All I Know to Do Is Shed a Tear for You

The ride to my house from Matt's house was dreadfully quiet. Everyone seemed to be in their own worlds as Matt drove. Jimmy had allowed me to sit in the front passenger seat, despite the fact that sitting in the back did no good for his tall frame, in order to give Matt directions to my house. Out of the corner of my eye I could see him sitting back there staring out the window, his brow creased as he immersed himself in his thoughts.

Next to me Matt sat silently, only speaking when he had to ask me which way he needed to turn. One of his hands was on the steering wheel while the other rested on my thigh, reassuringly squeezing it every once in awhile. He kept his eyes on the road for the most part, every few minutes I would catch him quickly looking over at me before turning his attention back to the road.

Meanwhile my thoughts swirled around the events of the day. I never would have thought I would have a way out of my house. Something more permanent than Zacky's house on the weekend. I would have never thought that I could feel safe with practically a complete stranger. It was a little more than mind blowing.

"It's the house on the right" I told Matt as we neared the house I had been trying to avoid for the past few days. "Just pull up near the curb."

Matt nodded as he listened to my instructions, parking his car in the place I showed him. No one made a move to get out of the car as we sat there. I felt Matt give my leg a light squeeze and I saw Jimmy nod his head at me in the rear view mirror. Really it was now or never. I had to get some of my things if I was going to be spending an indefinite time at Matt's house. I didn't get the choice to chicken out.

Slowly I got out of the car, Matt and Jimmy following suit, and reached for Jimmy's hand. Immediately his hand closed around my smaller one and he squeezed gently. I was vaguely aware of Matt taking my other hand but really paid it no attention as I began walking up the walk to the house.

The door loomed up in front of me, seeming as ominous as it ever had been. It seemed to be relatively quiet in the house. Normally after a fight, such as the one earlier, my mother went on a mini cleaning rampage. Anything that got thrown while we argued went in the garbage bin and other things were moved around forcefully to 'relieve her anger'. Yet none of that seemed to be happening.

Quietly I moved into the house, not wanting to attract her attention if she was lurking somewhere near the front of the house. The coast seemed to be clear of her. The house maintaining it's eerily quiet-ness. The entire time Jimmy and Matt never let go of my hand.

The explosion came when we reached my bedroom door. It was as if she had been waiting for me to come home. She had a chair placed a few doors down from my room and was waiting with a scowl on her face.

"And where the fuck did you go, you ungrateful brat? You don't just leave this house without telling me. And who the fuck do you think you are bringing those people here" she bit out as she stalked closer to us. "You're grounded. You aren't to leave this room at all. You'll go to-"

"Listen lady" Jimmy cut her off, his finger pointing in her face as he pushed me behind him protectively. "She's not staying here anymore. We're her fucking friends, not 'those people'. Get over yourself and maybe Georgie will come back. Until then we'll do your job of taking care of her. And you can be damn sure we'll do a better job than you."

By the time he had finished talking he had backed her up past my room and Matt had ushered my shaking frame into my room. I hadn't even realized how badly I was shaking until Matt pulled me into his arms and held me tightly against his chest as he rubbed my back and tried his hardest to calm me down. It was ridiculous how worked up I got over her words. She just terrified me.

I let myself calm down some before I pulled away from Matt. Tears were still wanting to fall from my eyes but I refused to let them fall. I was going to be strong. I was back in my own element. In my room, where she theoretically couldn't hurt me. I had a few bags to pack so I could get away from her for as long as possible.

"You're room's nice" Matt spoke, breaking the silence that had come over us as we both stuffed clothes in duffel bags. "I like it."

I smiled as I placed a few more articles of clothing in the duffel bag I had. "Thanks. My dad helped me with it." Once again I found myself smiling to myself as I thought about the time my dad and I had spent decorating the room to my exact specifications. "I'll be done in a minute. Just have to grab some things from the bathroom."

Two and a half duffel bags later Matt and I were making our way downstairs. I was still arguing with him over the fact he refused to let me carry any bags except for my loaded messenger bag that held all my school things. I understood that he was being 'gentlemanly' but I was perfectly capable of carrying my own bags.

However I wasn't able to dwell on it long due to the strange and complete silence that was coming from the living room where Jimmy was sitting. I quickly looked around the room, trying to figure out where my mother was. Seeing as we had left her and Jimmy arguing upstairs i had just assumed that they would make their way down here and continue to argue. My mother never was one to back down from an intense argument or debate. It wasn't in her blood.

"She just stormed out." Jimmy answered, already knowing the question that I was getting ready to ask. "Apparently she didn't appreciate being spoken to so harshly by 'riff raff'."

With a roll of my eyes I started out towards Matt's car. All I wanted to do was get out of here. To be gone before the wicked witch of the west came home and decided it was time to do more than scream at me. Jimmy and Matt followed closely behind each holding a bag, Matt carrying two because he felt the need to act all tough and macho.

The ride back to Matt's house was quiet once again, but not as tense as the earlier ride. Yet even in the complete silence I felt comforted. It was beyond lovely. If it only it could have lasted after we pulled up to his house.

Zacky stood waiting for us as we pulled up. A livid expression on his face. His arms were crossed against his chest as he leaned against his car. His expression only darkened as I got out and attempted to grab a few of my bags out of the back. I already knew what was going to come out of his mouth. And to be completely honest I did not want to deal with it. However, Matt and Jimmy grabbed all the bags from me and sprinted in the house, shutting the door behind them quickly and forcing me to talk to Zacky.

"So you're staying here?" he asked stiffly, practically glaring at me as I stood in front of him. "With a complete stranger basically?"

"Where would you have me go Zack? Your mom refuses to let me stay during the week because of school and I can't stay at my house anymore" I sighed as I stuffed my hands in my pockets. Zacky was beyond livid with me. That much was apparent in his facial expression. He had good reason to be if I was honest with myself, but getting a lecture was not on my list of things to do. "And besides, Jimmy is staying here as well. It's not like I'm staying here with him alone. Why do you suddenly not trust him? You were fine with him a few days ago."

At my words he scoffed and moved from against his car. "Obviously I'm not the only one who has suddenly changed their feelings about a certain person. If I remember correctly you could barely stand being in the same room as him a few days ago" he spat as he got in his car, slamming the door shut behind him.