No Matter What

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^*Brian’s POV*^
I woke up in a different place than I had for the past few weeks. I wasn’t staring up at Matt’s bunk as he hung down from it and repeatedly tapped my shoulder wanting me to wake up, I was on a couch, staring at a ceiling fan. I sat straight up and looked around, and realized the event of the previous day wasn’t a dream.

“Woah, you okay?” Jimmy asked from the opposite couch and I shook my head.

“No. No I’m not.” We broke out of prison. If we got caught now we’d never get out, we’d be in those concrete cells until the day we die. “Please, someone tell me I’ve gotten some crazy fucking drug from the hospital and this is some side effect hallucination.” I begged, really hoping we hadn’t been as stupid as I think we are.

“Nope.” Zacky answered and I groaned.

“What the fuck is wrong with us?” I asked, leaning back with my hands over my face. “We’ll be fucking prosecuted if we get taken back now.”

“We’re not getting taken back.” Matt said, and sat down beside me. “The prison probably doesn’t even know we’re gone yet. We’ll be fine. Don’t freak out.”

“Hey guys,” We all looked over at the stairwell as a guy walked down. I think his name’s Johnny. “I’m heading to work, all of the curtains are closed, and the doors are going to be locked. Don’t go out of the house, don’t answer the door if someone knocks, and if my sister gets home early or something, make a run for the stairs and stay quiet until I get home. Try to be back down here by about six forty five, okay?”

“Got it. Avoid the outside, and stay quiet if your sister gets home.” Jimmy summed it up a lot better than Johnny had.

“Right. I have some…interesting neighbors, so please avoid them at all costs.” Johnny said and we nodded. “Alright, don’t tear my house apart.” He turned and began walking back up the stairs. “I’ll see you guys later!” He called as he reached the top, but then turned around and ran back down. “And Zacky, no setting trash cans on fire. You nearly burnt my house down once, don’t do it again or I will turn you in.” Zacky gave him a thumbs up before Johnny turned and jogged back up the stairs.

“I’m starved.” Matt said, and got up, Jimmy was right behind him.

“Brian,” Zacky said after Matt and Jimmy had disappeared. “Are you okay?” He asked and I nodded.

“Yea just…as long as we don’t get caught and thrown back into that prison I’m fine.” I said, and stood from the couch, Zacky followed my lead, and we made our way upstairs, where Matt and Jimmy had begun cooking. “Really guys? Was cereal too much of a job?” I asked, sitting down at the couch.

“Yep.” Matt answered simply as he searched through the fridge.

“We cook, and you two get the dishes.” Jimmy smirked.

“Of course, because the women are the cooks.” Zacky muttered, and Matt turned around from the cabinets with a frying pan in his hand.

“Say it again, Zack. Say it again. Call me a woman again. I fucking dare you, you little motherfucker. I have a frying pan and I will find a way to shove it up your ass.” He threatened, and I tried not to laugh at Zacky’s expression.

“That’s how you get people to shut up.” Jimmy high fived Matt, and I just shook my head with a smile.

“That’s also how you permanently scar them for life.”

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After breakfast was out of the way, we all lounged around the living room and watched TV until the phone rang. No one answered it, but then that person continued to call.

“Someone get the fucking phone already, it’s been ringing for ten fucking minutes!” Jimmy groaned.

“Fine.” Matt reached over the back of the couch to the table and picked up the phone, pressing talk. “Hello?” We all watched as he paused for a moment. “Who?” He asked, and then his eyes got wide. “He’s off work today.” Matt’s sentence sounded more like a question. “Uh, no I’m one of his friends, he just went to take the trash out.” Matt’s expression was beginning to worry me. “Give you a call at the county jail?” Matt’s voice got kind of high. “Uh s-sure. I will. Okay, thanks bye.” He hung up and his eyes got wide. “Zack, did you forget that Johnny’s father is a judge?” Matt asked and we all looked at Zacky.

“No he’s not, he was a security guard somewhere.” Zacky said, sitting up straight. “Though, I haven’t heard anything about him in about…eleven years.”

“He’s a judge, and not just any judge; fucking Judge Rodnie.” Matt said and then pointed at me. “The judge that Brian knocked unconscious and the guy that gave us all our sentences.” He let his hand drop.

“This just got interesting.” Jimmy stated.

“You can say that again.” I sighed.

“Johnny’s a good kid, he’d never rat us out. I’ve been friends with him since I was little, I trust him.” Zacky said and Matt scoffed.

“Okay, all in favor to trust the leprechaun.” Matt said, but nor him, or Jimmy raised their hands. Zacky and I did.

“We don’t really have a choice.” I said, putting my hand down.

“I guess you’re right, but I mean…his father’s the judge.” Jimmy said, putting emphasis on his words.

“We’re safe here, Johnny’s not going to turn us in, there’s nothing to worry about so let’s all just stop now before we get any ideas.” Zacky said, raising his voice slightly.

“Fine. But if one thing happens that even hints towards him telling on us, then we’re out.” Matt said, and we all agreed.

“Let’s just all calm down about it. We’re all going to be fine, especially since we’re out of that hell hole.” I said and Jimmy scoffed.

“Hell hole doesn’t even begin to describe that place.”

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We all found ourselves bored rather quickly, but we fought through it and watched TV the whole day, not really having anything else to do. They already had a search team out, looking for us, and it was all over the local news.

“I say we just stay put here. If we stay here and we don’t go out, everything will be fine.” Matt said, and I looked over at him curiously.

“When will we leave? Wasn’t the whole reason for breaking out of prison so that we could have our freedom back?” I asked, and Jimmy and Zacky looked away from the TV and at nothing in particular, seeming as if to listen to me.

“Yes, in a way, it was also so we didn’t have to be locked up in a small room behind bars.” Matt said and then Zacky chimed in.

“And, in a few months, everything will have died down, and we’ll flee the state and we’ll all…you know, go our separate ways.” Zacky said, his voice dropping slightly with his last words.

“Go our…separate ways…” Jimmy trailed off, and I was also shocked a little by Zacky’s words, but I guess that is what will happen. I mean, we’re all not really friends; we’re just four guys that have escaped from prison, and stayed with each other because one of us knew a place that we could stay at for a while. “I never really thought of that.” Jimmy muttered.

“Uh, exactly, that’s…that’s exactly what we need to do.” Matt said, his voice taking an odd tone that I had never heard before. “I mean, it will be the best if we all spread out.”

“Right. We’re not that close. Going our separate ways will be for the best.” I said, surprisingly kind of saddened about the thought of not being around Matt, Jimmy, and Zacky. We all fell silent, the thought of parting ways at some point in the future hitting us hard, though, we all looked over at the door as the doorknob turned.

“Shit, basement!” Matt urged, and we all got up and ran to the door of the basement, Zacky and Jimmy slipping and falling, tumbling to the hard concrete floor as Matt and I got to the bottom safely.

“God…damnit.” Jimmy muttered, his voice strained as Zacky got off of him.

“Who was that?” I asked and Matt looked over to the clock on the table, which read six forty five.

“Johnny said his sister wouldn’t be home until seven…” He trailed off lightly as he turned back to me. “She must’ve gotten off work early.” He said, and I looked down as Zacky held his hand out. I pulled him up, and then went over and sat down on the couch.

“Oh sure, just…ignore the man who’s bleeding internally, and possibly suffering from a punctured lung and ruptured spleen, and currently dying on the cold, hard, concrete floor.” Jimmy muttered.

“Alright, come here.” Matt said, and went over and bent down and picked him up bridal style.

“Hey!” Jimmy panicked. “No!” Jimmy whispered frantically. “Put me the fuck down, you fucking Incredible Hulk!” He whispered and Matt shrugged with a smile and dropped him back onto the concrete. “I fucking…I fucking hate you.” He growled from the floor.

“I was going to take you to the couch so you could make a recovery, but you told me to put you down, so.” Matt shrugged as he sat down next to me.

“You did tell him to put you down.” Zacky said without looking back at him.

“Yes. Yes you did, Jimmy.” I said simply.

“You people are fucking psychotic.” Jimmy muttered, and sat down on the other couch next to Zacky.

“Zacky, do you know who his sister is?” Matt asked and Zacky shook his head.

“No, I didn’t even know he had a sister until he mentioned her yesterday. I used to live here with him, so we both could save money by splitting bills, and he never mentioned her once, and she wasn’t living here then, but apparently she is now.” Zack answered and we stopped talking as someone approached the door. “What the…?” Zacky stood up, along with Matt, Jimmy and I. The door opened.

“Bathroom.” Jimmy said, and we all darted for the bathroom. Just as footsteps were rounding the corner of the bottom of the stairs, Matt closed the door, and locked it.

“Great.” Jimmy whispered, sitting on the counter. I jumped up beside him.

“What are we-” Matt started, but I heard something and quickly put my hand over his mouth.

“Shhh.” I whispered, and everything fell silent as I reached over and turned the light off, and the footsteps echoed over to out left, and a metal door opened, and there was some shuffling before it closed back, and a machine was started up, and then the footsteps walked back to the stairs, and faded out as the door closed again. I felt teeth sink into my hand and I quickly pulled it away from Matt’s mouth. “The fuck?” I asked as I inspected the bite on my hand. “God you’re like an annoying dog.” I muttered to Matt, and he growled. “See?” I asked, and he stopped. As I turned the light on I realized he was in my face, glaring.

“Shut the fuck up,” He paused, and then smirked. “Pretty boy.” He muttered, and I scoffed. “See?” He mocked.

“At least I’m not an anger riddled freak.” I retaliated. There were snickers, and muffled laugher from our left. We both looked over, glaring at Jimmy and Zacky. Zacky was kneeled over the bathtub, hands over his mouth as he tried not to laugh, and Jimmy was on his side, hitting the sink, his face red.

“I’m-I’m sorry, I shouldn’t-” Zacky composed himself, just to suddenly stop talking as he burst into laughter, then slowly calmed down once more. “I really thought I could get through that without laughing.” He sighed, wiping the tears from his eyes.

“James, do we need to rush you to a hospital or do I need to give you mouth to mouth?” Matt asked, crossing his arms over his chest, and Jimmy stopped laughing almost automatically and jumped down from the counter.

“Oh god no.” He breathed as he opened the door and walked out. I looked over to Zacky, who was struggling to breathe.

“Zacky, are you alright?” I asked, sounding worried. He shook his head. “Oh, come here, I’ll make it better.” I jumped down and kneeled beside him, wrapping my arms around him.

“No! Let go! Oh my god, get off of me!” He flipped out, pushing me off of him, and fleeing the room. Matt couldn’t keep from laughing, and I smiled as he high fived me.

“Nice one.” He said, finally calming down from laughter, and I nodded as I exited the room, Matt right behind me.

“Did you guys notice the washer and dryer over here?” We both looked over at Jimmy as he opened a door, revealing a washer and dryer. The washer was running.

“Awesome, that means whenever one of those stops, or whenever she starts one up, we have to go hide in the fucking bathroom.” Zacky said, and I sighed as I sat down beside him.

“It’s only for a few months.”

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Night fell rather quickly, and like Zacky said, whenever Johnny’s sister had to do laundry, we had to hide in the bathroom. Johnny got home around ten, and came down and asked if we were okay, and if we needed anything, and we answered with no. He stayed down here with us for about an hour, talking and talking about how long it would take for the media to melt away. By twelve, Johnny was long gone to bed, and everyone was dead asleep except for Zacky and I. Zacky was on the verge of passing out though.

“I’m starving.” Zacky muttered, and I nodded.

“Me too, let’s go get something to eat.” I said and stood up. “Everyone should be asleep by now, so if we be quiet we can grab something and get back down here.”

“I’m not really feeling up to getting off of the couch, just bring me back something.” Zacky said and I rolled my eyes and started for the door. I reached the top of the stairs and took a deep breath and opened the door, looking out at the dark house before I slipped out. I tip toed around to the kitchen, but a light stopped me just as it was too late. I stared at the girl at the table in horror as she turned around, her eyes wide. I was shocked as I stood face to face with Johnny’s sister; a girl I thought I had gotten away from, and given up on ever being with.

“Brian?”

“Madison.”