Thou Shalt Not

The heat and a hazy, tropical sun is what I missed about Venice Beach. The cab came to stop in front of the back of Crystal and Tom's beach house. I quickly paid the fare and jumped out onto the worn cobblestone street pulling my two suitcases with me.

I rolled my luggage around with me to the front of the house and knocked on the first floor sliding glass door. Crystal jumped up from the white sofa and slid the door open, a seagull flying closely passed us with a loud screech. "I'm so glad to be home! I'm so hot and I need to change!" I smiled as we pulled out of our embrace. I turned to take in a quick glance of the sun starting to set behind the water.

I had to dress for Vancouver weather on the air ride over and hadn't bothered changing at LAX. The heat beat into my black outfit. "Go! Go change! Show me some skin! Your tan later will thank me for it." Crystal said and slid the door shut. I made my way to the back of the first floor where I stayed. Gunner usually stayed in the guest house when I wasn't here.

Everything was just the way I had left it.

After I changed, I met Crystal on the second floor balcony that overlooked Venice Beach. "I miss views like this." I chuckled as the sun warmed my skin. "I know, right?" "So, where's Tom? And Gunner? He knew I was going to be coming home today." I sighed. It wasn't going to be very pleasant when I finally seen him.

"Oh, that," Crystal said and took a gulp of her slushie margarita. "That?" I asked puzzled. "Tom had to go pick Gunner up...from jail." Crystal said and took another gulp of her drink. "From jail? Why?" I blurted outloud, a couple walking on the beach below looking up towards my commotion. "Same thing he's always getting put in jail for - disorderely conduct." Crystal scoffed.

"He called Tom - he didn't call me or I would have left him in there but Tom rushed right to get him. He was talking some blah-blah-bullshit its Christmas or some shit." Crytsal scoffed and finished her drink. "I'll pay you back. This ends today. I'm done with him. I have to break it off." I sighed with a shake of my head. I couldn't believe he was in jail yet once again. I'd almost think this was starting to become a cry for help but he thought it fun. If he had to live a normal, sober life he'd probably die.

Either way... It looked bleak. "You're really going to do it?" Crystal asked. And I nodded, remembering my conversation with Colin before I left. "Yes. I'm going to." I said. "Well it's good to hear but I want you to have Tom or myself on standby. Tom said Gunner has been agitated and very twitchy lately." Crystal warned.

Through the sliding glass doors, we saw Tom and Gunner appear. "Ready?" Crystal asked and I nodded. She grabbed her empty glass and I followed her inside.

"Lacie!" Gunner excitedly exclaimed once he saw me. I fought the urge to roll my eyes and greeted him with a straight face instead. "Jail? Really?" I asked, wasting no time in jumping right to it. "Ah shit," Gunner huffed and turned his gaze down to the floor. "No, really, why? What happened?" I asked, putting my hands on my hips. Gunner looked up and rubbed the back of his head.

"Lacie," Tom started but I stopped him from going any further. "No, I want to know what happened. You knew I was coming home today but you still had to, what, go out and get drunk? Were you fighting again?" I spat. "I like how you come home the first time in months and think you can criticize about how I live my life." Gunner scoffed.

"You're pulling my friends into your bullshit, Gunner. We all know that Tom doesn't need to be photographed walking out of a jail for godsakes." I scoffed. "Really, Lacie, it's fine-" Tom started to defend his actions or Gunner, I wasn't sure, but I wasn't going to hear it. "No, it's not fine. He thinks he's the only one his problem affects. He needs to see that it doesn't." I said.

"Since when did you get ballsy? You come home from Canada and now all of sudden you think your someone special? What all has happened up there? Because you've never came home with an attitude like this before." Gunner said, putting his hands on his hips, his jaw tensing. "You've put my friends into too many positions like today and it isn't right." I said with a shake of my head. I answered immediately, hoping no hesitations would keep me from seeming guilty.

"If I've been such an inconvience to them, why haven't they told me that?" Gunner asked, smirking. "Out of respect of me - that's the only thing I can think of because had it been me bailing you out of trouble every fucking time, I would have told you to get lost a long time ago." I snapped.

"Lacie, no one saw me pick him up. There wasn't one single paparazz-" Tom started again but Crystal cut him off this time. "Damn it, Tom! Shut up! It's not the point you weren't photographed this time. I think it's more than that, hell, I know it's more than that. How many times have you ran out to bail him out of trouble and in the meantime cancel plans you and I had? How many times?!" Crystal screeched and I was honestly taken off guard that she said anything. I thought she was going to let me do all the talking and be done with it.

"That's not my fault. He chose to cancel plans with you to help me." Gunner said and fidgeted, pulling at his clothes and chewing on his lip. Crystal's glare snapped to Gunner and her nostrils flared. I could see she was about to snap in half and I needed to diffuse the situation. She was going to waste her breath if I didn't get her out of here. In a little while it wasn't going to matter what all Gunner had done - he'd be gone and off to mooch off somebody else.

"Crystal, Tom," I said and grabbed my wallet that conveinently held my phone off the coffee table. I pulled out my credit card and shoved it in Tom's hands. "Ice cream on me? Maybe a few rides and games on the pier? Make an evening out of it - I don't care." I smiled and then smiled over at Crystal. "You know your money is no good with me." Tom said and started to hand my card back to him. I shook my head and stepped back from the card he was holding out towards me. "No, please. I insist. My treat." I smiled.

"If you're sure," Crystal said skeptically. "I'm so sure. Please go and have fun." I smiled. "I'll call you when we're on our way home. You'll be okay?" She asked, her eyebrow raised. I bit my lip and nodded. Tom didn't know I was going to break up with Gunner because if he had, he wouldn't have left. He would have stayed here until it was over with and Gunner was gone.

"Lacie?" Crystal grabbed my attention again. I could see she was torn, battling within herself to stay or go. She wanted to give me space to do this on my own but she wanted to be close by just in case things went awry. "You'll be close, Crystal. I'll call you if I need you." I smiled faintly. "Make sure you do. God, I don't want to come home to a mess." Crystal scoffed and grabbed her crossbody bag off the counter. "What are you talking about a mess?" Tom asked as she pulled him down the stairs. I waited until I heard the door shut until I turned my attention back to Gunner.

"Gunner, I-" Before I could even start to finish what I was about to say he had crossed the room in two strides and pressed his lips down onto mine. Immediately I tried to push him off me but his force only became stronger. "Gun-ner," I tried to speak, smushed between his lips. He only smiled against my lips. "S-top," I said and pushed against his chest.

He pulled away, still holding my face in his hands. "Get over being mad. I've missed you and all I want to do is take you to our room for a little while." He spoke softly and I could have swore I seen the good Gunner shining through briefly. But maybe what I saw was the alcohol. He was buzzed and his feelings were influenced. I started to shake my head to protest but he pressed his lips back down against mine.

We laid naked in my bed with Gunner beside me panting. I looked up at the ceiling scolding myself. God, I was a fucking idiot and a fucking whore. All I could think of was Colin. I winced when I thought of how he would react when he found out about this.

I was supposed to break up with Gunner - not have sex with him!

"That was amazing." He panted and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Great? I just laid there and I didn't even come. "That was the last time." I said. "What do you mean it's the last time?" Gunner asked as he laid over on his side and wrapped his arm across my waist. "I mean it's the last time we ever have sex. I'm done." I said and tried to get up from the bed but he held me down. "What do you mean you're done?" Gunner asked, anger already welling inside him.

"Just what I said, I'm done. We're over. Now get off me." I said and moved his arm from my waist and stood up from the bed. I grabbed my clothes off the floor and quickly dressed back into my shorts and tank.

"What the fuck? We just had sex! What the fuck is wrong with you?" Gunner spat as he sat up on the edge of the bed. He grabbed at my wrists and I jerked away from him. "I can't do this anymore! We're not going anywhere! We've been at the same place in our relationship for the last seven goddamn years! You love the drugs and the booze more than you love me!" I yelled.

Anger flashed in his eyes. "You knew who I was before you agreed to be with me, Lacie! You knew exactly who I was." Gunner said and stood up, pulling on his basketball shorts. "No, I didn't. You were different. You changed." I said. "I always drank. I always done drugs." Gunner smirked. "Okay, so that means you gave a fuck enough about me to hide it and not do it around me because I never knew that. Now, well now, you just don't care. You snort line after line while you're on the phone with me! You beg Tom and Crystal for money so you can get high or get a pack of beer, whichever comes first!" I screamed.

"So, I've changed? I've changed? I think you're the one that's changed. You've been on location working with celebrities and come home and now all of sudden I'm not good enough for you? You come home thinking you're someone special now, that it?" Gunner stepped towards me, his tone mocking at me. "Let's not forget where you came from, Lacie. Let's not forget who you really are. A bar whore." Gunner teased and anger reigned down upon me.

"A bar whore that would take any gang dick. I should have at least let you get the taste of the two I pulled off you, shouldn't I? Is that why you secretly want out? You've been holding too much of a grudge?" Gunner smirked and I snapped. Tears welled in my eyes at his mean and hurtful words. My hand made contact with his cheek with a hard slap.

It didn't take but a second for Gunner to slap me back. "Fuck you. You aren't better than me. Fuck you, bitch!" Gunner spat as he turned and walked over to the loveseat that sat in the corner of the room. I held my hand at my cheek, trying to soothe the iron-hot tingles that rested across my flesh.

Gunner kept mumbling that I was a bitch and that I wasn't better than him. He reached underneath the couch and popped open a knife blade. My heart dropped and I thought for sure he was going to kill me but he stabbed the couch cushion instead and ripped it open. I watched him with wild eyes - he was going crazy.

He continued to stab at the cushion before he started to rip out the insides, throwing feathers and fuzz all over the room. He pulled out a bag of white powder and stabbed it open, dumping it all over the small coffee table. He slammed his entire face into the powder and inhaled, pausing slightly to lick the white powder off his lips.

"Oh my God. Look at you! You've turned into a total maniac! You look like a fucking crazy person!" I yelled. He looked up at with cocaine powdered all over his face. "Get your shit, get your drugs and get the fuck out!" I screamed and grabbed my phone off the dresser.

"You aren't going to get rid of me that easily, sweetheart." Gunner laughed and wiped the powder off his face with his hand and licked the white dust away. I shook my head at him. He was worse than I thought. I thought he had just been pills he done, and they were bad enough, but cocaine? I couldn't believe it.

"You need help, Gunner! You need fucking help!" I yelled and walked over to the door, I swung it open. "There's nothing wrong with who I am!" Gunner screamed and dipped his finger in the cocaine and rubbed it along his gums.

“If you honestly think there’s nothing wrong with you then there is seriously something wrong.” I said. “Get out.” I pointed down the hallway. “I said that you’re not going to get rid of me that easily, Lacie.” Gunner smirked as he rubbed more cocaine into his mouth. “Fine,” I shrugged. “I’ll leave but I’d suggest you be gone with all of your shit by time Crystal and Tom get home or you might just end up in jail again for the second time today.” I said and shut the door behind me, making my way down the hall.

I needed to get out quickly. I already had my phone so I slipped on a pair of Crystal’s flip-flops by the door and grabbed my purse hanging off the back of the kitchen barstool after throwing my wallet inside it. I didn’t know what Gunner was capable of right now. He had been violent on a few occasions before but it was more shoving and roughhousing, never a blatant slap across my fucking face. It still felt like a million tiny fire ants were biting into my flesh.

I sent both Crystal and Tom a text in case one didn’t get it. ”I’ll be on the beach by the bench a few houses down. Things went bad. Gunner is still in the house and won’t leave. I’m okay.”

~*~

Crystal was finishing the last bit of her cookie dough ice cream cup when her iPhone vibrated on top of the picnic table. “It’s Lace,” Crystal said as she picked up her phone and opened the message. “Fuck.” Crystal said and started to stand up. “What? What’s wrong?” Tom asked as he looked up at her, watching her frantically move around to throw away her trash. Tom’s phone dinged and he pulled it out of the front of his shirt pocket. “Shit. Can’t we ever have a nice time out without someone interrupting us?” Tom groaned and stood up to throw away his bit of trash.

“We knew this may have been a possibility tonight.” Crystal said and put the phone to her ear. “What the hell happened?” She spat into the receiver. Tom watched her listen intensely to her best friend on the other end, his stomach in knots at what could have happened.

“HE SLAPPED YOU?!” Crystal screeched and her nostrils flared. Tom’s fists clenched at his sides and he started towards the car. “Are you safe right now? People are around?” Crystal asked as she hurried to catch up with Tom. “We’ll be right there. Stay where you are.” Crystal said and hung up the phone. “I’m going to kill that bastard. I’ve wanted a good enough excuse to off him and think this may be just the one. Motherfucker. That stupid motherfucker! He hit her!” Crystal yelled and hurriedly tried to dig the keys out of her crossbody bag.

“He’s going to get it, Crystal. Mark my words.” Tom said calmly. He was always so calm even when there was a storm brewing inside him. “No, let me take care of this. She’s my best friend and I think I hate him more than you do.” Crystal said and ripped her keys from her bag. Tom yanked the keys out of her hand. “There’ll be no driving for you when you’re visibly this upset.” Tom said. “Driving angry or experiencing a high of any emotion is dangerous.” He added.

“Shut up, Tom. I know these roads like the back of my hand. We all drive angry here. Look at the goddamn traffic.” Crystal scoffed. “Yes, love, but orange is not going to be your new black today.” Tom smiled and they had reached Crystal’s gun metal colored Cadillac SRX. Crystal reached for the driver’s door despite Tom having the keys in his hand. “Ah, you can ride shotgun, love. Go on then. You’re wasting time.” Tom said and shooed Crystal over to the passenger side. “Oh my God! Crystal yelled and made her way around the Cadillac. Tom snickered and climbed into the driver’s seat. If he didn’t laugh about something, he’d feel something stronger than anger and he needed to get himself and Crystal home first.

~*~

“Lace?” I heard my name being called and I looked up from the sand I had been absent-mindedly playing in. The sun had settled low behind the water, only a soft ochre color present in the sky. I stood up and wiped the sand from my behind as Crystal stepped to me and pulled me into a hug. “Stay here. I’ll go get him out of the house.” Tom said from behind Crystal and he started to walk away. “Tom, no. I don’t want you to go in there. He’s fucking crazy.” I said, afraid for my friend. “I’ve dealt with crazy before. Stay here.” Tom shrugged off my concern and made his way back to the house only a few houses down.

Crystal and I sat on the bench talking about what happened when Tom reappeared. “Let’s go have us a bloody fucking drink.” Tom said and both Crystal and I turned to see a not so dishelved Tom. Crystal noticed the blood on his knuckles. “What the fuck?” Crystal asked and ran to his side. She played with the torn piece of his t-shirt and then analyzed his face. “I’m good, love. I’m fine.” Tom chuckled and took a deep breath. “And we might want to work on cleaning up Lacie’s room. It looks like motherfucking Goodfellas in there.” Tom scoffed.

“I can’t have Rosa clean cocaine up!” Crystal whined and both Tom and I burst into a fit of laughter. “I’ll do it. I hope you have a pretty good vaccum. He had it everywhere. We’ll have to dump that shit down the toilet.” I said, couldn’t believe that I was going to have to clean up a mess of cocaine in our house.

“How’d you get him to leave?” I asked as we stepped over the sidewalk and into the gate that led to the small patio of the beach house. “I threw his ass out.” Tom shrugged. “Do you think he’ll be a problem?” Crystal asked as she shut the gate behind her and locked it. “Probably,” Both Tom and I said at the same time. “I guess we’ll deal with it when it comes up but all I want to do right now is wash this blood off my skin, change my clothes and have a bloody drink or twelve.” Tom said as he slid the glass door open.

“We’ll be upstairs on the balcony. I’ll get your drink, er, drinks.” Crystal chuckled and pressed a quick kiss to Tom’s cheek. “Tom?” I called as he started for the stairs to his and Crystal’s bedroom on the entire third floor. “Yeah?” He asked as he paused on the stairs, turning back to me. “Thanks. You’re a good friend.” I smiled, completely grateful I had someone so completely on my side they’d endure bodily harm for me. I know Gunner hadn’t hurt him but the risk was still involved. “It’s nothing.” Tom shrugged.

It may have been nothing to him but it was everything to me.