-Leda's POV-

The right side of my face was becoming numb from resting on the cold glass of the window but my head wasn't strong enough to hold itself up anymore. I needed to close my eyes, just for a second.

Just a small seco-

"Er, miss" someone shook my shoulder, I pretended for a second that they didn't exist and they weren't talking to me but to somebody else. Upon opening my eyes though, I realized there were no others, it was just me, on the bus, alone. Why did it always wind up that way? Me alone, to fend for myself. I blinked a couple of times and looked towards the man who had rudely awoken me from a slumber I hadn't even realized I was in nor did I remember falling into.

"Huh?" I think that's what I said, either that or an unintelligent noise that translated as such.

"This is the last stop, ma'am" the bus driver informed me nervously as if he felt guilty for waking me up.

"The last stop?" I repeated, trying to remember where I originally planned to get off at.

"Indeed ma'am" he nodded a few too many times. I rubbed my eyes and sat up right, my neck aching from being in an awkward position for far too long.

"Oh." I mumbled, my voice coated in sleep. I picked up my small suitcase and stood up slowly, blinking rapidly to wake myself up properly.

"Are you a'right, ma'am?" He asked, a grey brow stooping low over a bloodshot eye. I nodded and replied.

"Yeah fine" I was unsure of who I was trying to convince, him or me but with a shrug I walked past him and down the aisle of the bus, just before stepping off I turned to the fragile bus driver who'd been following me to get back to the drivers seat.

"Er, thanks" I said with the politest smile I could manage. He smiled back a watery smile and I stepped off into the night.

-Vic's POV-

"Vic, come on, you have to eat" I was curled in the fetal position in bed, the blankets covering my whole body, including my head. Lily had been sat on the edge of my bed trying to coax me out of my bedroom for hours. "Vic," she shook me, I groaned in response.
"Fuck sake, Vic, get up!" She was becoming irritated and in all honesty so was I, she was fucking irritating me.

"Vic, look, nothing will be solved by you sitting wallowing in self pity. Leda wouldn't want you to be like this" I didn't reply.

"Vic co-" I sat up right immediately.

"Leave me alone, Lily!" I yelled and ducked back down beneath the blankets where I felt safe and non-existent. "In fact," I sat back up "I want the note" I spoke up.

"What?" She furrowed her brows.

"The note you showed to me a week ago, I want it. You snatched it out of my hand when Mike came into the room." She pondered this for a minute or two.

"It's been a week, Vic. I don't know where I've put it." I shrugged twisting my mouth in a sort of grimace.

"Find it" I felt guilty as soon as I said that, I hated being mean but I needed that note, desperately. She sighed heavily.

"Okay, I'll find it." I smiled triumphantly. "On one condition..."

"Yes?"

"You get the fuck up out of bed and stop moping" this time it was me sighing heavily, and then I nodded.

"Deal" I smiled, genuinely happy at the deal.

-Leda's POV-

"You lost honey?" I scuttled down the street, it was dark and cold. The area was rough, not somewhere a vulnerable runaway should be wandering around alone. The voice was razor sharp and chilling, I froze and without turning around, I replied.

"Um, nope" I kicked myself for sounding weak. I had to be brave. I took a deep breath and turned around, flashing my best smirk, I was in business mode. Hooker mode.

"I know these streets like the back of my hand." I flicked my tongue along my teeth, leaking confidence.

"Is that so?" His smirk was far more menacing than mine and although my heart sped up my face showed no weakness, I cocked my eyebrow, just to look more careless and intimidating. "Because you don't look like you're from around here" his green eyes were bright against his tan skin, teeth a slightly off white color - definitely a smoker. I didn't know where 'here' was or how far from home I'd gotten in the last few days but I put my hands on my hips, pushing my chest out, standing bold.

"You say that like you know me." I tucked my hair behind my ear flirtatiously. All part of the act. "Believe me, you have no idea" I bit my lip.

"I don't?" He scoffed and then his eyes flamed. "I read people for a living" looking at his clothes, he couldn't possibly mean professionally or legally, he had to mean like a thief or something, reading his victims, whether they were the fight or flight type.

I folded my arms across my chest and took a brave step forward. "For example, you're standing tough, acting like you're prepared for anything but you're scared," His voice slowly got lower, more menacing.

"It scares you that I've recognised this, you're convinced your face is made of stone and that it doesn't display any emotions you feel on the inside..." He stepped a little closer, his voice became a whisper. "But your eyes tell me everything I need to know." I swallowed hard, breathing slowly, trying to calm my heartbeat. He held my gaze for a few minutes, allowing the information to seep in, waiting for me to be surprised at how much he knew about me. I rolled my eyes theatrically and my smirk returned to my face.

"You're unbelievably far off." I retorted as cooly as I could.

"And you're unbelievably bad at lying. Let me buy you a drink?" His eyes flashed again. It sounded like a question, but also like a matter I didn't have a choice in.

"Where?" I motioned to the desolate street, few beat up cars lacking windshields and the overflowing dumpster on the other side of the street. "There's no bar here." I didn't even want to go to a bar, I didn't want him to buy me a drink either, I just needed a cheap motel. He took another step closer, the only working street lamp lit up his face as he stepped closer, a scar above his right eyebrow suggested danger and I wanted to runaway. I didn't though.

"There's a bar around the corner," He smirked, raising a questioning eyebrow, I opened my mouth to say something but he spoke again "But you know these streets like the back of your hand, so you already knew that." Sarcasm laced his tone and made my cheeks heat. He walked past me slowly and I watched him walk away, the sheer confidence radiating from his body and I wanted to know him, how he got that scar, what made him so endearing in such a scary scenario.

"Do you like freezing your ass off? How about that drink?" He shouted over his shoulder, even his tone had a smirk in it, I stood there for a moment longer just to be stubborn and then I followed slowly, probably about to get myself in more trouble.

But I'd always been the best at that hadn't I?

-Mike's POV-

Days seemed too long, nights dragged into days which then turned into nights again and I dragged myself through the house like a zombie. Lily did her best to cheer me up, making me breakfast and other endearing stuff but it left me feeling empty. I had to know why she'd gone, I had to know if it was something I did or something I said.

"Hi, Mike." Leda's mom said exhausted. Her hair had streaks of grey in it, her eyes looked hollow and vacant, purple bags decorated them, my heart dropped.

"Mrs. Drew, come sit down" I hopped off of the bar stool and motioned for her to sit in mine, even though there was three more right there. She drew me into a brief but compassionate hug and exclaimed. "Oh Mike, I'm sorry" I hugged back.

"For what?" I asked, she withdrew from the hug and climbed up on the bar stool I'd just vacated and put her head in her hands without replying.

-Leda's POV-

"Salt!" He shouted, I licked the salt quickly off of the back of my hand. "Shot!" He shouted, I took the shot, the aftertaste making me cough and the liquor stung the back of my throat. "Lime!" He yelled and I grabbed the lime out of his hand and bit it, squeezing my eyes shut at the taste, the sour liquid swirled round my mouth and I gagged slightly.

"Nice!" He nodded appreciatively. I discarded the lime on the bar and rewarded him with a triumphant smirk. "I stand corrected" he smiled and I nodded. He'd bet me I couldn't do five tequila shots in a row and I'd proved him wrong.

"What's my reward Mr. Dark and Dangerous?" I batted my eyelashes at him, the tequila slowly seeping into my system.

"Dark and Dangerous?" He repeated, amused and I giggled like a preteen. I was so caught up in the pretence.

-Vic's POV-

"Shit, its been a week Vic I don't know where it is, okay" she sighed exasperated and huffed getting rather agitated.

"You don't understand, I need that note" I pleaded rubbing my face with my hands.

"Fine!" She snapped and stood up from crouching on the floor, looking under the bed and went over to the dressing table across the room. She pulled open the second drawer down and pulled out some kind of pink jewellery box. I watched her intently as she opened it and pulled out a folded white piece of paper, I felt my face light up. Excitement took over me and I ran over and quickly snatched it out of her hands, unsurprised at the fact she'd known where it was this whole time but had acted like she had no idea. Well we all knew she was a snake, right?

I read the note again for the first time today but the hundredth time all together:

Vic,

I'm sorry for leaving,
I'm just so in love with Mike and you're making it so hard for me to be faithful. Honestly I regret everything about us, don't take it to heart, man. I think you should tell Mike about us, no point keeping a secret when nothing is going on anymore, right?

Cya one day maybe.

Leda.

My heart broke again, just like the first time I'd read it in the living room a week ago. The words swam around my head. I'd made her leave, I'd hurt her, I'd ruined everything.

She'd still be here if I hadn't gotten in the way of things.

I shook my head fiercely. No, no, that couldn't have been right, she couldn't have wrote this, she just couldn't have.

"She did write it" Lily nodded, reassuring me, convincing me. I hadn't even realized I'd said that out loud.

"But..." I trailed off, my head spinning. "Why would she want me to tell Mike?" It didn't make sense in my head, would she really leave me to pick up the broken pieces if I told Mike? Would she really leave me with the damage it would cause?

"It's just what she thinks is right I guess" Lily sighed and shrugged. I moved over to the bed, my mind feeling like it was going to overflow with all the information and questions it held inside it. It felt heavy and achy and I wanted nothing more than to sleep it away.

"Shit happens, Vic" her dismissive tone made me scoff but I was too exhausted and hurt to really form any sentences.

-Mike's POV-

You've reached Leda's voicemail, I can't come to the phone right now but leave your name and number and I'll call you asap!

Beep.

I hung up, no matter how many times I called her up she never answered, I wondered if she'd ditched her phone somewhere. I pressed the phone against my head and closed my eyes. How the fuck could you do this to me, Leda? If you wanted to set me free why the fuck wouldn't you say something?

I held onto the little hope I had left and dialled again.

Nothing.

"UGH!" I launched the phone across the room and it clattered noisily against the cabinets and then slammed against the floor into pieces.

"Mike, Mike!" Lily rushed into the room, wrapping her hands around my neck, making little 'shhh' noises and rubbing my back. She'd been everywhere lately, any time I'd gotten really angry or upset she was always right by my side ready to make me feel better. That's not where she should have been though, that's where Leda should have been. I gritted my teeth.

"I need her" I whined, choking back tears, I felt stupid and idiotic but she meant a lot more to me than I displayed.

"Shh, it's okay, it's okay" she cooed softly in my ear, her arms holding me securely. "Leda doesn't know what she's missing." For once her voice didn't sound wry or amused. It sounded sad and concerned.

"Lily, I need to forget..." I couldn't believe the words had come from my mouth but they had and her face dropped as she pulled away, her eyes slightly shocked. She knew what I meant.

"Mike..." She shook her head, I'd never seen Lily being so serious.

"Once upon a time, you told me you could help me forget. And I want to forget, dammit, I want to forget!" I exclaimed. Her mouth twisted into a slight grimace and her face suggested she was having severe internal conflict.

"Mike, its not right, I- you..." She trailed off as if she couldn't find the right words.

"Lily," I started but she shook her head and spoke.

"You don't want it, Mike, trust me. You just think you want it because you're in pain but you don't..." I jumped off the bar stool and looked her dead in the eyes, she looked back a little stunned at the eye contact.

"Please" I whispered, it almost wasn't audible. She swallowed hard.

"No" she whispered.

-Leda's POV-

The sun was still far beyond the horizon, my head throbbed from the aftermath of the alcohol from last nights happenings. I pulled the sheets off of my body slowly as to not wake him up, he didn't stir. I held my breath and I moved slowly off the bed, he stayed sound asleep, his breaths even and loud, I exhaled relieved.

I was naked. I needed to find my clothes.

I scanned the surroundings and couldn't find them anywhere, that was very weird. I checked under the bed, nada. Hm, where could they have got to?I wondered. I sieved through my memory to try and remember where I'd taken them off, or should I say where they'd been taken off me.

His breath was hot in my ear, my heart rate was accelerated to the point of no slowing down. I gasped as he broke the kiss and picked me up, wrapping my legs around his waist he slammed me against the wall. My fingers tugged hard on his hair and he groaned deep in his throat so it sounded like a growl, his lips moved to my neck as he slowly began to take down my stockings, I bit my lip and tilted my head back in ecstasy, a huge smirk planted on my lips. I ripped my shirt over my head quickly and discarded it to the floor and instead of taking my skirt off he just lifted it up so it sat around my tummy. I heard the telltale sound of the zipper and-

He mumbled something and rolled over, I stood still like the deer in the lights of an oncoming bus, ready for him to wake up and ask what I was doing and if I was leaving. He didn't wake though. I quickly checked the on-suite bathroom as a last resort and found my tights, skirt and shirt folded neatly and sat on a low down shelf near the sink. It was awfully odd that they were there but I didn't have time to question it. I pulled on my tights - commando, and then my skirt and shirt, I looked in the mirror quickly, my bright hair was sleep mussed and my eyes were bloodshot. I splashed water on my face, fixed my hair and squirted some toothpaste in my mouth before leaving the bathroom and heading over to his bedside table. On the table sat his wallet, keys, some night-quil and an empty condom wrapper. I picked up the wallet and rummaged through it, stuffing all the fifty's, twenty's, ten's and fives into my bra and leaving him with the coins. Before closing the wallet to return it to the bedside table something caught my eye, there was a picture of a woman, she was sat on a bench her legs folded formally and a bright smile lit up her face, she squinted slightly and I guessed the sun was in her eyes or something. She was beautiful, short ginger hair and long fingernails. All of a sudden I wanted to know who she was.

He groaned again and rolled over, his eyes flickered a little and that was definitely my cue to leave. I put down the wallet and grabbed my purse from last night and stuffed it into my backpack (I'd traded my suitcase for a backpack with some woman I'd met a few days ago. Holding a suitcase everywhere I went was far too obvious and I looked like a tourist) and exited his lovely home. I looked back only twice, refusing myself a third glance and headed on down the street with enough money in my bra to survive for the next two weeks. A grin spread across my face.

I was coping just fine on my own.

Notes

holla, sorry that my updates are so delayed, I'm finding it so hard to write anyone's POV's except Leda's but I don't want to write in Leda's POV because I want it to be a mystery of where she is and what she's up to but her POV's are the only ones I feel satisfied with. URGH.

So yes, this is rather shitty and short and bleh but I'm sorry okay.

Is the changing of POV's too confusing? Should I just do two POV's per chapter maximum or as many POV's but only once per chapter (so not switch from Mike to Leda to Vic to Mike to Vic etc, just do Vic, Leda, Mike...so like one POV per person per chapter?)

Let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is welcomed:)

Also, go check out my good buddy's new story The Concrete Night. It's absolutely amazing, you guys will love it!