The Day I Left The Womb

Two months had passed since my encounter with Ronnie. I hadn't seen him since the day I dropped him off.
I sat in the car with my best friend Janey as we drove down the highway, blasting the radio. She had been anticipating going to Warped Tour all week. Some new band she got into, I forgot the name already, was going to be there.
"How much longer Janey?" I whined as I looked up from my phone.
"We still have another 40 minutes to go." I slunk in my seat.
I hated long drives. I barely liked driving to the store. Just the feeling of being cramped up in a car was just miserable.
My tone for a new text message sounded and the message popped up on my screen. I smiled as I saw Jake's name pop up.
I quickly responded back and sent the message.

Janey got an irritated look on her face after hearing my ringtone multiple times.
"ANBERLIN!" She shouted.
I looked at her startled. "What?!" I exclaimed.
"Did you even hear anything I just said?!" She was extremely pissed off at me.
"Uh... no. I'm sorry Janey." I apologized with a look of guilt.
"Who the hell are you texting?"
"Jake..."
She rolled her eyes and huffed. "Why are you talking to him again?" She questioned and eyed me suspiciously from the corner of her eye.
"Well... we kind of ran into each other and talked things over. We're back together..."
"WHAT?!" I cringed as she screeched at me. "Are you an idiot?! After all he did to you?!" She exclaimed.
"He said he was sorry..."
"So you forgave him? Anberlin, he put you in the hospital."
"It was an accident." I replied.
"An accident." She scoffs as her eyes narrow. Her knuckles turn white as she grips the steering wheel.
"It'll be different this time Janey." I promised.
"Sure." I could tell she didn't want to have this conversation anymore.

______xXx_______
Three years ago...
I looked over at the clock. "4:43am." was shining in a bright green color. I looked over my shoulder and saw the left side of the bed was still empty.
Where the hell is he?
I heard the front door slam open and then shortly after slam closed. I quickly jumped out of bed, rushed down the stairs and went into the kitchen.
"Baby?" I questioned softly. "Where have you been? It's late."
Jake looked over at me as he opened a beer and closed the fridge door. He narrowed his eyes. "Didn't realize I was marrying my mother." He snarled and took a long sip from the bottle.
I walked over to him in attempt to take the beer bottle from him. "Why don't you come to bed, I think you've had enough..." I spoke softly. I didn't want to sound accusing.
"I've had enough when I've said I had enough." He snarled at me and shoved me to the side.
"Jake, come on." I put my hand on his shoulder and he turned around quickly, back handing me in the process.
This wasn't the first time. He had a history of being violent with me. Past girlfriends too. He told me when we dated that he had a problem with alcohol, that he had hurt his girlfriend in the past and that he would never do it again. All of it was lies, he never stopped. He was barely sober anymore.
Tears poured out of my eyes as his hand print stung my face.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!?" I shouted and instantly regretted it.
He chuckled and shook his head slightly. He put his beer bottle on our island counter. "What the fuck is wrong with me?" He spoke with a evil smirk on his face.

His hand quickly wrapped around my throat. I grabbed onto his wrists, struggling to be released from his grasp. "My problem is when bitches, like you, try to control me and my life. It's none of your damn business." He tossed me like a ragdoll, causing my head to collide with the corner of our island counter.

I blacked out after that... I woke up in the hospital with Janey sitting next to me. To be honest, it was all I could remember of that moment. The rest seemed to be erased.
______xXx_______

We pulled into the parking area of Warped Tour, I had been drowning in my thoughts so much that I hadn't even realize that we arrived. We walked around looking at all of the merchandise and enjoying meeting some new people. Janey was getting agitated with me because I was glued to my phone a lot with texting Jake.
"Could you please put your phone away for this set? I really want you to watch these guys." Janey pleaded as we made out way into the crowd and pushed as far to the front as we could.
"Okay, okay. I'm sorry." I apologized and texted Jake to tell him I'd text him once the set was over.

We had made it just in time, because as soon as we found the perfect spot in the middle/close to the front, the band started to come out. First the drummer, followed by the guitarists and bassist. I looked down at my phone real quick to read Jake's reply as everyone started cheering loudly. Janey was jumping up and down in excitement. I figured the singer must have come out.

"Ronnie! Ronnie!" I heard people shout a couple times.
I looked up quickly and saw Ronnie walking from behind back stage.
"Holy shit..." We spoke in sync, him speaking to the crowd, me speaking in shock as I stared wide eyed up at him. I dropped my phone and started a mad search for it.
"Guess what... I"M BAAACCKKKK!" He shouted into the microphone.
That was the end of my phone. A simple phrase from him to start the music, causing people to jump and go crazy, and my Iphone was dead.

To be honest, It didn't matter in that moment. I stood frozen in the middle of the crowd. My eyes glued to Ronnie as he performed his song, "Tragic Magic" (which I later learned the title from Janey). I got chills as I heard him sing into the microphone. I looked around at people in the crowd, singing his song with pride. How did I not find out about his new band?
They ended their set with, "The Drug in Me is You." to with which, the whole crowd went crazy singing word for word with him.
"I FUCKING love you!" He shouted to the crowd. "We'll see you at the AP tent for signings and pictures and stuff!"
"Come on lets go!" Janey exclaimed and grabbed my arm as she rushed over to the AP tent.

A little line had already formed when we reached the tent. Janey jumped up and down in excitement. "Oh my god, I can't believe we are going to meet Falling in Reverse." She hopped from foot to foot. I stood there still stunned by everything I had just experienced.
"Why didn't you tell me Ronnie was in this band?" I asked and raised an eyebrow at her.
"I did... I told you Falling in Reverse was Ronnie's new band. You were probably too hooked on texting Jake." She rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, well no need to worry about that." I spoke and pulled my phone out of my back pocket. "My phone is toast." I said as I showed her my broken phone.
"Fuck! Now how am I suppose to get pictures?! My phone is a piece of shit." She pouted. I shrugged.
"Sorry Janey. Blame Ronnie. As soon as he shouted 'I'm Back' the crowd stomped my phone."

Twenty minutes had passed and the guys had taken their seats at the table at their tent.
The line started moving quickly as they chatted a bit with each fan, took pictures, and signed autographs.
"We're next! I can't believe we're next!" She exclaimed.
"Hi guys!" Janey went into a complete crazed conversation with them. I was too focused on Ronnie to even hear her anymore.
Would he remember me? Would he remember everything that happened? It had been two months since we talked.
"Can you sign my shirt?" Janey asked.
"Sure." Ronnie smiled as he chuckled and signed her Falling in Reverse shirt with a metallic sharpie.
He hadn't even looked at me yet.
Janey moved on to the next band member, having them each sign her shirt.

"Hi Ronnie..." I spoke nervously.
He looked up at me, about to responded. A smile crept on his face. "Anberlin...?" His smile never left his expression once he recognized me.

He remembered me after all...