Shit, shit, fuck!

It would be my luck to stop off at the one truck stop before San Diego to run into Tony. I was so careful at choosing where I stopped that fate would have made me a fool and do this to me. I cursed under my breath once more as I dug in my purse—which happened to be filled with shit I didn’t use—and extracted my keys. I gripped them in my hands as I approached my car.

“Effie! Please, just stop!” Tony called once more as I reached my car.

If it hadn’t been for my fumbling fingers to drop the car keys I would’ve been long gone with Tony left behind in my exhaust. But fate was playing tricky tonight, and low and behold Tony had caught up to me. I was breathing heavily and I could feel the slight urge to cry surface, but I gulped that down. I shut my eyes tightly and sighed, turning around to face Tony because I knew there was no way I could run again. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to run anymore, not with Tony standing so close to me. I expected Tony to yell at me or to at least be upset with me, but he surprised me by wrapping me in a hug.

“I’ve missed you so much.” He whispered, his breath shifting my hair because he was breathing heavily.

I didn’t hug him back immediately, partially because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be with him at the moment. Being near Tony shifted something within me, and I wasn’t up for another change in my life. I was only here to pick up my check then leave. Nothing more, nothing less. I needed this check to assure that everything will be alright.

Tony pulled away, his hands still on my shoulder, and smiling broadly at me. I wasn’t quite certain because we were standing in a dimly lit area, but I could’ve sworn that Tony had tear streaks on his cheeks. It made my heart melt to know that Tony still cared for me.

“How’ve you been?” He asked making small talk with me.

A part of me didn’t want to talk to him because I knew I’d get lost in his brown eyes and his soft voice, but it wouldn’t be fair to Tony if I remained quiet.

“I’ve been good.” I lied for the sake of speeding up this conversation.

Tony saw right through me. I could tell by the way his jaw slightly clenched and the way his eyes searched mines, discovering the truth in my eyes.

“You lost a lot of weight.” He commented. I knew I couldn’t hide the fact that I nearly dropped 25lbs since I last saw him. My arms looked like sticks and I’m sure my eyes had looked like they sunken in a bit. Even my collar bones looked prominent beneath my shirt, jutting out like roots from a tree.

I shrugged knowing that I didn’t have a good enough excuse to buff that one off. Some days I ate, and other days I didn’t. it just depended on what kind of mood I was in.

“And it looks like you haven’t slept in days.” He added as he peered down at my face.

I felt my eyes narrow at him. “Are you just gonna criticize how bad I look?” I snapped. I blame the lack of sleep and eating for my cranky ways. Ever since leaving San Diego, my eating and sleeping patterns were unstable, making it hard to just relax.

Tony smirked at me before grabbing a hold of my hand. I flinched because I knew once his warm palm clasped around my bony fingers, he’d get his way no matter what he asked of me.

“Join us for dinner, please.” He urged with a pleading look.

Every fiber in me screamed no because then we’ll just be heading down that dead end trail that got me into this mess to begin with. It’d be in Tony’s best interest if I wasn’t a part of his life, if I just vanished again, but a small part of me begged to at least share a meal with him. I was being selfish at the moment, so I agreed to have dinner with him and the rest of the band.

“They must think I’m a terrible person.” I muttered as Tony led me back to the tiny diner.

“No, they were just worried.” He answered with a shrug.

Doubt it. I thought to myself as we entered through the diner’s threshold.

I gave a cautious smile to the three guys who sat at the booth. They all looked at me with warm smiles. Well, all except Mike. He seemed to have his guard up and I didn’t blame him for it. I left without an explanation and I wasn’t gonna give one either.

“You guys remember Effie, right?” Tony announced with a huge smile on his face. I missed that smile, it’s what practically haunted my dreams all these months apart.

“Yeah, I remember her.” Mike muttered making me shift uncomfortably. Tony shot him a glare as Vic and Jaime both nodded, plastering smiles on their faces.

“We remember you.” Vic replied trying to ease the tension radiating from Mike. I knew—without anyone saying it out loud—that Mike wasn’t a fan of mines.

“She’s gonna join us for the night.” Tony announced, his genuine smile returning to his face.

“Is she gonna stay the entire time?” Mike asked in a clipped tone.

I winced knowing that I deserved that. I couldn’t deny that Mike’s words—although true—had hurt me deep down.

“Mike, cut it out.” Jaime cut in.

“Whatever.” Mike mumbled while crossing his arms over his chest.

“It’s alright, I needed to get to Lucky’s before it gets too late.” I remarked while easing away from Tony’s touch. However, Tony just held onto my hand firmly. It was then I knew that I had to get to Lucky’s. The check I left behind would help pay more than just a few bills

“You’re working for Lucky again?” Tony asked with a hopeful expression crossing his face. I almost didn’t have the heart to tell him that I was just here for a night, two night’s tops. Almost.

“No, I’m just picking up my last paycheck from him before heading out.” I answered watching the way Tony’s smile vanish from his face.

“Oh.” He said softly, his hand still holding onto mines. “You can’t leave yet anyway. At least eat something because it seems as if you haven’t had a decent meal in days.” He commented while gesturing me to take a seat next to Vic.

“Really, I should be going.” I began, but Tony was relentless.

“Not until you’ve had some food. When was the last time you had a meal anyway?” Tony inquired while staring into my eyes.

I gulped because I knew he wouldn’t like the answer. “I haven’t eaten since Monday.” I admitted.

I heard the guys suck in a sharp breath. Tony’s eyes softened, as if he looked troubled and sad by my answer. “You do know it’s Friday, right?” He pointed out in a soft voice.

“Yes.” I mumbled while looking to the ground. It wasn’t my fault that my appetite wasn’t there. Every time I tried to eat, my appetite would run away from me leaving me to push my food around on the plate until I decided to just leave. Like I said, some days I ate other days I didn’t. I couldn’t control my fleeting appetite.

“Well then sit down. There’s no way in hell I’m letting you leave without a proper meal.” Jaime said while making room on the table for another dish placement.

I began to protest, but Tony cut me off. “I’m not letting go of your hand until you eat so you might as well just sit down and make yourself comfortable.” Tony’s eyes blazed with solemnity, making me shiver a bit at the display of dominance he put forth. It was then I realized why I had strong feeling for Tony; he cared with depth and passion, something I’ve never had since Emily was alive.

“I can’t eat if you’re holding my hand.” I joked earning a smile from Tony in return.

“We’ll make it work.” He said then sat next to me.

I couldn’t help but smile at Tony’s words. The way he said “we” made my heart flutter inside of my chest. The waitress came back, giving me a side eye glance before taking each of our orders. I didn’t choose my regular chocolate chip pancake and hot chocolate combo—considering their hot chocolate machine was broken anyway—but I opted for scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, with the side of coffee. Tony looked surprised, raising an eyebrow at me as the waitress brought me a mug of coffee.

“What?” I asked with a hint of insecurity lingering in my voice while taking a slow sip of my lukewarm coffee.

“No usual?” He asked.

“Their hot chocolate maker is broken.” I answered with a monotone voice.

Tony snickered at my response.

“So what have you been up to recently?” Vic asked me.

I wasn’t sure how to answer this because it was just more of the usual. I arrived to a new place, worked at a bar all the while refusing to cultivate any connections with anyone, and the leaving before I got used to a specific routine.

“I lived in Seattle for a while. I liked it there.” I commented while stirring in another packet of sugar in my coffee. I hated the bitter taste.

“What’d you like about Seattle?” Jaime asked. Mike was barely listening as he focused his attention to his cell phone. I didn’t take any offense to it though. I knew he had a justifiable reason to dislike me.

“There were hardly any sunny days.” I answered almost instinctively. These past four months made me forget how to filter my thoughts.

Tony chuckled at me before saying “I see you’re back to your vampirism ways.”

I couldn’t help the giggle that passed through my mouth while Jaime and Vic looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“It’s sort of an inside joke.” I explained.

“You don’t like sunlight or something?” Vic asked.

“Effie here despises the sun. She prefers the night life.” Tony joked.

I didn’t have the heart to tell him that even within the blanket of the night, I still felt exposed and unsafe. My mood shifted slightly because all the memories of me leaving San Diego came flooding back. I left for a reason: to protect Tony from me.

“But the sun is so amazing!” Jaime reasoned earning a smile from me in return. I wasn’t in the mood to rehash my reasons for disliking the sun so I changed the subject to something lighter.
Vic and Jaime had explained that they were on their way back from doing an underground show out in the valley. Apparently, there were a lot of bands that gathered tonight to do this show. It was one of those free shows that if you knew where the concert was being held at then you could show up with no charge.

“That sounds like it must’ve been a riot.” I commented while taking a small bite of my toast. By now our food had arrived and while Vic and Jaime were explaining their rather interesting story, I was busy cutting my food into tiny pieces.

“You know that’s a sign of an eating disorder right?” Mike said blatantly while motioning to my plate. I looked at my food and found everything cut into miniscule little pieces.

“Mike, leave her alone.” Vic warned while Tony glared at Mike as if he were shooting daggers at him.

“I’m just saying. You were wondering why Effie got skinny, and I think it’s from an eating disorder.” Mike replied unashamedly.

Whatever appetite I had vanished in an instant partly because Mike was right. I stopped eating because the food wouldn’t settle well within me, so I opted to not eat until I was dizzy from starving myself. Tony’s eyes flickered to me, drenched with concern. He didn’t have to say anything because I knew what his stare was asking.

“He’s got a point.” Jaime mumbled.

“Yeah, well I think my little brother needs to learn some manners.” Vic spat while glaring at Mike.

“I think I should go.” I said while pushing my plate away from me.

“No, c’mon Effie. Mike’s just being an ass.” Tony pleaded.

“I came to San Diego to pick up my check and that’s it. I need to head back to Washington anyway.” I mumbled while averting my stare to the table top.

When I looked up at Tony I could see the hurt behind his eyes. “At least finish your dinner.” He pleaded.”

I nodded then took another bite of my dry toast. My mood was no longer sociable. In fact, all I wanted to do was curl up into a ball and sleep or cry. It was then my phone buzzed in my pocket, signaling that I had a text message. When I pulled my cell phone from my pocket, I felt my breath get hitched in my throat. The text made my eyes go wide with fear as I read the words from the unknown sender.

From unknown: I’m still waiting for the money bitch. Cough it up or kiss your precious Tony goodbye.

I gulped as I felt my hands begin to shake.

Notes

I threw in some drama in here mwahahaha :3
I just hope I didn't throw @lostinthemusic off. Well best of luck to you friend! Hope I left you off on a decent spot :D

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