Break Apart My Heart

“Everybody get together!” Jimmy yelled. He handed the camera to a waitress and dive bombed himself across our laps. His lifted himself up slightly and leaned his head against Beli’s shoulder, who was seated next to me. The waitress snapped the photo and handed us back the camera.

“Shots!” I yelled, grabbing two off the tray as a second waitress brought it over.
“Whoa, slow down there, kid.” Brian laughed, grabbing one for himself.
“She’s alright.” Bella stated. “She’s drank way more than this, before.”
Brian frowned slightly, but shook it off as everyone began taking their shots.
“Come on, let’s dance!” Amy shouted over the music, pushing Andy out of his seat.

We all ran to the dance floor like idiots, our drinks in hand, and started dancing. I, being a stripper for a while, was dancing a little dirtier than I probably should have. It didn’t matter much since Brian stayed at the table with Zack, Val and Jimmy, and wouldn’t see me anyway; I was a bit disappointed Zack wouldn’t either, though. I’m also not positive why Val wasn’t glued to Matt’s side for once, but who am I to complain?

“Hey Nikki, look what’s over there!” Andy smirked, pointing to a stripper pole in the far corner of the club where close to no one was.
“Oh no, I’m done with that!” I denied.
“Come on!” Bella caught on and started pressuring me as well.
“What are you trying to get her to do?” Matt yelled over the music, I guess noticing that Bella and Andy were trying to push me somewhere.
“Dance on the stripper pole! She-”
I cut Andy off by smacking him upside the head and shooting him a warning glare. He mouthed an apology and Matt just started laughing.
“Come on, what could it hurt? I’m sure you can’t be that bad.”
I smirked at his ignorance, which Andy took as an agreement and shoved me over.

Turns out, Andy had the whole thing set up. He noticed the stripper pole when we came in, and talked with the DJ. As soon as he got me near the pole, “Wild Side” by Motley Crue started to play; my song from The Banger Club.

I glared at the three of them; the only ones who followed me over.
“I hate you guys.”
“Come on, Colie, you’ll be fine. All you do is swing around that thing a few times. It’ll be fun.” Matt urged. He had no idea; I was the best dancer Banger had.
“Okay, I guess I’ll give it a try.” I played dumb, shooting Bella and Andy a look. They snickered a bit, to which Matt looked at them funny.

I hopped onto the pole and climbed up, reaching my leg around and sliding down it on my back. When I hit the ground, I danced around it a bit for show. Once I had Matt’s full attention, no doubt with the skills he never knew I had, I did a hand-stand so my back was against the pole and wrapped my legs around the top. I pulled myself up, dropped myself back down, did a full split and bounced myself back up and down a few times. Bella and Andy cheered while Matt just stood with his mouth agape. I stood up; pulling my dress back down the little it had ridden up and walked past them. Matt grabbed my arm.

“W-Where?” Was all he could muster up.
I shrugged. “Secret talent I never knew I had?”
He glared at me to let me know he wasn’t buying it.
“Uh, I need a cigarette. I’ll be right back!” I smiled, running towards the front doors of the club.

I walked out and passed the people still waiting in line. I turned the corner at the side of the club and pulled out my pack of Newport’s, lighting one and inhaling the sweet nicotine. I took another pull, thoroughly enjoying the taste after all the alcohol I had, when someone tapped my shoulder.

“Matt, I told you-” shit
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the infamous Julie.” Ben sneered. “Did you really think I’d buy that bullshit, Nikki? You’re lucky I was drunk that night at the Banger club or you would have gotten what was coming to you a lot sooner.”
“I’m sorry, do I know you?” I played off, hoping he’d just go away like he did the last time.
He shoved me roughly against the wall. “Don’t fucking try playing me, bitch. I want my fucking money, and I want it now.” He yelled.
“S-S-Sir, I-I don’t k-know who you a-are.” I stuttered, fear evident in my voice. I felt something poke me in the side, and for once, I really hoped it was a boner.
“Bitch, I’m in no mood today to put up with you’re shit.” He snarled, a smirk soon taking over. “You know, I’m actually kind of surprised. You and that other little whore managed to loose me for over 3 years; longer than anybody else ever has. So, I figure I’ll take it easy on you.”
“W-What are you gonna do to me?” The tears started pouring out of my eyes, and I started to wish more than anything I would have stayed and told Matt the whole story.
He grinned. “Well baby, It’s not what I’m gonna do to you, but more of what you’re gonna do to me.” He shoved my shoulders roughly, effectively pushing me onto my knees.

I looked up at him in pure horror, and tried to run/crawl underneath his legs. He grabbed me by my hair and threw me back against the concrete wall. I grabbed my head in pain.

“Don’t try to fucking run from me, bitch.” He snarled, still holding firmly onto my hair.
“Colie! Hey, Colie, where are you?” I heard Matt yell.
“MA-” I tried yelling, but he crouched to my level and covered my mouth.
“Colie, where are you?” I heard his voice getting closer, and I knew this was my only chance to escape.

I kneed Ben in the crotch as hard as I could and watched as he fell to the floor in pain.
“Matt! Help me!” I screamed as loud as I could. “Please, help!”
“You little bitch.” Ben grunted. He reached for his pocket, probably where his gun was.
“Colie, where are you?!” I heard Matt’s voice clear as day.
“Over here, help!” I screamed once more before something hard and cold smacked me in the face. I fell onto the ground from impact.
“You’re gonna fucking pay for that.” Ben pointed the gun towards me. “I would of let you get off just by getting me off, but no, you had to do this the hard way.” I watched in horror as he took the safety off his gun and put his finger on the trigger.

I closed my eyes, waiting for the gunshot. It rang through my ears seconds later, but I felt nothing. Is this what death feels like? Nothing? Why aren’t I floating? Oh fuck, I knew it! I’m going to hell. Fuck, I knew I should have prayed more. Wait, I heard a commotion. Are there commotions in hell?

I poked my eye open and saw Matt and Ben on the ground, both trying to grab the gun out of each others hands. I stood up quickly, immediately regretting it when the head rush kicked in and I fell back to the ground. Ben was gaining an advantage over Matt; Ben wasn’t a big guy, but he’s been in enough situations, probably similar to these, that he knew what to do. I tried standing again, successfully this time, and tackled Ben off of Matt. The gun went flying across the Alley.

“You fucking bitch!” He screamed, roughly shoving me off of him and into the wall behind us. He scrambled towards the gun but Matt was there first, cocking it and pointing it straight at him. His eyes widened.

“Get the fuck away from us before I blow you’re fucking brains out.” Matt seethed.
“You wouldn’t.” Ben snarled.
Matt rolled his eyes and shot the gun, shooting him in the arm. He screamed in pain.
“Any more questions?” He asked, cocking the gun again.
“No man, I’m cool.” Ben stood up, holding his arm, and began walking away. “This aint over, Nikki.” He called back.
Matt shot a warning fire at him and we watched as he began running down the street.

I sunk against the side of the wall. Matt ran over and dropped to his knees beside me. He grabbed my face in his hands and turned it towards him, inspecting the large bruise I knew I had already.

“Shit, we should get you to a hospital.” He frowned.
“I’m fine.” I waved him off.
“Colie, I-”
“I’m fine, Matt.” I cut him off. “But thank you.” I smiled and hugged him closer to me.
He sunk down beside me and pulled me onto his lap, cradling me in his arms.
“You wanna tell me what the hell is going on now?” He asked.
I shook my head. “Not particularly.”
“Colie, I just shot somebody. I think you owe me an explanation.” He chuckled to himself. Why is he chuckling?!
I sighed. “I’ll tell you when we get home; let me call Andy.”
He nodded silently as I pulled my phone out of my purse and dialed Andy’s number.

“Nikki? Why are you calling me? Where are you?” He asked.
“I’m outside with Matt; listen we need to leave. I’ll explain everything when we get home, but I need you to somehow get everyone but Bella to ride with Amy, they’ll fit. Please don’t get anyone nervous, just lie and tell them I wasn’t feeling good or something, okay?” I begged.
“Gotcha girl, I’ll be out in a few. Meet me by the car.” He hung up.

I sighed. “Come on, we need to go to Andy’s car.”
I tried standing and almost fell back over. Matt caught me.
“Need some help?” He smiled softly as I nodded.
He picked me up bridal style and carried me to where we all parked. Andy came out a few minutes later with Bella in tow.
“Baby Doll what the fu- What the hell happened to you?!” She yelled once she saw the black and blue I was sporting.
“I’ll explain on the way.” I sighed.

Everyone hopped into the car. The first 15 minutes was silent, I was in the backseat with my head on Matt’s shoulder, not really wanting to talk.

“Nikki, you have to tell us what happened.” Bella stated calmly.
I sighed. “Ben found us.” Andy almost crashed into another car at the sudden statement, but caught himself quickly.
“What do you mean Ben found us?! Were nearly 6 hours away from there, how the hell did he find us?!” Bella screamed. I flinched, and Matt held onto me tighter.
“I don’t know!” I yelled back. “I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know.” I repeated.
Andy sighed. “This isn’t good.”
“Listen, I just shot the guy; the least you three could do is tell me who the hell he is?” Matt asked. Bella spun her head to look at us with a smirk on her face.
“You shot him?!” She beamed.
“Well, I shot him in the arm, and possibly the leg.” Matt explained, a small smile playing on his face.
“Nice job! I underestimated you rich people.” Matt rolled his eyes as Bella high-fived him and leaned back into her seat.
“Could you tell me now?” He asked.
Bella and Andy glanced back at me, I shook my head.
“Baby doll, he’s you’re friend. You tell him.” Bella urged.
I sighed in frustration. “Fine.”
I was quiet for a few minutes before starting.

“Matt, I told you when I first got back that I’d grown up, but I’ve done some stupid, stupid things in my lifetime that helped me grow as a person.” I started.
“Did you date that guy?” He asked.
“No!” Bella and I shouted at the same time.
“Sorry, I was just asking. Keep going.” He ushered.

“Ben’s a drug lord from concord.” I felt him tense up. “Bella and I needed some money at a few years ago and went to find him. He gave us a couple thousand dollars in Cocaine to sell for him, and we took is back to Sacramento. We decided to snort a line or two, just to see how it was, and well, we liked it. In a few weeks time, we realized we blew the whole stash and didn’t sell anything. He never knew we weren’t from Concord, so we thought we were in the clear. A few weeks ago, I was at … my job at the time, and he found me. I played it off like I was someone else, and he believed me. Apparently when he sobered up he realized he was played, but I have no idea how he found me this time.” I explained, tears rolling down my cheeks in rivers. Matt took a deep breath.

“So you two are druggies?” I could tell he was holding back his anger.
“Excuse me?” Bella snapped her head around, obviously pissed. “Just because we experimented once does not make me, or especially her, a druggie. I admit, we were stupid fucking kids, and that one stupid decision is coming back to haunt us, but you, nor anybody else has the right to call us fucking druggies. That was years ago, and I’m positive you’ve made a few bad decisions in you’re lifetime.” She ranted. If someone called Bella a druggie, she’d usually just shrug it off; she was never one to care for what people thought about her. Me, on the other hand, Bella was extremely protective of. If someone said something about me, she’d be damned if they lived to say it again.

Matt nearly shriveled into himself, something that made me giggle a little. Picture a petite woman screaming at a man 3 times her size, and effectively scaring him; it’s pretty funny.

“I-I’m sorry, I just, was worried.” He stuttered.
“It’s fine, I just get worked up sometimes.” She sighed loudly. “Now, druggies we’re not, but potheads? Oh, hell yes.” We all chuckled a bit.
“Hey, Anders?” I asked.
“Yea sweetheart?”
“I never asked, what did you tell the others?”
“Oh, I said you and Matt went out for a cigarette and you got sick. Everyone was going to go, but I told them you said not to ruin their good time. You’re brother wanted to come, but I told him Matty boy over there had it covered.” He explained.
“But I don’t smoke.” Matt stated.
“You’re girlfriend is the one who looked like she was going to a wedding, right?” Bella asked.
“Shit, I forgot all about her.” He sighed. “But yea, that’s her.”
“She said the same thing. We didn’t even have to cover anything up, you’re brother volunteered an excuse for us.”
“What’d he say?” I asked.
“He said Matt probably went with to keep an eye on you.” She explained.
“Oh.”
“Did she seem mad?” Matt asked.
“Oh yea, she kept insisting that she came with us, but we told her Nikki was sprawled out in the back seat and you could barely fit as is. She asked why you didn’t just stay, but I told her Andy here couldn’t lift a fly and I was too drunk to do anything.”
“Good cover.” I smirked.
“She’s gonna be so pissed at me.” Matt smacked his forehead.
“We grew up together, just tell her I needed help.”
“True. What are we gonna tell them about the bruise?” He asked.
I thought for a minute. “I’ll tell them I got into a fight with some bitch, kicked her ass, and then got sick.”

He nodded and everyone fell into a comfortable silence. Between the long drive, and Matt’s steady heartbeat, I drifted into a comfortable sleep with Matt cradling me into him.