Friday, January Twenty Third, 3:57 P.M….

Mike’s POV

“How’s Orion?” Jaime asked me. She was sleeping in the bunk. We were traveling to California, heading home for a week before setting out on the road again. I paused from a daydream, trying to refocus on the bassist in front of me.

“Good, good.” I responded nonchalantly. In truth, she worried and frustrated me. The day we picked her up from the bus stop, I saw something in her that was broken and angry. Her eyes were shards of shattered glass. Now, I had seen some pretty broken girls; we helped them out all the time. However, Rory was different.

She had gone from bus to bus, being hurt and broken. But something had really gotten to her. Her shattered stained glass eyes were sharp. She was broken and in pain, but there was rage pent up behind those blue orbs. Touch the shattered glass, try to pick it up and play with it, and she would make you bleed. She was broken and angry at someone or something-a frustrating combination.

The first day we had her, she seemed alright. A little shy, but not super secluded. As the days passed, she spoke less and less. Her lips seemed to be sealed. Nothing could pry them open. I saw her worry and anger build. In her sleep, she tossed and turned, violently messing up the sheets on her bunk. I heard her growl and howl as if in pain while she was trapped in a world of dreams. Night after night, she would start tossing and turning in her bed, stuck in an oblivion I couldn’t see. After the tossing, she would snarl like a savage beast. But the worst part was when she fell silent, only to whimper a couple of times like a dying storm.

I was worried and frustrated. I couldn’t do anything to help her. I couldn’t wake her up. She was unshakable. I couldn’t talk to her. She wouldn’t talk to me. She nodded politely, smiled weakly on the occasion. She was the greatest actress in the world. I felt bad, being angry that I couldn’t do anything to help her. Why wouldn’t she tell us what was wrong? Why won’t she let me help her piece back the glass?

“Vic wants us all at your house for the week. Safety precautions. Ricky warned us that she was a runner and would flee if she saw danger. Hopefully, if there’s enough of us, there won’t be anyone even thinking of approaching her.” Jaime nibbled on the corner of a pop tart, looking up to me as he spoke. I lay on the couch, arm over my face and eyes closed.

I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

“Yeah, yeah, good idea.”

“Dude, snap out of it.” Jaime grumbled. I sighed.

“Sorry, Himes. I’m just distracted.”

“Aw, puppy love.” He chuckled. I threw a pillow at him. He chucked it back at me. I let it rest on my chest, sighing again. Jaime mimicked me before hopping off the counter and going up to the passenger seat. Tony was driving the bus. I felt the vehicle lurch and shift as we pulled off for a rest stop.

When I opened my eyes, I was jolted awake at a figure standing a few feet away. Rory’s shy eyes peeked out at me. I sat up. She came over, silently sitting down next to me. She rested her head on my shoulder, yawning quietly.

“How’d you sleep?” I asked her. She looked up at me with watery blue eyes. Another terror in the oblivion of her mind.

“Okay.” She whispered into my shoulder. I stroked her hair tenderly, my fingers lightly brushing over the fair strands of hair. The grey I had once seen had now completely washed out. The beautiful strands of blonde had returned. I had to try again, ask her what’s wrong. If only she would stop being so silent! It was incredibly frustrating to be so helpless! There’s a beautiful girl nearly in tears leaning on my shoulder, almost begging for escape, and I can’t do anything about it! She won’t let me help her!

“Darling, what’s wrong? Is everything okay?” I asked, straining to keep my voice even. She looked up at me, nodding silently. I bit my lip and looked away.

“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked her cautiously. She paused for a moment, looking down at her hands. She never responded.

I slammed my hand on the arm of the couch. She nearly leapt out of her skin, eyes wide in fear. My anger boiled over. I couldn’t control it. My mind was on autopilot and I was not the driver anymore. I whirled around to face her, my fists balled up in anger.

“Dammit, Rory! You keep me up at night with worry! You sob in your sleep and are in tears nearly every day! I’m doing my best to try and be patient and understanding, but I can’t keep doing this! I can’t just baby you day in and day out! If you want to talk about it, fine. I’d be happy to hear. But you obviously need help and need to tell someone what’s going on but YOU WON’T LET ANYONE HELP!” I was shouting by now. A tear cascaded down Rory’s cheek. My face fell at the sight. I had caused her this pain, but this was what I was feeling. Vic peeked out from the bunks. Tony and Jaime were silent up front.

“Why won’t you let us help you, Rory?” I growled.


Rory’s POV

“Why won’t you let us help you, Rory?” He asked me, snarling. I couldn’t stop crying. Everything was boiling over.

I thought the last few days had been pure hell. I was constantly worried over my sister. I slept through the nights but when I woke up, my neck was stiff, I was choking in my own blankets, and I felt restless and weary.

Mike asked me every day if I wanted anything, if I wanted to talk, or if I wanted to go out for lunch. I didn’t want to answer to any of them. I was so afraid that if I spoke, I would explode with rage and sadness.

My world was shades of black. I saw only the pain and anger. I felt only the anger and the need to destroy those holding my sister against her will. The landscape was empty. The clouds seemed drearier. Mike was a sweetheart and tried to distract me. I would cuddle up with him in the afternoons but never really feel at peace. He was amazing, sweet, and oh so funny, but I just couldn’t keep it up. I couldn’t tell him what was going wrong or I would implode.

I promised Ricky that I wouldn’t go after my sister. I had to let them handle it. But if I spoke of what had happened to her, I might just go after her myself. I wanted to tell Mike what had happened, but I just couldn’t.

All I could do was look at Mike as he yelled down at me. My mouth was cotton, numb, dull. The words got caught up in my tears. They escaped, silent, through my eyes. I was dumb to the noise.

“Cool down, Mike.” Vic came in, shoving his brother away. Mike just walked off with a huff. I heard the back lounge door slam shut with a contained anger. I folded my hands into my lap, staring at my feet. The tears fell down my face at the realization with what I had done to the man that had cared for me.

I had been a bitch. I had been babied this entire time. I need to woman up to my mistakes and face them head on. I should’ve faced my fears, not gone mute and run from them.

“Darling, are you okay?” Vic asked. He sat down next to me. I looked up to him, the edges of my lips twisted in a humorless smile.

“Not really.” For the first time in a few days, I didn’t lie about how I felt.

Vic took my hand in his. He squeezed it gently and huffed. I saw his gaze turn to the bunks and what lay beyond but couldn’t be seen. Jaime and Tony rushed towards me. I continued to stare at my shoes, wiping away tears occasionally. Jaime sat down, gently rubbing my shoulder. Tony patted my knee before going towards the back lounge. The door closed, gently this time.

“Mike is a sweet guy, I promise. He’s just frustrated that he’s so helpless. He’ll come around eventually. He should’ve have yelled at you.” Vic soothed. I looked up to him, shaking my head.

“No, he had rights to. It’s okay.”

“I’m sorry.” He whispered after a moment.

“It’s okay.”

Notes

Uh oh, so everything was going alright and now suddenly Mike and Rory are fighting. Does Mike have a good reason to be mad at Rory? Should Rory shape up or does she have reason to be this sad and angry?

Leave your thoughts in the comments! I'd love to hear from you. Your comments make me smile! :)