Save Me

She was cold. She shivered, drawing the blankets up around her chin. Lacie sighed, relaxing again.

"Lacie?" someone whispered. It didn't sound like Jacob.

"Hmn," she answered curtly.

"She's so cute!" exclaimed a girl. Who was here? Someone sat down next to her, the weight was almost as light at her, making Lacie less likely to slip out of place, "Lacie," the girl whispered. Lacie opened one eye, slowly. It was Ebony next to her.

"W-why are you here?" she breathed sleepily.

"We all came to see you. Jake called us and told us you were still sleeping," Ebony giggled.

"Jacob?" Lacie sat up. She stretched, yawned, then looked around.

"Yeah, Jacob. Lacie are you still half asleep?" Ebony poked her in the cheek.

"Well considering I just woke up," her voice gaining her normal tone, "I am allowed to repeat things," her voice was full of sarcasm. Who was she now, it was like she didn't even know herself. She would have never talked to anyone like that. She bit her tongue. Ebony stared at her incredulously, then she started laughing.

"Lacie, you're funny!" she giggled again, placing her hand over her mouth to stifle her hysterics. There were other people laughing, too. In the doorway was Jacob and Ravyn. Smiles on their faces as they gazed at Lacie.

"What?" she asked them. They both shook their heads.

"Lacie would you like breakfast?" Jacob offered. Lacie's stomach growled, locking the statement that she was.

"Sure," she said nonchalantly, hoping no one heard her stomach. Jacob chuckled, brushing passed Ravyn through the doorway.

"Was that your stomach?" Ebony asked. Lacie held her breath for a little, then exhaled slowly.

"Yeah," she breathed. Ebony giggled.

"Mine does that too," she confessed quietly. Lacie stared at her a little.

"Really? I thought I was the only girl in the world with stomach lions," she said, completely serious. Ravyn and Ebony burst out laughing.

"Stomach lions?" Ravyn choked out. Lacie blinked. She didn't think it was that funny. Lacie laughed a little. Their laughter died down a couple minutes before Jacob walked in with a tray of breakfast goodies, just like yesterday.

"Wow," she said, "Looks great."

"Take what you want, everyone here has already eaten," Jacob explained. Lacie already had a mouthful of bacon. She was chewing vigorously.

"Had enough bacon, Lacie?" chuckled Cameron. He took up place next to Ravyn. She mumbled something around the bacon. Then she decided to swallow.

"Bacon's good," she protested. She hadn't touched anything else but the bacon, but she ran out, so she decided to nibble on the bagel that was there.

"Anyone else want something?" Jacob asked. Cameron and Ravyn moved towards the bed. They snatched a couple goodies off of the plate. Keaten and Cáel walked into the room.

"Hey guys, when'd you get here?" Jacob asked from beside Lacie.

"Just now," Keaten smiled crookedly at Jacob.

"So we haven't officially met," Cáel smiled at Lacie. Lacie had a hard time meeting his eyes. She had a hard time meeting everyone's eyes.

"Uhm, hi," she glanced to his eyes then back at her lap.

"I'm Cáel," he smiled.

"I'm Keaten," Keaten pushed Cáel out of the way.

"Hey!" Cáel glared at Keaten. Keaten ignored Cáel and smiled down at Lacie.

"I'm Lacie," she said softly to the both of them. Cáel squeezed in next to Keaten.

"Nice to meet you," they both said, stealing something off of the breakfast tray. Lacie looked to Jacob for an explanation.

"They're best friends. They know what each other is thinking and they can finish each others sentences," Jacob laughed, "it's like another day with Landon and Jayden."

Lacie nodded, biting into her bagel again. For some reason she didn't feel like eating it anymore.

"Are you going to finish that?" Keaten asked.

"Uhm," she said, "no."

"I'll take it off of your hands," smiled Keaten.

"But I bit out of it," Lacie said, incredulous.

"So?" Keaten shrugged, "are you sick? Got any STDs?"

"No and no," Lacie shook her head.

"Then I'll eat it," Keaten smiled. Lacie sighed, handing it over to him. He bit into it immediately, Lacie cringed. Cáel stole a piece and ate it.

***

"Hello?" Lacie answered her phone.

"Hey sis!" it was Landon.

"Hey," she said softly.

"When're you coming home?" Landon asked.

"Soon, I guess, hold on," she tilted the phone away from her ear to talk to Jacob, "hey, Jacob?"

"Yeah L?" Jacob turns to her. 'L?' at least he wasn't calling her 'Lace.'

"Landon wants to know when I'm coming home?" Lacie asked.

"Oh, here, let me have the phone," Jacob held out his hand. Lacie placed the phone in his hand, he brought it up to his ear.

"Hey, Landon!" he exclaimed into the phone. There was a buzz on the other end, "yeah, I'll bring her home in couple hours, sound good?" pause, "yeah okay, we'll be there."

He hung up, handing Lacie back the phone, "What'd he say?"

"We're going to the park, everyone," Jacob announced. Everyone barged out of Jacob's small room and downstairs. Lacie and Jacob were last.

"He said he's going to meet us at the park. He'll take you home in a couple hours, maybe after a game of touch football," smirked Jacob. Lacie nodded.

"Okay," she said softly.

***

"Okay! Next touchdown wins!" Jacob declared from the open grass field the boys were playing on. Lacie and Ebony were swinging on the swings.

"So," Ebony started off.

"Hm?" Lacie looked to her.

"You spent the night at Jake's, huh?" she smiled at Lacie. Was this a trap?

"uh," she starts off slowly, "yeah?"

Ebony started to squeal, Lacie blinked, totally confused, "did you share a bed?" she whispered.

"U-uh," Lacie swallowed, looking everywhere but at Ebony.

"You did!" Ebony stood up from the swing, standing in front of Lacie. She placed her hands on her hips.

"It's not what you think," Lacie tried to explain.

"Oh? Tell me," Ebony smiled at Lacie.

"Well, Jacob was sleeping on the floor, but then I had a nightmare and he comforted me," Lacie explained playing with her fingers.

"Oh, Lacie," Ebony's eyes softened. She walked into the gully where the swings were, she hugged Lacie around the neck, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pressed."

"It's okay," Lacie said. Ebony pulled away and smiled down at her.

"Do you like him?" Ebony asked, her eyes interested.

"Who?" Lacie asked.

"Jake," Ebony whispered urgently. Lacie's breath caught in her throat. Did she like Jacob?

"Well, I-"

Ebony scrutinized her face, she looked at Lacie, watching her.

"I don't know," Lacie turned her eyes to the ground.

"How don't you-"

Ebony was quickly cut off by taunts from another girl. Ebony turned around, but Lacie was less than interested. She kept her eyes to the ground. Ebony growls.

"Macy," she ground out.

"M-Macy is here?" Lacie looked up to Ebony, tears welling up in her eyes. Ebony turned around, her eyes sympathetic.

"Yeah," she said softly. The taunts continued from Macy. Lacie heard approaching footstep. Oh God. Ebony took a protective stance in front of Lacie.

"Get out of here, Macy," Ebony warned.

"Make me," Macy smiled smugly. She was alone, no one with her.

"Oh I will make you," Ebony started to advance on her.

***

Jacob

"Hey what's that?" Jacob asked, looking from the commotion at the swings to his friends.

"Looks like Macy's here," Ravyn pointed out.

"And she's talking to Ebony," as Jacob was finishing his sentence, the girls raised their voices, "they're not talking."

Jacob walked over the the scene, followed by the boys. The girls were fighting about something.

"Hey what's happening?" Jacob asked, standing next to Ebony.

"Jake, Ebony won't let me talk to Lacie," pouted Macy.

"The hell I will let you talk to Lacie after what you put her through!" yelled Ebony.

"Jake," Macy looked up into Jacob's eyes. Jacob turned around to Lacie.

"Hey, L, what do you think?" he asked. Lacie glanced up at him, then back to her lap. She shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Macy, we won't let you talk to Lacie," Jacob shook his head.

"You little bitch!" Macy screamed, running toward Lacie. Jacob stepped in front of her, scooping her up and walking away.

"Let me down!" she thrashed around in his grasp.

"I'll only put you down if you promise to go home," Jacob said calmly.

"The hell I will! im going to go fuck her up!" Macy thrashed some more.

"I won't let you," Jacob said, never looking down at her.

"But Jake," pouted Macy. She really thought he liked her.

"No," he placed her on her feet.

"She's just a slut," Macy said, her voice taking on a confident tone. Jacob clenched his hands. He spun on his heel, walking back toward Macy, "I knew you'd-

"Do you have any idea what she's been through?" he demanded in a low voice. Macy's eyes widened, then she turned smug.

"That was just a set up. She's lying to hide that she's had sex way too-"

"She was abused," he growled, "She was abused more than once. You have no idea. You may believe what you want, but don't say it around me."

And with that he turned around and left. Macy said nothing as he left. Jacob had to force himself to calm down. He took a deep breath.

***

Lacie

"Lacie are you all right?" Ebony spun to her.

"Yeah," Lacie said in a low voice, "thank you."

"Hun, you're welcome. Like I said I'm here for you," Ebony smiled. Lacie nodded.

"Lacie, are you okay?" Jacob walked up to her. Something was troubling him, she could see it on his face.

"Yeah, what's wrong?" she asked him. He looked shocked.

"It's nothing," he smiled, but that look wasn't gone from his eyes. She decided not to push it.

"Hey, we have to go," Landon said, "You ready, Lacie?"

"Yeah," she nodded climbing to her feet, "thanks everyone, I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"See you Lacie!" everyone exclaims. Lacie left with Landon and Jayden.

***

"So how was your weekend?" Jayden leaned in from the back, eyeing Lacie.

"Good," she answered, not turning her gaze from the window.

"Sleep well?" Landon asked, glancing at her then back at the road.

"Yeah," she answered.

"Lacie," Jayden sang, poking her arm, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she sighed, "I'm just kind of scared to go to school tomorrow."

"Why?" the twins asked.

"Macy," Lacie said quietly.

"Why? The only time she sees you is in bio and we're all in your class," Jayden spoke the obvious.

"Yeah, but," Lacie sighed, " I pass her in the hallway. Plus she has a lot of friends."

"So do you," smiled Jayden. Lacie nodded, starting to cry. She didn't want to cry, it just happens sometimes.

"Lacie? Lacie don't cry!" Jayden started to fawn over her, "it's okay! We won't let anything happen!"

"Yeah Lacie, we won't let you down," smiled Landon from the left side of the car. She looked at both of them, the tears going down harder. Her lip quivered.

"Thank you," she answered, shakily.

"Hey, stop crying," Jayden held out a napkin but Lacie refused it. She wiped her arm across her eyes.

"Sorry," she choked out.

"Don't be," the guys said at the same time. Lacie took a deep, shuddering breath.

"We'll be home in a couple minutes. You look like you could use some sleep," Landon pointed out.

"Yeah," Lacie turned her gaze to the window again, leaning her head onto the coldness of the window. It cleared her head a little.

***

Landon and Jayden dumped her in her room, demanding that she try to sleep. She complied changing and climbing into bed. She sighed.

Lacie closed her eyes, she was tired. She drifted in the dark river, not swimming out too far, afraid of what lies beyond. She stayed like that for a while, just wading enjoying the sweet release, but soon the river started moving faster, pushing her further toward complete darkness. She screamed but there was nothing she could do.

"Where am I?" she was talking to herself. Never a good sign. She was surrounded by corpses. It looked as though she was in the middle of it. She looked down at the ground. Blood was smeared on her shoes, up her legs, on her shorts, her shirt, her arms, her hands, the things in her hands.

She raised her hands up to her face, to check the things out. They were knives. Covered in blood. She looked around herself again. All of her friends, her mother. She killed them and oddly she didn't feel scared or remorse. Laughter filled around her. She spun around, looking.

"Who's there?" she asked aloud. The laughter grew louder, louder, louder still. Someone appears next to her.

"Well done, Lacie," the man next to her approved. Lacie smiled up at the man.

"You really think so?" she asked excited. The man nodded. The only thing she could see of his face were his teeth. His pearly whites, "glad you like it. I did it just for you. Now could you show me your face? That was the deal."

"It was," the man smiled down at her again. He stepped into the sun. What she saw stunned her. Of all the dreams she's had her father has been the bad guy, but now it was...Jacob? Why Jacob? She felt herself saying something.

"Y-you're Jacob," she whispered, now feeling frightened about what she did. She screamed at the realization.

"Lacie!" someone was yelling over her screams. She opened her eyes, shutting her mouth.

"Lacie, what happened?"