Inhale

"Hey Evie." Sid said the next day at work when he walked in. I glared at him. Marco laughed and smiled.

"I think you're in deep shit, homie." Marco told him. I stood behind the counter glaring at Sid. He groaned and slowly walked up to the counter. He leaned his hands on it and his eyes already said he was sorry.

"Evie, you know they needed to know. I'm sorry." Sid started.

"On the day of Larry's fucking funeral?" I asked through my teeth.

"Fuck! Evie, I'm sorry. The timing may of been a little off, but you won't tell them anything until you're forced to. Come on, you know I love your parents. They even like me, which is kinda new for me, but they like me." He pleaded. I sighed and crossed my arms at him. He groaned painfully and laid his head on the counter.

"I love you Evie." Sid said.

"Low blow, asshole." I said. His head popped up and he smiled at me.

"But I do love you Evie." He grinned walking behind the counter towards me. I glared and backed up. He laughed and lunged towards me and started tickling me. I am laughing and trying to get away from him.

"Still love me?" He asked as he stopped. I smiled and hugged him.

"What the fuck? Why am I always left outta this shit?" Marco yelled.

"Get over here man!" Sid laughed at him. Marco ran and hopped over the counter and had his arms around me and Sid. He sighed happily.

"What in the fuck did I miss?" I heard Mick asking from behind us. I heard Corey and Jim laughing too.

"Group hug." Sid grinned as we all moved away from each other. I turned and smiled at them.

"Uh huh. Sid almost got his ass kicked." Marco said sitting on the counter. Corey looked at me.

"Because of yesterday?" Corey grinned.

"Fuck yes because of yesterday. She knows I'm right though. Don't you, asshole?" Sid grinned. I laughed and flipped him off. Sid smirked and shook his head at me.

"Comments to yourself Sid." I grinned. He laughed and nodded. I sat up on the counter working on a memorial bench that I am sketching for Larry. I plan on making it with some help from my dad.

"Wow. You can really draw." Jim said, looking at my sketch pad. I smiled at him. "That for your friend?" He asked.

"Yeah. My dad does a lot with woodworking, and Larry loved a bench to sit on. Thought it would be nice." I told him. He smiled and nodded.

"Better chain it to one of the posts. Those fucking feral kids come around and it'll be gone." Marco said.

"Feral children?" Corey laughed.

"More like Children of the Corn." Marco said. We all cracked up laughing.

"Anyways, what are you guys up to?" I asked them.

"Checking on you." Jim said. Mick glared at him.

"What? We are. You said so yourself." Jim grinned.

"No. I said let's go to the record store. Dick." Mick shot back. I am trying to not laugh.

"Well, I'm still here." I smiled.

"Good. Keep your boney ass inside too." Mick said. Corey glared at him.

"She doesn't have a boney ass. It's really-" I put my hand over Corey's mouth, making them all laugh.

"New topic." I smiled, dropping my hand. I saw Marco staring out the window and he looked worried.

"What?" I asked. Sid pulled me off the counter. "What the fuck?" I asked. I can't see because there are two giant men blocking my view by the names of Jim and Mick.

"Go in the back. Now." Sid told me.

"Wha-" I knew. He's outside. What the fuck?

"Got your phone?" Marco asked. I nodded.

"No one make any sudden moves. Evie, walk to the back and call 911." Corey said calmly. Mick and Jim have their backs to the window.

"Just stay calm. No sudden anything. It's like he's not here." Corey said.

I nodded and grabbed a box of inventory off the counter. The guys all leaned on the counter, acting like they're talking. I got to the back and called 911.

"I need someone out here right now. Theres a guy here who is wanted for rape." I told the operator. They got my information and I can feel my heart pounding as I hung up.

Since the last time this prick showed up, I've been carrying the knife Mick gave me in my pocket. I reached in my pocket and felt it, just to make sure it was really there. I sat, feeling jittery and jumpy. I heard the bell of the front door and I froze.

"Babe?" I heard Corey ask quietly. I started to breathe again. He walked around the corner and grinned.

"They got him. He's in cuffs right now." He smiled. I almost collapsed in relief. He hugged me hard and kissed my cheek.

"Evie? The police need to speak with you." Marco said as he came into view.

Corey let go of me and held my hand as we walked to the front. The young officer was at the front of the store.

"Evie, right?" The officer asked. I nodded. "That guy out there," He pointed at the squad car. "His name is Anthony Cribbs. I need you to identify him if he was the one who attacked you at the club that night." He told me.

"What? I have to go up to the car? For real?" I shrieked. Corey squeezed my hand.

"He can't hurt you. He has handcuffs on and he's not getting out of the car." The officer told me.

"I'll be right there with you. It'll be fine." Corey assured me.

I can't breathe again. I nodded and squeezed Corey's hand as we walked outside. There was another officer standing by and he opened the car door. I froze in place.

"Evie? It's ok. He can't do anything." Corey said.

"I'm not fucking walking up to the car." I said. I can see him just fine from where I am.

"Jerry! Pull him out and keep a hold on him." The officer said to his partner. Jerry pulled the guy out, and I swear to Christ, I could feel his fucking fingers digging into my throat and arm all over again. It's him. He looks the exact same as before.

"That's him." I whispered.

The officer looked at me, then his partner and nodded. They put Anthony back in the car. I can see Anthony sneering at me through the window and I shivered.

"Thank you. I sincerely mean that." The officer said to me.

I nodded and turned around, going back inside. I walked past all of them, not looking at any of them. I dropped Corey's hand as I made it to the backroom. I went inside the tiny bathroom and turned the sink on. I splashed cold water on my face.

"Evie? Hey girl, let me in." Sid said.

I unlocked the door and he squeezed himself inside. He shut the door as I dried my face. He turned me around.

"You did good. You know this, right?" He asked. I nodded, feeling tears fall down my face.

"Hey, it's ok now." Sid told me, hugging me tight.

I can't let go of him as I continued to cry. I'm not being quiet either. They're loud sobs that I have no control over at all.

"Shhh. You're ok." Sid told me softly.

I just held on to him and cried for a good ten minutes. When I was finally done, I turned the sink on again and splashed my face with cold water. Sid handed me some paper towels. I dried my face off and looked at him.

"A little better now?" He asked. I nodded. "Go home. You need to." Sid told me.

"No. What the fuck am I going to do? Sit and think about all of this. You know I will." I told him. He sighed and nodded.

"Dammit. You fucking kill me some days." He grinned. I smiled and nodded. He opened the door and we shifted around to get out of the bathroom. I saw Corey standing there.

"Come here, baby." He said, holding his arms out to me. I went over to him and felt relaxed as soon as he held me against his chest.

"You ok?" He asked.

"Yeah. I'll be fine." I told him.

"You should go home." Corey said.

"No. I'm good. I have some stuff I need to do here. If I go home, it's all I'll think about." I told him.

"Ok. As long as you're sure." He said. I nodded as we walked out front. I sat on the counter and Mick looked at me.

"Stubborn ass." He grinned. I smiled and nodded.

"Her parents tell her she's an asshole." Marco grinned, nudging me.

I smiled at Marco and pulled my phone out. I found a picture of Orco and sent it to him. His phone beeped and he opened it and glared at me.

"What the fuck, Evie? Why are you sending me pictures of that rabid little bastard?" Marco yelled. I laughed.

"The devil Guinea pig again?" Jim grinned at me. I smiled and showed him the picture. Jim laughed.

"Oh yeah, man. That little guy is gonna rip your face off. Are those fangs?" Jim smiled at Marco.

"Chupacabra! I am fucking telling you guys!" Marco yelled. We are all laughing at him.

"Marco, he loves you." I grinned.

"Chica, he's fucking taste testing me. Making sure I'm ok to fucking eat!" Marco yelled then ranted in Spanish. We are laughing so hard at him.

I took Boss back to my parents house the next day in my car. He loves a car ride, and it was nice to be able to go somewhere alone for the first time in almost six months. I enjoyed riding with the windows down and Boss sticking his huge head out the window.

I spent the day working on the bench for Larry with my dad. We put the varnish on it, and once it dries in a few days, I'll take to work. It turned out really nice. He etched in the bench, 'In Loving Memory of Larry Peterson'. I was really happy with it and took pictures. I sent them to Corey, Sid, and Marco.

I got a text back from Corey that said: I love it. Just like I love you. Aww! I smiled hard when I saw that. Marco and Sid texted back that they loved it too. I left my parents house and went home. I opened the garage door, and smiled at the aerial sling. I went in to change, then came out to the garage. After finding the right music, I started climbing up the sling and got lost in the music and movements.

Four songs later, and I'm wiped out. I know it may not look like much, but you use muscles you never knew you had. I slid down the sling and headed inside to play with Orco.

I sat on the floor playing with Orco and watching TV, happy for the quiet time alone in my own house. Not that I don't love having everyone around, I do. But we all need time alone. I put Orco back in his cage and made some dinner.

The doorbell rang and I froze for just a moment, then went to answer it. I saw a guy holding flowers, and his delivery truck as I looked through the window. I opened the door and saw a huge vase of red roses.

"Evie Sanders?" The delivery guy asked.

"Yeah that's me." I said. He grinned and handed me the vase, then walked away.

I closed and locked the door. I went to the dining room and set the flowers on the table. There wasn't a card, which I found really odd. The only card was the card to the floral shop. I grabbed my phone and called Corey.

"Hey babe! Have a good day at your dad's?" He asked happily.

"Yeah, it was good. I have an odd question for you." I said. I heard him laugh.

"Sure. Whatcha got?" He asked.

"Did you send me flowers and not put a card with it?" I asked.

"What? No." He said.

"For real?" I asked.

"Babe, I swear I didn't. But, I feel like I should of because I feel like an asshole now." He said. I grinned. "You check with Sid or Marco?"

"No. Let me call you back." I said.

"Alright. Bye babe." He said, hanging up.

I talked to Marco, and he said he hadn't. I started to get a sinking feeling in my stomach. I called my dad first and he said he hadn't either. He offered to come over, but I declined. I called Sid finally.

"What up, girl?" Sid laughed.

"Hey, did you send me flowers with no card?" I asked. He laughed and I started to feel a little better. That is, until I heard what he said next.

"Nope. Wasn't me. You check with your boyfriend?" He asked.

"Yeah. It's not him or my dad, or Marco." I told him. He was quiet.

"Let me call the guys. You know, just to make sure. Sit tight. I'll call you back." He said hanging up.

I sat at the table and stared at the flowers. They were beautiful. Perfect, actually. They were so vibrant in color. Who ever bought them, had to spend a lot of money on them. The phone rang, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Evie, it wasn't any of the guys." Sid told me. I am getting a very uneasy feeling. I don't know why though.

"Oh. Um, ok." I said.

"Maybe it's someone from the funeral home or the homeless shelter?" Sid suggested.

"I...I don't think so." I said quietly.

"Hey, you ok? Want me to come home?" He asked.

"Sid, I'm fine. Don't worry. Thank you for offering. I'll talk to you later." I said.

"Hey, you call me if you need anything. Got it?" He asked.

"I will. Bye." I said, hanging up. I grabbed the card out of the flowers and was going to call the florist, but Corey called before I could.

"Hey! You find out who it was?" He asked.

"Um. No. Sid checked with the guys. I checked with Marco and my dad." I said. "I was going to call the florist." I told him.

"Maybe I should come over." He said quietly.

"Corey, I'm fine. I'm just being paranoid." I said. He sighed.

"You sure?" He asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine." I said. I'm trying to convince myself of this.

"As long as you're sure. It's fine if you want me to babe. I don't mind at all." He said.

"I'm fine. I promise I am Corey. I'll call you in the morning." I told him. I heard him sigh.

"You promise you will call if you need me? I don't care what time it is." He said.

"I will. I promise. I love you." I told him.

"You know I love you. Bye babe." He said as he hung up. I called the florist and was informed that they couldn't release any information to me about who it might of been. Goddammit!

Feeling uncomfortable having them, and not knowing who they are from, I opened the door that leads to my garage, and threw them in the trash can. I closed and locked the door.

Pushing the thoughts out of my mind, I sat down and watched TV for the rest of the night.