Save Me

"Don't. Ever. Do. It. Again," Jacob growled.

"Okay, okay man, Jesus," Kale said under is breath. Lacie was hyperventilating.

"Lacie?" Jayden leaned over her shoulder. She didn't answer. Couldn't answer.

She was cowering into the wall. Jeffrey Gales picked up glass after glass and chucked it at her. Smash. Smash. Smash. Smash. Each one missing her head by a couple of inches. With each shower of glass, she whimpered.

"You fucking girl!" he ground out. She cried, "you don't leave this house without me!"

"I-I'm sorry!" she screamed, covering her face from another shower of glass.

"No, you need to be punished!" he growled. Smash. Another glass broke just mere inches of her face. He threw this one hard. The shards flew, cutting her arms and one cut her cheek. She flinched. It hurt.

It kept getting worse. Plates, cups, knick knacks, anything glass. He threw it, harder, harder, harder still.

"No more! No more glass-"

"No more glass!" she was quickly ripped back to the present. Jacob was in front of her, the twins behind her, Cameron next to Jacob.

"Lacie," Jacob's voice cracked. She gasped a little before she got her voice back.

"I-I'm fine," she looked to the floor. Jacob took her hand and led her to her homeroom.

****************************

"Here, just sit down and relax. Landon went to get you some water," Jacob said, softly, "take deep breaths."

She complied, taking deep breath after deep breath. Later, Landon showed up with a water bottle. She drank it eagerly, the bottle popping off of her lips.

"Hey, what happened to Lacie?" Ravyn asked, right as he walked through the doors. Immediately he came to her desk.

"Kale gave her some trouble," Jacob reported. Ravyn stiffened.

"I'll be right back," he growled. Jacob didn't stop him. She looked frighteningly at Jacob.

He shook his head and muttered, "Kale needs a taste of his own medicine. Ravyn will take care of that."

She didn't argue. Just nodded her head, sipping at her water once again. Minutes later Ravyn walked in. With him was a girl. She looked nice, innocent. Very pretty.

She had brown eyes. Deep brown eyes. Her hair was bright blonde, straight, to the middle of her back. She was smiling. First at Ravyn then at Lacie.

In three long strides they made it to her already over populated desk.

"Lacie, this is Ebony Archer," Ravyn introduced.

"I know her," Lacie's eyes darted from the desk to the eyes of her friends. There was an award silence, Lacie decided to say hi.

"Uhm.. Hi," she nodded. Ebony stuck her hand out.

"Nice to meet you," Ebony smiled. Lacie too her hand, "I heard you needed a girl friend. Since you're surrounded by guys," she giggled. Lacie nodded.

"That'd be nice," Lacie mumbled.

"Mind if I come over tonight, Lacie?" Ebony asked.

"I don't mind but I'm going to have to ask-"

"Our mom won't care," smiled Jayden.

"Alright, cool. I'll be over at around... I dunno... Maybe five-ish?" she ended like a question.

"That's fine," nodded Landon.

"Great," she smiled real wide, turning her pretty eyes back onto Lacie.

"I'll see you after school," she leaned in for a hug. Lacie, awkwardly, hugged her back.

"Alright," she mumbled as they pulled away.

"By guys!" she left. The guys said their goodbyes, turning their gazes back to Lacie.

****************************

When she got home, she decided to ask Nicole anyways if Ebony could come over. She abandoned the guys upstairs, looking for her new foster mom.

"Nicole?" Lacie called out hesitantly.

"Yes darling?" she called back. Lacie followed her voice to the laundry room, "hi Lacie."

"Hi... I... Uh... Have a question?" Lacie started.

"Sure, what is it?" she glanced at Lacie from the washer.

"My one friend was wondering if she could come by around five, is that alright?" Lacie inquired.

"Who is it?" Nicole asked, in her eyes wasn't distrust, it was curiosity. She just wanted to know.

"Ebony Archer," Lacie replied.

"Ooo!" Nicole exclaimed, "she's such a nice girl! Of course she's allowed."

"Thanks," Lacie almost smiled.

"Go on now," Nicole shooed her out of the room, "go entertain the guys for a while will you? They can get into trouble."

"Sure, no problem," she left, "thanks again, Nicole."

"Oh please," Nicole waved, "don't call me Nicole, call me mom," she smiled.

"What do you mean?" Lacie asked.

"My husband and I thought about it and we're going to adopt you," Nicole smiled, Lacie's eyes filled with tears. She ran over and hugged Nicole tightly.

"Thank you," she sobbed into her shoulder. Nicole hugged her back.

"You're so very welcome," Nicole murmured.

****************************

Nicole finally shooed her out of the room and upstairs. Walking down the isle, she wiped up the rest of her tears.

"Lacie?" one of the twins spoke. She turned at the sound of her name.

"What's wrong?" Landon asked.

"Uh... I'm going to be your sister," she said, almost smiling again. The guys beamed at her.

"We know," Landon chuckled.

"That's what we were gonna tell you," Jayden smiled sadly.

"Sorry 'bout that," she looked to the floor.

"No it's okay!" they exclaimed.

****************************

Five o'clock rolled around, and Lacie found herself a little excited for Ebony to come over.

The doorbell rang. Lacie raced passed Nicole to get it, "I got it, nico- mom," she opened the door.

"Hey there, Lacie!"