That Was Torture

Part 26 - "I said this time, 'I've had enough'."

Lacey's POV

"YOU WHAT?!" I spat at him. 

"Yup, that's right," was all he replied back. " That was me."

He turned around and walked away. I was fuming. Gwen was just plain confused. I was just done with Ron. So done. 

"What was that?" was the first thing Gwen said. "Um..." I really didn't know what to say, or how to say it. "Gwen, I don't really know to say this, but Ron... he's a shape shifter. Like, the kind we learned about in class today." Her jaw dropped and she just stood there; staring at me. "Gwen? Gwen..." I called her name, and about a minute later, she snapped out of it. "So..." she started saying, "Instead of Ron really being inside when we got icecream he was really outside being Josh kissing Katrina to make you jelous so you would fall for him and dump Josh and go out with him," she said all in one breath. It took me a minute to take all of that in. "Um... pretty much ," I finally replied. 

"What a little jerk!" Gwen yelled out, quite pissed off at Ron. 

Laurel pulled up to pick Gwen and me up. The car ride home was a silent one.

We walked into her room and started talking again. "We need to figure out a plan. Josh obviously loves you. He got mad whenever he saw you with Ron. The only question is, do you love him?" she asked me. 

"I honestly don't even really know," I replied. I honestly did love him. He cared about me too. But when he got jelous he hurt me. And that's what I told her. 

Gwen's POV

"Oh my gosh, I need to pee really bad," I said and took my phone. 

"Why are you taking your phone into the bathroom with you?" Lacey said curiously. 

"I always take it with me." I lied. I thought it was disgusting when people texted when they were going to the bathroom. You were just getting disgusting germs on your phone. Right?

"Come over. Now," was all I said. I hung up and walked out of the bathroom.

"That was quick," said Lacey, "I wanted to see something in the mirror," I said making up an excuse. "There was a mirror in here," she said, pointing at the the full-length standing mirror. "Better lighting," I quickly said.  She nodded and I was positive she didn't believe me. 

Lacey's POV

I knew she was lying. There was something going on. I knew it. I just didn't know what. 

About fifteen minutes later there was a ring at the doorbell. Laurel opened the door and I heard her say hi to Liam. I heard him walking up the stairs talking to someone. But I couldn't tell who because he didn't really say much back.

"Hey babe," he came over and kissed Gwen. She blushed. "Hey Lacey, I brought a friend. I really hope you don't mind," he hugged me. "Sur-" I was in the middle of answering when I looked in the doorway and saw the one and only Josh.

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"Hey Lacey," was all he said to me. 

"Josh!" I yelled and ran up to him and hugged him. I guess I knew how I really felt. I started crying. "Lacey, you have no idea how much.... are you crying?!" He never finished his sentence so I guess I'll never know what he was really going to say. 

"I'm sorry," I said. "It's just, I thought I saw something, but it really wasn't what I thought. And then when Katrina answered your phone, I was quite positive about what I saw."

"The only reason she was by my house was because my family had them over for dinner. Remember? My dad and her father work together at the hospital." I had completely forgot that both of their dad's were doctors and worked at the same hospital. 

"I missed you so much Josh, and I love you. But I really don't know if we could go out again. When you got jelous, you hurt me, and I finally got away from my abusivr 'mom,' I don't need another abusive person in my life." By this time, I was balling. He just stood there holding me in his arms. "Shhh..." he said to me, trying to calm. "Lacey, I need to tell you something." He started rubbing my back now. "I started seeing a therapist." 

"You... what?" I said through my tears. "I love you, and I wanted you back, and I know I kept hurting you, and I don't want to. I love you and I want you," he said.

"I want you too," I said. 

"Lacey? Will you take me back?"

"Absolutley."

"I love you and missed you."

"I love you too," I said, kissing him on the cheek.

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Weeks later in school, I got a call from the police station. I got up and walked to the corner. "Hello?" I said. "We have your mother in jail again. She won't escape ever. We have her under super servalience." I was smiling really big. "Okay. Thank you  so much." I hung up and told everyone what happened. They all smiled and all of that. "I'm happy that you're finally safe," Josh said and kissed me. Later in the day, Hunter, a 'popular' in the class walked up to me. "Yes?" I said to him. "Is it true?" he asked. I was totally clueless. "Is what true?" I asked him curiously. He just rolled my sleeve up and saw the bruises. "It is," he said. "What is?" I asked putting my sleeve down. "You're an abused child," he said seriously. I didn't say anything. I just hung my head. "I won't tell anyone, but someone, somehow, found out about it," Hunter said. I looked up at him. It was really sweet that he wouldn't tell. Most kids would spread it around the school and start making fun of me, but he is different I guess. "Who?" I asked him. He bent down where we were eye-to-eye. "Sienna," he whispered and stood up walking away. "Hunter?" I said and he turned around. "Thanks." He nodded and walked back to everyone. I saw him shake his head no. Was he telling them that there weren't any bruises? I would be so relieved to know that. Then Sienna texted me.

S- Hide your bruises better hun.

I didn't reply. As people say, things come in groups of 3. Or something like that.

Josh and I got a confrontation from Ron. "Lace, I miss you. Living without you is torture. Please," he said. Josh gripped me tighter, but not hurting me. "Back away. She is, and always have been with me." Josh said and kissed me long, but soft. When we pulled away I was blushing and Ron was still there. "I think it's her choice. Lace. I love you. It is so hard living with out you. It may sound dramatic but it is. It is torture with out you." I crossed my arms. I knew who I was going to pick. It was no trouble at all to decide. "No Ron. I don't think it was torture. You don't know torture. You don't know the half of it. Torture would be getting abused by your own mother every single day. Going without food or water for days. Keeping all of that inside of you. Not having anyone to turn to about your problems because you were afraid. Having your life threatened my a blood relative. Not having a real family. Now...
 

That Was Torture."