Me With(out) You

I stayed in there a long time, soaking and scrubbing away the dirt that covered me from that jail cell, My hair became its natural dark brown after it was washed three times. I had some music playing on the radio that was on the sink; it was tuned into a hits station and I was singing along to Fall Out Boy. Patrick Stump could hit these ridiculous low notes and I was failing at my attempt to reach them. I was splashing around in the warm tub and didn't want to face the reality outside the bathroom door.

I knew it had been a while, so I dragged my now relaxed body out of the tub. The mirror wouldn't lie to me so I could tell how bad I looked. The girl who gazed back at me with sleepy brown eyes looked so goddamn depressed. Those brown eyes had bags under them and the hair fell down past her bare shoulders. She tried to smile back at me and I watched a small tear leak out the corner of one eye. Fuck, what was wrong with me? I'm stronger than this and I've been through a lot worse. Do not cry, Madison, do not cry; don't be weak.

I finished getting ready and left the bathroom behind me. My eyeliner had been snapped in half when I was dragged away from the mall so now my eyes were bare along with the rest of my face. I was looking for my hoody when there was a knock on the connecting door. I jumped scared of what that knock meant and who could be the one behind the door waiting for me to answer. I though about leaving, going through the other door or down the fire escape but I had no idea what this city was like. I think I'd rather face the lesser of two evils.

I walked to the door, took a breath, put my hand on the door knob, and said, "Who is it?"

"It's Isaac. They want to see you."

"Who wants to see me?" I asked, my fingers tapping out nervously on the knob. My stomach was back to that three-ring circus again and I think my heart was about to walk the tight rope. Sweat had broken out on my forehead and my bottom lip was trembling. I didn't want to see them, I didn't want to be here; they couldn't force me to see them, could they?

"Gee, Mikey and Ray. Are you ready?" Isaac asked and I could feel him trying to turn the handle. I let go and took a deep breath to calm myself. He opened the door and looked a little surprised to see me standing right there.

"Yeah, I'm ready."