Let's Watch It Burn

Johnny did what she asked him not to do; he stared.

She narrowed her eyes and started to walk away, but Johnny grabbed her arm, causing her to wince. She turned towards him, "What!?"

"I just uh, wanted to ask if you were feeling any better yet."

She looked at him like he was crazy, but didn't say anything.

He contiuned, "See...me and my buddy Charlie over here," he pointed to Charlie, "found you in this alley last night-"

She squinted at the two guys. Were they the ones that brought her in? They weren't wearing masks like Dr. Parker said...

"Where are your masks?" she asked.

Now it was Johnny's turn to look at her like she was crazy, "What? How would you know that?"

She shrugged and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She had already done more talking in the past five minutes than she had for weeks. Her throat was starting to hurt.

Jorel looked between Johnny and the girl before he spoke up, "So what's your name?"

The other three guys watched her, waiting for a response. She sighed and cleared her throat uneasily, "Letty."

The four guys nodded and she took turns staring at all of them, waiting for them to introduce themselves too. She wasn't just going to tell these guys her name and not know theirs.

Johnny was the first to notice, "Oh! I'm Geor-"

Charlie punched him on the arm and shook his head. Johnny raised an eyebrow as if to silently ask him why he couldn't tell the girl his name.

He ignored him, "I'm George."

Charlie sighed, "Jordan."

J grinned at her, "Jorel."

Matt looked between the other three before turning to Letty, who was watching him expectantly, "Matt."

--------------------

Letty gave a small nod before looking at the two who had saved her. George and Jordan, their names were.

"Thanks," she said. Letty cringed at the sound of her own voice. It was so scratchy and sounded terrible, not to mention it was painful to speak.

The one named George smiled at her while Jordan just nodded and waved her off as if to say it was no big deal.

"No problem," George said, still smiling.

It made Letty uncomfortable to be around these guys. Not because she had a bad feeling about it, but because of how terrible she must look and what they must think of her after finding her bleeding in an alley in the middle of the night. Why should I care what they think? she thought, There's just random guys. It's not like I'll ever see them again anyway.

Letty began to make her stealthy exit, but was stopped when George grabbed her arm, causing her to glare at him.

"Sorry," he apologized, letting go of her arm when she stopped and turned around, 'where are you going?"

She shrugged and took another step toward the door. This time George reached out and grabbed her hand, gently pulling her back to the table.

Letty crossed her arms over her chest and shifted uncomfortably. She didn't have an answer because she didn't know. She had no where to go.

"Well?" Jordan asked.

"I don't know. Somewhere."

George looked at her suspiciously, "Like home?"

Letty froze. She didn't want these guys knowing her business. She just wanted to get out of here.

"Yeah, home."

George gave her a disbelieving look. He'd been in that situation before, and he knew that she was just trying to get the guys off her back.

He put on a smile, "What do you say you come with us to Char-I mean- Jordan's house? You could meet the other two dickheads we call friends."

Letty shook her head, "No, that's fine. I have some...business I have to take care of."

"What kind of business?" Jorel asked, making conversation.

She sighed, knowing he meant well, "You know, business. Errands. Stuff like that."

"Aww that can wait. Come hang with us and do your stuff later. We're much more fun," he replied, giving her a lopsided grin.

Letty stared at him for a moment, wondering if he was hitting on her. She hadn't been around guys for months, so she'd kind of forgotten how they act.

George mentally slapped himself. She probably thought they planned on gangbanging her now. He made a mental note to smack J upside the head later.

Letty payed no attention and found fasination in the rips in her jeans. They almost looked professional, but Letty knew how they really got there. She shivered.

"You okay?" Matt asked, snapping Letty out of her daze.

She nodded and shoved her hands in the small pockets of her zip-up hoodie. She rocked back and forth, waiting for the next opportunity to bail.

Letty didn't get her opportunity, though, as the guys payed for the bill right away and all got up, ready to leave. She stood there, wondering if she should make a run for it or stick around. She didn't really want to be around people, but maybe it was time for her to stop being so angsty and start socializing again.

George turned to Letty, "Ready to go?"

She toyed with the hem of her sweatshirt, "I guess so..."

Jorel walked over and swung an arm around Letty's shoulders, startling her. He smiled at her, "Let's go then!"

George scowled at him. At this rate Jorel would scare her off. He glanced at Letty to see her looking nervous, if anything. Maybe she just wasn't used to being around guys. Although, George didn't see that being the case. Even in her dirty and bloody state last night and her tired one today she was still really pretty. It was no surprise why Jorel and even Matt had taken a liking to her already.

Jorel led her out of the diner with Matt walking on her other side. Jordan turned to George, "Coming?"

He nodded, "Yeah."

The group left the diner and started walking down the street in the direction Letty assumed Jordan's house was. Jorel still had his arm around her shoulders, which she didn't mind since it made her feel loved, in a way. Something she didn't feel often. Matt was walking beside her, trying to make small chat. Jordan was making calls to who Letty thought was the other two guys George was talking about. Speaking of George, he was trying to get her attention.

Letty attempted to turn around and get a better look at him, "Yeah?"

He chuckled, "Nothing. You just looked like you were out of it."

She shrugged, "Guess I was."

Letty turned back around and continued limping down the street with the guys. She was sure that was at least part of the reason Jorel had his shoulder around her still, to help her walk so she wouldn't limp as much.

She had no idea why these guys would even want to hang around her. She was thankful she got a shower at the hospital, or she'd be even more of a mess. But what really made her wonder was why she cared. She never used to care what people thought of her appearance, but now she was suddenly self conscious and wished she looked better in front of the guys.

And where would she go after this? She obviously couldn't stay with the guys forever, nor did she want to. She had to somehow find a home or place to stay without the guys knowing her situation. She didn't even want to be around them, although it was probably best she found people and started to talk again, something she barely did the entire time she had been in LA. She was just too stubborn, thinking she didn't need anyone else. She still believed this, which was why she was unsure of hanging out with the guys.

Letty sighed, frustrated with herself.

"Something wrong?" Matt asked.

She shook her head, "Nah. Just thinking."

"About what?"

She shrugged, "Just stuff."

While the other 3 seemed satisfied with this answer, George wasn't. It felt like Letty was hiding something. George wanted to know what.

Jorel moved his arms from around Letty's shoulders to her waist and rested his hand on her hip when some random guy walked by and was basically undressing her with his eyes. Being deep in thought, she didn't notice, but the other guys did. George was tempted to go after the guy and beat his ass in and show him a lesson, but Jordan grabbed his arm and shook his head, pointing to Letty. George sighed, what would she think of him if he just beat up some random guy?

George looked down and noticed Jorel's arm on her waist. He couldn't help but sent a small glare Jorel's way. Even if he was doing it out of instinct when the creep walked by, he didn't feel comfortable with anyone touching Letty. They barely knew the girl and pretty or not, she didn't seem like the type to be all over a guy.

By the time the gang had reached Jordan's house, Letty was more than ready to sit on one of the front steps of the small, run down house and nurse her swollen ankle. She hissed when he touched a sore spot and glared at her foot. George couldn't help but laugh at her expression, as if she was angry at her foot for causing her pain.

Jordan unlocked the house and the guys piled inside with the exception of George. And also Letty, who was trying to get up.

He looked down at her from the step above, "Need some help?"

She looked up at him blankly and nodded. George noted that she barely showed any emotion in her face and she barely spoke. Either she wasn't very social or something had happened that caused her to not want anyone to know what she was feeling.

Shoving his thoughts aside, George got on the step below Letty and gestured for her to get on his back so he could give her a piggyback ride. He thought it would be easier on her if she didn't walk anymore and he just carried her in. She look at him strangely, not sure whether to get on or not. He sighed and bent lower and gestured for her to get on again. Letty wiggled her fingers around and balled them into fists, a nervous habit of hers, and took a deep breath, deciding to get on anyway. She put her hands on his shoulders and hoisted herself up. George grabbed her thighs so she wouldn't fall and walked into the house.

"Be careful with the-" George paused and cringed when he heard a loud 'thud' behind him, "-doorway."

Letty rubbed her head with one hand and turned around to glare at the offending object; the panel on top of the doorway. She flipped it off and quietly huffed as she put her hand back on George's shoulder.

He carried her into the living room and bent down in front of a chair, letting go of her and allowing her to sit on it.

"Thanks," she mumbled, playing with a rip in her pants. George guessed this was another nervous habit of hers.

"No problem," he flashed her a smile which he didn't expect her to return. She nodded and he went over to sit on the neighboring couch.

Jorel turned to Jordan from his position at the end of the couch, "What now?"

Jordan shrugged, "We wait for the guys to get here."

George propped his feet up on the coffee table and put his hands behind his head, trying to get comfortable. This might be a long wait.