Glitter

Max's POV:

I picked at a loose string that hung from a hole in the knee of my jeans. It had been hours since Regan had left and we still had no luck of finding her. It turns out that Ronnie had no clue where the fuck Riley lived. We had gone to what we thought was his place but it turned out that he'd moved some time ago. So we'd been going from haunt to haunt trying to find him.

There were very few words spoken between Ronnie and I as we drove around. I had given him my keys a few hours before because my mind was going too crazy to drive. I couldn't stop thinking about Regan and worrying about her. I could only hope she was okay. As I stared out the window my mind began to wander.

"So practice at Monte's today right?" Ronnie asked as we walked down the sidewalk.

I had just gotten out of school where for once I had attended all of my classes which was quite a feat for me. Usually I skipped out sometime around lunch if I went at all. But no today I’d gone all day and oddly enough it had been Regan that had skipped.

“Yeah….but um….what happened with Regan? Where is she today? She sick or something?” I asked.

“Sick? No….she went to school this morning….I saw her leave.” he replied.

“Um….no dude….Regan wasn’t in school all day…trust me…I looked.” I replied.

“Then where the fuck is she?” Ronnie asked.

“Could she be at your house?” I asked.

“My house? Maybe…I’ve been at work all day. I came straight from the record store to the school to walk with you.” he replied.

“She’s probably skipping with Peter again.” I sighed rolling my eyes.

“Oh yeah…I didn’t think about Peter.” Ronnie said darkly.

Peter was Regan’s boyfriend. They had been going out about 3 months now and from day one the guy had given both Ronnie and I the heebie jeebies. I didn’t trust the guy as far as I could throw him. The only reason I trusted him was because of Regan. If not I’d pound his ass into the ground.

However I never really expressed the full reason that I hated Peter so much. Yeah he gave me the creeps but if it wasn’t for him Regan would be free for me to make my move. I’d liked her for long enough and I was ready to finally tell her when she’d brought that douche bag around.

“Well I guess we’re about to find out just what she‘s been up to all day.” I replied as his and Regan’s house came into view.

We were a house away when we heard a shout and something shatter. I glanced at Ronnie for a split second, and he at I before we took off for the house.

Ronnie reached the door and found that it was locked. He reached into his pocket and began to fumble with his keys.

“Unlock it!!!” I yelled when I heard voices began to rise again.

“I’M TRYING!!!” He said and finally found the key shoving it roughly into lock. A few moments later he had it unlocked and shoved the door open.

On the other side were Regan and Peter. He had her pinned against the wall, screaming in her face. She was sobbing and trying to beg him to let her go.

“YOU’RE A GOOD FOR NOTHING TEASE REGAN!!!” Peter spat.

“I-I I’M SORRY PETER!! PLEASE LET ME GO!!!” she yelled.

A split second later Ronnie and I were across the room. Ronnie preceded to beat the living fuck out of Peter while I comforted Regan.

“Are you okay?” I asked as I pulled Regan into my arms, cradling her on my lap.

“Y-Yeah…He….he wanted me to have sex with him…I didn’t want to….when I wouldn’t he started screaming. Oh god Max I was so scared!” she sobbed into my chest.

“It’s okay Regan we’re here and you’re safe. You’re always safe as long as we’re around.” I whispered.

It took all of 3 minuets for Ronnie to beat Peter senseless and throw him out of the house, threatening that he’d do worse if he ever caught Peter around Regan again and another hour to get her calmed down.

Once she was calm, she fell asleep. Ronnie laid her in his bed and pulled the covers over her. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead before motioning for me to come with him out of his room.

“Max I want to talk to you.” he said.

“What about?” I asked.

“Look…thank you…for comforting Regan today.” Ronnie said.

“It’s no issue man…I’d go to the ends of the earth for her.” I replied before I could catch myself. My heart sunk as I peered through my long black hair to look at Ronnie, expecting him to be pissed. However his brows were knit and he was looking at the floor hard.

“S-Something on your mind?” I asked testing the waters.

“Max look….Regan is my baby sister and I love her so much. However I’m not such a good guy. You know that, I know that, fuck even Regan knows it but for some strange reason she loves me anyhow. Anyhow getting to the point…if something ever happens to me I want to promise that no matter what you’ll take cake of her. Make sure she’s safe and happy. Can you do that?” he asked.

“Are you kidding? Of course man!” I said and he smiled and hugged me.

“Great just don’t tell Regan…she’ll blow a gasket. She hates when I treat her like she can’t take care of herself.” Ronnie replied.

I smiled and promised.

Of course Regan found out and did blow a gasket but she understood in the end. And right now I was kicking myself for the fact that I hadn’t taken care of her like I should’ve. If I had then I wouldn’t be out looking for her right now.

“Max are you getting out or am I doing this alone?” Ronnie asked.

“W-What?” I asked.

“I asked if you were going with me up to see if this is Riley’s apartment. Now are you or not?” Ronnie asked.

“Oh! Sorry I’m going.” I replied getting out. I hadn’t realized that we’d stopped.

We locked the car up and headed into the old building. The wallpaper was stained with god knows what as we climbed the staircase up to the 5th floor. A few moments later we found the apartment and Ronnie knocked on the door.

There was shuffling from inside and a few moments later the door swung open to reveal Riley.

“Hey!!! Ronnie and Maxy-Pad!!! What’s up bro?” Riley slurred and reached out to hug Ronnie but Ronnie pulled away at the last moment.

“I’m not here to see you Riley I’m here to get Regan. Where the fuck is she?” Ronnie asked shoving past Riley into the apartment.

“She’s not here.” Riley replied.

“Yeah but she was!” Ronnie replied picking up a sheet of paper with Regan’s handwriting all over it.

I walked in and grabbed the paper. Looking at it I could hardly read it. But from what I deciphered she was heading home.

“She’s not here anymore Ronnie lets get back to the house…that’s where she’s heading.” I replied looking at Ronnie but he ignored me, instead his eyes set on the table littered with drug paraphernalia.

“You got her high didn’t you Riley?!?” Ronnie yelled.

“Yeah? So? It’s not like I forced her. She’s our little sister Ronnie… did you think she was going to stay the perfect little angel on the perfect little pedestal that you put her on forever?” Riley smirked.

“I can’t believe you!! She’s never done anything harder than Oxys and you fucking shoot her up and give her meth? Are you fucking insane?!?” Ronnie ranted.

“Look I-” but before Riley could get the words past his lips Ronnie had him pinned to the wall.

“Whoa! Ronnie! Stop! You’re on fucking parole! You beat his ass you go back to jail now back the fuck off!” I yelled pulling him off his brother.

Ronnie did as I said and let Riley drop to the ground.

“You’re pathetic.” he snapped and walked out.

I followed him and got back in the car. The drive home was silent. When we got there we found the front door standing wide open.

We quickly got out of the car and headed in.

“Regan?” Ronnie called but we got no answer.

“You go check upstairs and I’ll go look in the basement.” Ronnie said.

I nodded and headed for the stairs.

When I reached the landing I saw a light from under the bathroom door.

“Regan?” I asked knocking on the door.

When I got no response I opened the door and my stomach dropped and my blood went cold. Lying on the floor in a pool of blood was Regan. Blood covered her wrists. She’s slit them again.

I dropped to my knees, “RONNIE!!!” I screamed as I scooped her limp form into my arms.

There were footsteps and Ronnie appeared in the bathroom doorway, “OH MY GOD!” Ronnie yelled.

“CALL 911!!” I said.

Ronnie began to dial the phone.

“Regan please hold on. I love you so much…please hold on.” I begged.

Now I could only hope.