgments

    Thank you so much to my fantastic husband, who endured weeks of being left alone in the evenings so that I could get this book done. Your support has been unwavering.
    Thank you to my beautiful and amazing daughter who never fails to make me smile.
    Thank you to my fantastic friend and editor, Julie, who helps me wade through all the crap to get to the story underneath. You are great at what you do!
    Thank you to my friends who played guinea pig and gave me great feedback.
    And most of all, thank you to my readers. Without you, I wouldn't be doing this at all!

A. Meredith Walters has been writing since childhood and is also the author of Irresistible Fear , the first book in a paranormal romance trilogy. Having recently made the big move from America to the other side of the pond to jolly ol' England, she has been afforded the opportunity to write full time. Before that, she spent over a decade as a children's counselor and saw first hand the devastation of mental health issues. But she also saw the beautiful resilience, unwavering hope and strength of the human spirit. Because of that....this story was created.

    Meredith would love to hear from her fans! Follow her on Facebook or on Goodreads.com or you can email her at [email protected].

    If you liked this book please take the time to leave a review on Amazon. Thank you so much!