The Day I Left The Womb

7:45 am

"I heard a knock upon my door the other day..."
Janey groaned as her ringtone blared through her cellphone speaker. She pulled the blankets over her head to hide the sunlight.
"Make it stop!" She groaned as her phone continued to ring and she put a pillow over her head to block out the noise.
I slowly and sleepily grabbed her phone off the nightstand in between our beds.
"Hello?" I answered half awake.
"Still sleeping?" His voice rang through.
I looked over at the clock. "Radke, It is 7:47 in the morning. Seriously?" I groaned and flipped on my back.
I covered my eyes with my hand as I kept my eyes closed.
"I told you in the morning. We only have til 1. We have to be at the next Venue at 3. Sound check, set everything up, and then we go on at 4. So, do you want your phone or not." He chuckled.
"I guess. I don't even have clothes to change into." I replied.
"Who're you trying to impress?" He joked.
"No one... That's not the point. They're dirty." I replied.
"You're fine. Just wake up Janey and Jacky and I will meet you guys at the hotel." He replied.
"What about the others?" I asked.
"They didn't want to go. Rather sleep in and let's just say Jacky has a personal affection to your friend." I chuckled at his statement.
"Alright. How long do we have?"
"An hour okay?" I looked over at Janey.
"Make it an hour and a half." I replied and I heard him laugh softly.
"Alright, see you then. Bye."
"Bye."

"Janey..."
A simple grunt was my reply.
"Janey, come on get up." I tried again as I sat all the way up.
"Fuck off." I heard muttered into the pillow.
"Hey, don't get angry with me. You did this to yourself." I said and chuckled.
"I know..." I heard her pitifully moaned into the pillow again.
She tossed back the blanket and looked up at me. "Never again. Cut me off please."
"Aye aye captain." I saluted. "Now that I have your attention. Get up, Jacky and Ronnie are taking us shopping before we go to the venue with them."
Her eyes lit up. Say the word shopping to her and she is off. "Thank god! I need some cute clothes for the concert!" She got up slowly and went into the shower first.

I took my shower shortly after she came out. We blow dried our hair together and got ready. A knock came at our door an hour or so later.
"Coming!" Janey called from the bathroom.
Janey started rushing for the door and then quickly ran back to the bathroom.
"On a scale from 1 to disastrous, how much did I embarrass myself last night?" She asked.
"You were fine til you got wasted. When we got you in the car you told Ronnie you thought he was attractive." I replied.
"Fuck...." She groaned and then went to answer the door. "Hey guys." I heard her from the other room.
I started to do my makeup as Janey had showed me, using regular eyeliner pencil for my eye and then liquid eyeliner for the lid.
"Anberlin! Are you ready?!" She called and then I heard her groan and to what sounded like an "ow."
I came out into the main room and saw Janey taking some advil and downing her water.
"Hey." I smiled as I greeted Jacky and Ronnie.
"Morning." Jacky spoke with his accent that caused me to smile.
I looked at Ronnie and let my eyes wander up and down at him.

No Anberlin. What are you doing? You have a boyfriend. Never hurt to look though... Look, but don't touch.

My eyes caught with his and a small smirk was placed on his lips.
"Shall we go?" I blushed as he caught me looking him up and down. I wanted to get out of here and forget he caught me staring...

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We walked around the mall searching aimlessly for the Apple store.
"Does anyone know where the store is?" I asked.
Ronnie shrugged and I sighed.
"Shouldn't there be a directory map around here somewhere?" Janey asked as she took a sip of her starbucks coffee. "There!" She shouted and skipped over to the giant map without spilling her drink.
"It is number 922 and we are at 910 right now." She read out loud. "We were close!" She smiled.
We finally found the Apple store and we were greeted by a representative.
"Hello! Can I help you guys out with anything today?" The man, who I found out was named Sam, asked.
"My friend here dropped her phone at a concert and it got trampled." Ronnie answered.
"Ah, I see." Sam asked. I showed him my phone and he inspected the damage. "Do you have a warranty ma'am?"
"Unfortunately it expired..." I spoke.
"I'm willing to just pay for a new one, so if you could help her find a new one that'd be great." Ronnie spoke up and smiled.
"Right this way then." Sam spoke with a smile.

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Ronnie's POV

"Thank you so much Ronnie." Anberlin said. "You really didn't have to do this..."
"I wanted to though. I'm glad you found one you liked." I replied.
"I would have been happy with the same one I had. You didn't have to get me the newest IPhone." She smiled. That smile...
"You liked it, don't lie." I smirked.
"Well of course I do! It is amazing! Just so... expensive." She frowned slightly as she looked down at her new white IPhone S4.
"You'll find when you get into the music industry. Money isn't much of an issue." I responded.
"If we ever do..." She muttered under her breath. The frown stayed put on her face.

We sat in the food court letting her phone charge up while we waited for Jacky and Janey to get back. We seperated at the Apple store once Janey saw clothes in a window she liked. I didn't mind. It finally gave me some one on one time with Anberlin.
"I think it is charged enough." She smiled and pushed the button. The apple logo came up and her eyes lit up. It was like taking a kid to a candy store. I couldn't help but smile at her reaction.
"I feel so terribly for Jacky..." She spoke.
"Why?" I chuckled.
"Poor guy has to stand around while she tries on ten million things. She is a hard person to please when it comes to shopping. She must try everything on before she makes up her mind." She replied.
"I don't think he minds much." I smiled.
She looked up and smiled as well. Her hazel eyes lit up.
"Ronnie..." She stopped and looked down at her phone as text messages and voicemails began to pop up on her phone repeatedly one after another. The tone didn't have a chance to go through all the way before another one sounded.
I sat there wide eyed and finally it stopped. "Sorry." She looked up at my apologetically. "I really need to make a call."
"Go ahead." I offered her a smile. She returned, but it was only a half smile...

I sat there watching as she walked a good distance away. I could still see her from where I was sitting. She was clearly getting upset and quickly. She bit her lip nervously as she played with the bottom shirt. It looked like she kept trying to explain herself, but continuously getting cut off.
"Hey!" I looked over and saw Janey come over with a bag from Pacsun and Hot Topic. "Where's Anberlin?" She raised an eyebrow as she sat across from me and Jacky sat next to her. I nodded my head in her direction.
"Son of a bitch..." She muttered under her breath and shook her head. "Jake... I'm sure." She replied audible.
"What's going on with them?" I asked as I looked at Anberlin and then back at Janey.
Janey looked over at her with sadness. "It really isn't my place to tell her story..." She sighed.
"Let's just say, her boyfriend isn't the best guy in the world. Honestly, the best thing that could ever happen to her would for her to get a record contract and leave this awful town."

I looked at at Anberlin. She was passed upset at this point and you could clearly tell she was arguing with him trying to reason. He wasn't buying it even though she had nothing to hide. I could tell by her reactions. She looked down at her phone in disbelief. She bit down on her bottom lip again and pinched the bridge of her nose to keep from crying.

"I'll be right back guys..." I spoke as I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and walked in the opposite direction.

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Anberlin's POV
"Hello?" An irritated voice came through the speaker.
"Hey baby..."
"Seriously?" He spoke clearly aggravated.
"Why are you so mad at me?" I spoke softly.
"You couldn't call?!" He yelled.
"I told you my phone was dead." I tried to explain.
"Janey had her phone! Why didn't you call on hers?!"
"I didn't think about it. She wanted to stay at a hotel for another concert they are having in the town over."
"And you couldn't charge your phone and use it 'til now?" Venom dripped from his voice.
"By dead, I mean someone trampled it and it was broken."
"So how are you using it now? Your warranty is up and I know you don't have that kind of money right now."
"My friend Ronnie bought me one." I bit my lip instantly regretting saying that.
"What the fuck are you doing over there?" He spoke with an accusing tone.
"What the hell is that suppose to mean!?" I argued back.
"Who the fuck is this Ronnie guy? You never mentioned him before." He snarled.
"He is in a band..."
"Oh so you're a fucking groupie now?!"
"No!" I shouted.
"We'll fucking talk when you get home." He hung up.
I looked down at my phone and bit my lip as I stared at it in disbelief.

I was terrified to go home... I pinched the bridge of my nose to keep myself from crying. It was a habit I just sort of picked up to keep myself from crying in public.

I looked over at the table after the overwhelming feeling had gone away. Janey and Jacky were talking to each other at the table, Ronnie wasn't there though. I walked over to the table and sat across from Janey.
"Hey." She smiled at me softly. She knew something was wrong. It wasn't all that hard to figure out honestly.
"Hey." I said returning a small smile. "Where did Ronnie wonder off to?"
"He walked somewhere over there." Jacky said as he pointed. "Had to take a phone call."
I nodded in response. "So what did you find? Anything good?"
"A couple things. We can go back to the stores if you want to try to find something for tonight." She offered.
"Yeah, sure." I smiled.

Ronnie rejoined us about ten minutes or so later. "Sorry about that guys. It was pretty important."
"No problem." We all responded in our own way.
"Shall we walk around now?" I asked and everyone nodded.
We walked into hot topic and I began to look around.
"Janey, come here a sec." Ronnie called and she walked over to Ronnie on the other side of the store.
I continued to look for clothes. I found a couple pairs of two different colored pant legs. I looked over at Janey. She was still talking to Ronnie. I needed her opinion. I was a horrible shopper.
"What did you find?" Janey finally returned and I sighed in relief.
"Purple or blue?" I asked as I held up two different skinny jeans.
"Blue definitely!" she exclaimed. "Becauseeeee...." She grabbed me by the arm and dragged me over to the band shirts. She pointed up at one of the shirts. "It would match the Blue wolf Falling in Reverse shirt." She smiled.
She grabbed a small shirt and handed it to me. "Go try them on!" She said as she pushed me towards the fitting room.
I went in and began putting on the clothes. "Hey Janey..." I called as I pulled up the skinny jeans and buttoned them.
"Yeah?" She called back as she stood by the door.
"What did Ronnie want?" I asked.
"Oh, he was just asking for female opinions on clothes." I shrugged it off as I pulled the shirt over my head. I opened the door and showed Janey.
"Ah! Perfect!" She smiled.
"You like it?" I asked as I looked at myself in the mirror.
"Yes! You look great! The skinny jeans do you ass some justice."
I laughed at her comment. "Thanks Janey."
I closed the door and changed back into my normal clothes.

I paid for them at the front register and took my bags after thanking her.
"Didn't get it?" I asked Ronnie. Ronnie gave me an odd look.
"What do you mean?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Um, well Janey said you just asked an opinion about clothes or something. Nevermind..." I answered.
"Oh, yeah. No I decided not too." He responded quickly. I just nodded. Once again shrugging off the response.

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The Next Day. 12:39 am

Janey and I had an amazing time at the second concert. I was able to enjoy it more now that my shock was finally over. We had to leave directly after the concert. I wasn't going to dig myself a deeper hole with Jake. Janey was sleeping in the passenger seat. I woke her when we finally reached her house.
"Bye Janey. Thanks for everything." I said.
"Bye Anberlin. Just bring my car back in the morning okay?" She said
"Sure thing." With that she closed the door. I backed up back into the road as she walked up to her front door.

I headed over to Jake's house. He was expecting me. He had been texting me the whole drive home. I pulled into the driveway and turned off the car and the lights. I sat in the driver seat and sighed as I looked at the front door. The light by his front door was on. I pulled the keys out of the ignition and unbuckled my seatbelt. I looked up at the door again and saw he was standing at the door. I made my way over to him and stopped at the door.
He stood with his arms crossed as he leaned on the doorway. He moved out of the way and let me inside. I looked around the house and saw beer bottles everywhere. I shook my head in disappointment.

"Are you serious right now?" I asked as I turned to him.
"Oh, don't you dare go judging me." He said raising his voice.
"Look at this place, How much did you drink tonight?!" I exclaimed.
"Enough, and I'll have another if I want to. Don't go trying to change the subject."
"Are we really going to do this now?"
"Yeah, I want to know all about your new fucking boyfriend." He snarled.
"Ronnie is not my boyfriend. I told you he was a friend." I snapped.
"Guys aren't going to just buy you a $400 phone unless you're putting out. Who is the Ronnie guy anyway?!"
"Not all guys are fucking assholes like you are!" I shouted. Jake looked down at my shirt.
"Wait, Ronnie as in Ronnie Radke?! You hypocritical fucking bitch. You bitch and moan at me all the time about my drinking, yet now you're going to this new fucker who is hooked on drugs?!" He yelled.
"He isn't like that anymore!" I yelled back.
"Yeah, you'd know you fucking whore. You're no better than all those other groupies." He backhanded me.
I fell to the ground with a thud and grabbed onto my face as I felt the tears welled up in my eyes. I screamed as he grabbed my throat and held me against the wall.
"Let go of me!" I cried out with the little air I had left.

There was nothing, but evil in his eyes. Fear overtook me as the man I was in love with was completely under control of the alcohol he consumed. I let go of one of his wrists and dug my nails into his eyes. He yelled in pain and quickly let me go. I ran to the door and frantically looked for Janey's key. I unlocked the car and drove off in a rush. I dialed Janey's number as I drove over to her house quickly.
"Hello?" She answered tiredly after a couple rings.
"Can I come over please?" I cried out into the phone.
"Anberlin?" She asked as worry filled her voice.
"Please." I cried out again.
"Of course! You don't even have to ask!" She replied quickly.

I quickly turned her car off and went into the house. She was waiting for me in the living room. When I came inside she quickly stood up and embraced me. I cried hysterically into her shoulder as she held me. She sat me down on the couch with her. I didn't have to say anything. She knew what had happened.

We spent the whole night on her couch, me in her embrace, as I sobbed myself to sleep.