Put Your Heart Where Your Mouth Is

“What are you going to do?” Ian asked me. We were all still sitting in the waiting room. Well, all except Johnson. I guess he didn’t really like me. I have no idea what I did to him.

What am I going to do? That’s a good question. I have nowhere to go, no money, no family, no anything. I’m going to end up on the streets, wandering around and creeping people out. Oh no! I cannot be a hobo.

“Lacey…?” Marshall asked, probably wondering why I was just spacing out.

“I have absolutely no idea where I’m going. I don’t really have anywhere to go. I should go back to Scander’s house to get my clothes and things.”

“You can’t go there alone!” Singer blurted out.

“He’s right, we should probably go with you,” Ian said.

“No, you guys have done way too much for me already. I have no way to pay you back as it is. I don’t want you to get hurt.” Scander would tear them to shreds. Their all twig-like, and probably don’t have any clue how to win a fight. “Plus aren’t you on tour? You have another show to drive to.”

“We don’t have to start driving till tomorrow, because we have a day off,” Ian explained.
“We’re not just going to leave you here to fend for yourself. “

I stared at them. “Why?” I managed to say. “I’m just some random chick you found in a dark, creepy alleyway. I could be some awesome actress who just wants to scam you for all of your money. Why do you want to help me so much?”

“Well, considering you just put it out there like that, I’m guessing you’re not an actress,” Singer chuckled. “You’re not just some chick, Lacey. If you were, we probably would have left after we got you to the hospital. We stayed because we care about you. There’s just something about you, I guess. You’re not like every other girl we find in alleyways.”

“So this happens a lot then…?” I asked, skeptical.

“No, you were the first,” Marshall laughed. “I think what Singer’s trying to say is, that we like you, and we want to help you.”

I nodded slowly. “Okay. I’ll show you where the house is.”

***

We were driving to my house, well, Scander’s house now. I was freaking out on the inside. Please don’t let anything bad happen. Please.

“How long were you with him?”

I looked around and saw Johnson staring at me, and waiting for an answer. When did he become so interested?

“About three years,” I mumbled.

“Why would you stay with him if he was doing this to you? He almost killed you.”

I just shrugged. People never get it, and frankly I don’t even get it. “I don’t know. I was with him since high school, and he wasn’t always like this. I guess I was just waiting to see if he would change back to the old Scander. I missed him. Plus I didn’t know what he would do if I ever tried to leave. He probably would have killed me then too. I was screwed either way.”

“You could have done something,” he whispered. I don’t think he meant for me to hear him, but I did.

“If you were just going to argue with the answer, then you shouldn’t have asked in the first place,” I practically shouted. I was getting angry now, which is saying something. I barely ever get angry, and I never shout, but this guy, who I barely knew, was pissing me off.

He just stared out the window, probably thinking it was best not to get in a fight when you’re locked in a moving van. I looked around and realized we were almost there.

“You should turn right here,” I said. Maybe Scander wouldn’t be there. Maybe he found someone else to sell his stupid drugs to.

“We’re here,” Marshall said, and parked the van.

I guess this is it.