Will You Stitch These Wounds With Me? (Ashley Purdy Fanfic)

Chapter 47: Back in Texas

*Harley's P.O.V.*

We had just arrived at the next venue and it was in Texas, where Cleo and I grew up. We both grew up in a very rural part of Texas. I grew up on a ranch and Cleo lived just across the road on a farm. We both had a lot of land and would often just roam around and build treehouses and forts to pass the time away. We both worked very hard on our land for our parents doing various chores to help out. We didn't have any internet, television, or cell service. We barely had a landline phone and we only had like 3 radio stations. Two were country and one was classic rock and metal.

That's how I discovered my love of music. In school, I played the viola and later the cello. Cleo played percussion, which is still evident today as she is our drummer. I had a friend who was an aspiring musician but she gave up on her dreams when her mother got sick. She decided to give up her dream to take care of her land. She was a bass player and she gave me all of her equipment and instruments so I could pursue my dream. She taught me how to play bass at the age of 13. I continued to practice and get better along with Cleo and when we were 16, we decided to pack our things and leave for Hollywood.

My Uncle wasn't very keen on the decision where as my dad couldn't give two shits. Throughout my childhood, my dad had abused me beyond belief and there was nothing I could do about it. The Finch Family Ranch, as it's called, was passed down to the oldest son, which was my father. My uncle had still lived on the property to help maintain it and what not. However, my father hated me from the beginning. He didn't want me to be born let alone live with him. My mother on the other hand was unfortunately dragged into this poor family. She herself was beaten senselessly by my father almost everyday, like I was. She cared about me a lot and tried her best to protect me from the monster that is my father. I was about 3 years old when my father first started beating me. He would beat and rape me for the next 13 years afterwards. He was almost convicted of his crimes but the small town I lived in was very corrupt and he got off the hook.

I'm still haunted to this day from all of the things he has done to me. The most awful thing he ever did to me was take my mother's life. I was 3 when one day he got very angry. He was done with her and he took his pistol out and shot her to death. I was completely in shock and couldn't fully comprehend the situation, as I was only 3. I remember my uncle raced over to the main ranch house and got her. There was no need to call an ambulance as she was already dead. I was diagnosed with PTSD a couple years after the incident and it only grew worse. I had later developed many mental disorders including anxiety and anorexia. I still struggle with my anxiety daily but my anorexia has, thankfully, gone to the wayside. Cleo had known about all of this and was there for me through all of it.

She had moved to her family's farm when she was 5. We had met and we were best friends almost immediately, sisters if you will. She had her own struggles because her parents were abusive but that is partially why we bonded so well. We were both growing up in this twisted town with abusive parents and no way of getting help. Our bond was stronger than any force imaginable.

When we reached that awkward point in our life, we had both developed feelings for eachother. We had dated for a while and I actually lost my virginity to her. She had lost hers to me as well. We had stopped dating because it was just very weird. We were practically sisters, not partners. We both still have feelings for eachother to this day but we don't tell anybody.

Regardless, we had both moved out to Hollywood together. I had fixed up my grandpa's old Indian motorcycle and I took it to Hollywood. Cleo had taken her car so we could put all of our stuff in it. When we had arrived, we were very culture shocked. We weren't used to all of the people and buildings. We had gotten a small, shitty apartment together. We still tried to make our way and be in a band together. We had struggled with the bands we found and eventually, Cleo was asked to be in a band who already had a bass player. I told her to take it and I would figure things out. We eventually moved out and got our own apartments. I ended up bar tending at a strip club and later became a stripper. My father was finally arrested and I was given custody of my little sister, Hera.

Cleo's band happened to be Razorblades. I had met Ashley and Black Veil Brides, I joined Razorblades, and everything fell into place. I was struggling in the beginning a lot. I had no hope that anything was going to get better. I wanted to die, but I'm so glad I didn't. My dream wouldn't have come true.

Anyway, back to the present. My uncle Sam now owns the ranch with my aunt Belle. My cousin Jack will later have the ranch but for now he just works on it with his parents. Cleo's aunt and uncle own the farm because both of her parents were arrested. I had talked with my uncle and he is very happy to see Cleo and I and to meet my boyfriend. I was planning on taking Ashley and the rest of his band up as well as the rest of my band to the ranch. I'm hoping it will be a lot of fun and I have a feeling something special is gonna happen.