" at the end of the day, goddammit i'm killin' this shit "
---
aurora astor.
I step out of Lou's car, my hood up over my head and I shut the door behind me. I reach into my pocket to pull out my smokes, they get snatched out of my hand faster than I pull them out.
"Hey–" I snap and Jules stuffs them in her pocket as she glares at me, still mad at me for fighting tonight when I'm still sick – not doing any better, if we're being completely honest.
My head feels heavy, like a foggy cloud amid the chaos that normally exists in that prison. My limbs are incredibly sore with a killer ache that radiates along every one of my sinuses.
But I'm high on Tylenol and flu medicine – I'm pretty much thriving right now.
I feel numb but that's nothing new.
I huff at her as I walk in with the both of them, my mask tied around my eyes as we walk across the parking lot here late at night.
Getting over to the bouncer, I hear Lou mutter Styles. I roll my eyes ever so slightly as we head down the stairs and open the door.
Hearing the music fill my ears, I sniffle whilst hardly being able to smell the usual hints of tobacco and weed that exist in this club. The red lights make me blink a few times to adjust as I walk in behind Lou and Jules, my head held up today. I look around at all the bodies dancing and grinding on each other with drinks in their hands in a state of euphoria that can probably only be described as medicine.
I find it fascinatingly weird that this place can transition from a nightclub to an absolute madhouse in a matter of the switching of lights and music.
Earning a few eyes as people recognize me, I stand out with my mask on like this but my hood doing a good job of hiding a majority of my face for now. Jules stays close to Lou and I smile slightly at the both of them, seeing their hands interlocked.
My dreamworld snaps when I slam right into a body that decides to step in front of me and bump my nose into his chest.
The familiar cologne and swallow tattoos peeking out on his collarbone make him instantly recognizable. I scoff and feel a hand grab my arm, starting to pull me backward. I elbow him in the side, hearing his scoff.
"What the fuck did I tell you?" I hear Harry's voice immediately and I scoff as he stops me when I'm away from my friends, too close to me as he leans down to talk to me.
His cold eyes on me as his features are draped in the red light. I take in his outfit, I swear he makes it easy to swoon, with his belted black trousers with those keys clipped on a carabiner to his pants. The short sleeve cream-colored button-down open for all to see. A tight white tank underneath and that goddamn gold cross dangling from his neck. His posture is bad, to begin with, and this only makes it worse as he leans down like this.
"Move." I snap at him, my voice is scratchy from coughing nearly all day yesterday and his eyebrows go up as he scoffs.
"You're actually sick?" He snaps, not concerned but he finds it laughable that I'm even trying to fight tonight. He pulls at my upper arm again in a death grip and I snap my arm out of it in an instant.
"You're gonna get fucking beat tonight." He snaps at me coldly. I let my lips curl up as I pettily shove by him and he scoffs. I walk backward for a few steps, his eyes remain dead set on me.
"Bet against me then," I tell him as his eyes narrow at me. I just turn around and weave my way to get to my friends again at the edge of the fenced-in deathtrap. They look up at me, Jules sighing in relief and I put a smile on my lips as I sniffle.
"Where'd you go?" She asks and I shake my head.
"Got stuck." I lie and she hums. I set my bag down and Lou stares at me, seeing the cigarette in between his lips as he sucks in the smoke. I can barely smell my favorite coping mechanism even though he's right in front of me.
"You're sure you're okay?" He asks again and I breathe out a laugh as I nod, tugging my sweatpants down to leave me in my leggings because I'm colder than I normally am. Throwing them into my bag, I slip my arms out of the sleeves and pull my hoodie off to stuff into my bag. I let my body sit down at the edge of the cage whilst I take the time to tape up my knuckles tightly.
Reaching into my bag, I pull out tissues to blow my nose before anything else – my skin so dry that it practically burns around my nose.
Resuming taping up my knuckles amid all these people dancing and waiting for the fight to start, my dazed attention gets too pulled into the simplicity of the task.
I glance up at my friends as I bite the tape to tear off the piece, smoothing down the sides on my knuckles. Lou crouches down while I start my other knuckle and I look over at him as Jules rummages through my bag for something.
"You can forfeit, Rory–" he starts, seeing his eyes on me as he breathes out smoke and I shake my head.
"I need the money, I'll be fine," I mutter, not entirely wrong there either. He shakes his head at me as he huffs at my persistence.
I hear the cheers grow and I groan when the bright fluorescents flicker on to illuminate the daunting cage, the music changing instantly. I look over my shoulder, across the mat to see Bella step out like usual in the center of the brightly lit ring.
A hand takes mine and Lou lifts me up to my feet. I shake it out, not that it worked, as I stretch out my aching muscles. My friends having more concern on their faces tonight than normal.
I breathe out a laugh at both of them and Jules snaps open the cap of a Gatorade bottle, bringing it to my lips and I smile at her even more. Taking the bottle from her, I glance through the metal fence at Bella and she waves for me to send her a light one back. I swallow the sweet liquid, buzzing with electrolytes down my sore throat.
"Alright!" Bella screams and my heart starts to pick up from the cheers and screams here. "Tonight we have ... Williams," Bella yells and I see this guy step out. My eyes take in his tall, muscular build with not a single tattoo on his body. Just standing there in a pair of black shorts, Bella looks over at me as I sip down the Gatorade into my system.
"Versus Angel!" she yells out with a smile on her face. I hear the screams, not enough though because men crawling in here still don't think I'm good enough in the ring.
I twist the cap back on and Jules takes it from me, giving me the ritual hug and kissing my cheek. I breathe out a laugh as I wipe my lips with the back of my taped-up hand. Lou pats my arm before I sniffle and I shake out my hands vigorously to try and shock my system awake and my efforts are useless.
A cold sweat is already covering my body as I fix up my hair and I prepare myself to put my body through the literal ringer, pushing through the pain.
I deserve this in some ways and I can take it.
I walk through the doorway, knowing there's no backing out now.
I make my way across the hard mats with my bare feet. I get closer as my eyes rake down his body as he stands there with his arms crossed and a serious expression on his face. I sniffle again, glancing up at his blue eyes and dark hair as he stares back and I just smile sweetly at him. Seeing the confusion grow on his face and only makes me laugh a little.
Bella walks by, tucking my hair behind my ear and I laugh at her. She smiles, mouthing a good luck before she walks away. I just turn back, focusing on what's in front of me and clenching my fists a few times as I tilt my head ever so slightly as the music and cheers play loudly around us.
My eyes inevitably lift to the second floor over the six-foot-high cage. I drink in the usual sight from above. Harry leaning over the railing on his white top, being able to see the sharp features from here as smoke drifts from his lips.
I just look back down at my little friend I'm about to fuck up right now. Hearing the cheer get louder, I roll out my stiff neck muscles as he looks like he's studying me. At least he's not talking shit.
"You don't stand a chance." He mutters and I huff at my unrealistic expectations. I shake my head, hearing the countdown. The cheers get impossibly louder so that I can feel them making my skin buzz with the music while the metal cage is rattling. I get into a fighting stance, awaiting what's to come with my ears ringing incessantly louder than normal.
"Let's go, babe!" I hear Jules like a soccer mom and I smile at him.
"Have at it!" The crowd yells and this guy doesn't wait a second before he's punching. I groan, using everything in me to duck and I punch back but he dodges it too. I scoff, jabbing again and he hits my wrist away whilst I feel my heart rate and body temperature pick up instantly.
Using my left, I get him off guard after that to land the first hit. My knuckles make contact with the bone structure of his jaw. He curses at the strength of my punch wasn't something he expected.
I shake it out and I lunge at him, not letting up. I cross, slamming into his cheek and then jab again in the same spot and he groans in pain. I swing my left fist into his temple, he's crouched down enough for me in his awful fighting stance to give me access to his most vulnerable spots.
He stumbles back and the crowd's screaming fills my ears again. I breathe harshly from that combination, my muscles burning and lungs working overtime right now.
I sniffle, seeing blood already from his face and I'm zoned in right now. My chest heaving up and down as I feel great right now and he stalks back over. I shake my head a little, trying to rid the headache and he punches at me with a grunt escaping his lips and he leaves his entire face unprotected.
I slam one of the strongest right hooks I've ever thrown into his cheek. His head swings as he curses loudly, twisting my hips and I uppercut him with my left as he groans loudly whilst his head swings back at my command.
I cough a little, trying to hide it in as my chest jumps and my head spins. He shakes it out, taking a second before I see him walking back over. His face is beet red in embarrassment and the crimson blood drips from his face.
"What were you saying earlier?" I ask, hearing my own raspiness in my voice. He swings at me out of anger from my statement and I duck my head. I twist to slam my fist right into his ribs again and then again.
He groans but shoves me back so hard and I lose my footing, stumbling back to land on the mat. I curse as all the wind is knocked out of me when I hit the mat and he walks over, with the intent of getting on top of me and pinning me down.
I wait for the perfect moment as he starts to drop to the floor and I rollover.
Getting up onto my feet, he's on his knees and I bring my elbow down hard to the top of his spine. He curses out in pain and collapses to the mat.
I cough a little, my chest spasms as I look away for a second and feel a hand grab my ankle while I'm trying not to die from holding in this cough. My back slams into the hard surface and I kick at his chest once and then twice to hear his loud groans. I scoot back and get back up to my feet.
Sniffling again, he stands up again as I see the anger grow. The shrilling screams fill my ears again as he starts to circle me, staying light on his feet to give me the ability to react faster.
He jumps at me and I shake my head as my body starts to wind down. I watch his hips for his next move and he lunges at me. Dodging the punch, I jab at him but he hits my wrist away again.
I wasn't paying attention enough when his non-dominant fist slams into my jaw and my head swings to the side. A strong ache spreading across my jaw and a curse escapes my lips. I go to punch him right back but he punches me again, a small rasp of pain leaves the back of my throat, and my head swings back at the pure strength of his punches as I stumble a little on my feet.
Regaining my footing, I taste blood along my tongue. He doesn't expect me to recover so soon and I slam my fist into his nose hard.
He curses as I hit a sensitive spot and I punch again right there, seeing the satisfaction of the crimson seeping to the surface of his skin. I take another shot to his throat, hearing him audibly choke as I feel a warmth drip from my own lip. Wiping my lip with the back of my hand, I glance down to see the blood in my white tape as I wheeze from breathing so heavily.
I pull myself together and stalk back over, hearing the screams fill my ear and then fade again. His eyes water from exceedingly hitting his nose and he punches again. I'm half out of it with all the medicine in me, feeling the strength of the punch hit my cheek.
I stumble, even more, feeling the warmth seep down my cheek. I go to punch back but he shoves me back and the force of it sends me backward. I slam into the ground with an audible groan yet again from the immense pain. I cough a little, my eyes pinching shut at the overwhelming pain.
He gets on top and I squirm as he punches me, knowing to expect a rainbow of colors peppered along my skin tomorrow morning. I groan as he grabs my wrists, pinning them down like Harry did the other night.
"What were you saying?" He snaps at me as my chest wheezes and I struggle under him, my body about ready to give up as his blood drips from his face onto me. He attempts to punch me again but I stop him as his fist freezes in the air ready to punch me, struggling to hold up my hand to cover my face.
"Wait, wait–" I take him back from the pause in this fight as he looks at me with confusion and his chest glistens in sweat. I shut my eyes and inhale sharply like I'm about to sneeze, everyone screaming as we just stay frozen in the middle of this fight.
"What the–" he starts and I snap out of the act that he just fell for. I sit up to elbow him in the chin with everything in me. Just pulling the same shit that Harry said wouldn't happen.
"Dumbass." I pant out as I shove him off and tackle him to the ground, starting to slam my fist repeatedly into his face as blood paints across his face. My white tape stains crimson and I don't let up but I do in fact remember something that will put this to a stop – I'm ready to pass out.
The metallic taste in my mouth runs across my tongue and the warm blood down my lip. I let out a sharp puff of air before bringing my arm back and punching him right under his sternum as hard as I can with a sharp exhale from the exertion of force. He hysterically screams out in pain so unbelievably loud.
I get off of him, stumbling on my feet as he cries out in sheer pain and the slight guilt runs through me. He rolls to his side and holds the nerves I just hit. He taps out multiple times, more like a plea for the temporary immense pain I know he feels fades. My eyes go wide as he's still in pain and groaning on the mat, hearing the incessant cheers.
I look at Bella, seeing her nod and his pain subsides as his chest spasms before he falls limp. He lays lifeless on the mat with the havoc persisting around us.
I sniffle, my body close to passing out, and I feel a hand grab my wrist, she cringes at all the blood on my tape and I chuckle hoarsely. Bella holds up my wrist, hearing Jules and Lou cheer behind me with everyone else. I just look up at Harry, seeing him staring and shaking his head in the slightest.
Lifting my other burning arm up that feels like jello, I kiss my fingertips as if to blow to him. Instead, I switch to give him the finger for underestimating me and he narrows his eyes at me as Bella lets my arm drop.
Walking away from her with the remnants of my energy, I look over at my friends as I escape out of the cage conscious and my body decides to quit for a second. My consciousness fades for a second and I nearly fall over but Jules and Lou grab me and keep me upright.
"Fuck–" I mutter under my breath, sniffling.
I put an arm over her shoulders to hold myself up as I start coughing again. My lungs are burning and Jules sets me down on the ground with my back against the metal fence. I deeply sigh as my chest continues to wheeze up and down. Letting my head drop, I pant and my body feels so warm, sweat covering my whole body.
"Drink." Jules states, shoving water into my hand and I groan as I get pats on my shoulder from random people as Lou crouches down. Grabbing my aching jaw, I hiss as he tilts my head from either side as both of them look at my cuts.
"I'll clean them in the car," Jules mutters and I nod as I gulp down the water. I pull the bloody tape off my knuckles and I pull on my hoodie to cover up again, pulling it over my sweaty hair.
I wipe my forehead and want to just lay back because sleep only feels appealing now, it never normally does. Lou pulls me up to my feet and I slide my feet back into my vans as Jules picks up my bag and I hold my water in my hand.
"Let me have a smoke, come on–" I tell her, my voice already sounding like a chain smoker from the rasp in my voice. She shakes her head at me, continuing to hold onto my smokes as we head to the bar to wait for Bella to get me the money for the win.
They sit themselves down on the stools and I lean against Jules as they both shake their heads in disbelief at me. "I'm hurt, it's like you both thought I was going to lose tonight," I mutter and they chuckle as Lou's eyes crinkle at the sides and Jules kisses my temple quickly.
"Angel!" An unfamiliar voice calls out and all three of us look over as I sniffle, seeing a man in a black suit walk over. His strong build and instantly seeing his snake tattoo on the side of his neck as he gets closer and I swallow hard, feeling the ache when I do that.
"What?" I question and he scoffs at my immediate attitude but I could care less.
"You've been requested again." He states and I shake my head, looking over Lou and Jules, seeing the worry on their faces.
"I'm actually heading out," I tell him and he stares at me as if I didn't understand the question he just asked.
"No, you've been requested." He states with more confidence as if that could scare me. I breathe out a hoarse laugh and his dark eyebrows knit together.
"And I'm saying no," I tell him as I stare back and he scoffs.
"We can just do this the hard way?" He says and my eyes narrow on the little shit, biting the inside of my cheek and still tasting the metallic taste of blood across my tastebuds.
Just staring in this staring contest as the music plays in this club, I sniffle while looking over at Lou.
My curiosity drives my next actions.
"I'll be back." I cave and he groans.
"Come on–" he starts and I shake my head.
"I'll be fine." I remind both of them and he huffs.
"Don't get inv–" he starts and I pat his shoulder as I hand him my water bottle. I already knew what he was going to say.
Walking by him and following this man through the crowd, my body growing weaker and more fatigued by the second as my face aches. My feet take me over to the secured access door and I sniffle, even more, the security at the door opens the intimidating door with ease for me. I step into the stairwell, thinking the worst when it comes to the man that awaits above.
I go up the stairs behind this man, my body aching with every move I make. Our footsteps resound through the place with the music from the club muffled. I get to the top, biting my bottom lip and regretting it when pain spreads through my skin.
I take in the dimly lit familiar place, the bar, and half-naked women sitting around this place. The light cheering still persists on the ground floor as I walk in. I don't give it the time of day before walking over to who I know requested me.
I glance across the lookout to the other, seeing them staring again but unable to see real faces from this far away.
I walk around the couch and step in front of the platinum, almost white-haired guy I remember – Thomas. He's leaning back on the couch with a drink in his hand as his eyes shamelessly rake up my body and to my face.
He sits up, reaching over and grabbing my hand to pull me in between his legs and I scoff slightly.
"What the fuck do you want?" I snap at him but mentally hating myself for it because I'm trying to get on his side to find out more about this scheme. He chuckles and he pats his leg, seeing his perfect features as he looks up at me.
"Sit." He demands coldly, forgetting how chilling his voice is but it doesn't bring me the comfort Harry's does for some odd psychopathic reason in my head. I just oblige and I sit myself down on his thigh as he hums, pulling me closer to him and I swallow hard.
His arm wrapping tightly around my waist and he merely holds up his hand and someone comes over. I watch as he leans over, twisting away from me to mutter something to this person who came at his beck and call.
Thomas looks back at me, pulling my hood down to reveal more of my face without the shadow of the hood. His hand comes up to place the back of it to my forehead as my eyebrow knit together.
"And she's sick?" He mutters and I shrug. The person comes back, setting a glass of something and cloth down next to him on a table with a glass of ice.
I furrow my eyebrows together deeper, his arm tugs me closer and I sniffle. He grabs the cloth, dipping it in the mysterious liquid and looking back at me. "And you still won?" He questions, yet another person underestimating me.
I watch him bring the cloth up to my face and he presses the liquid to my cut along my bottom lip. I hiss, gripping his suit jacket hard out of reflex.
He just hums, cleaning the cut as I feel the prominent sting and smell the alcohol, tasting the traces of it along my tongue. His hand rubs up and down my side but I know his actions aren't genuine, this is just an act. He cleans up the bloody cuts on my face, seeing the faded crimson stain on the white cloth as I just stare at him.
"What do you want?" I ask him, softly but sharply and he chuckles as he sits up a little, getting closer to me and I don't pull back.
"You." He states and I scoff a little. I shake my head, getting off his lap but he holds me tight and I glare at him. He knows damn well that I could beat the fuck out of him given the chance.
"I said I'm not getting involved in this shit." I snap at him, seeing him grab the glass of ice and bring it up to my face. Holding the cold substance to my cheekbone, I wince slightly all whilst he psychotically smiles at me.
"I want you on my side, sweetheart." He says and I scoff a little.
"I don't trust you," I tell him and his eyebrow goes up.
"Good." He mutters as I try to lead him on, letting my fingertips run down his extended arm. "I'll let you ask one question." He says and I let my lips curl up, playing his little game while I play mine.
"Just one?" I question, scooting closer on his lap and he groans slightly. I smile at his reaction and he continues to hold the glass to my face as I stare at him. He nods, staring up at me to answer and I sniffle a little, kind of ruining the moment.
"Your role in this?" I ask him, my voice rasping and his eyebrows go up slightly at my question as he shakes his head.
"You're treading on dangerous waters, sweetheart." He warns and I just hum, waiting for his response. I let my fingertips continue to wander his body, going up to trace his jaw and hold it lightly as I smirk.
Just watching him debate on what to say behind his light eyes, seeming to be a pretty shade of blue but hard to truly tell under this lighting. "And if you get the answer to this question?" He asks me and I chuckle a little.
"I get the satisfaction of your answer," I mutter and his lips curl up at me, shaking his head slightly.
"M'just in Cobras, nothing special ... I- I control business at the Pit." He states and I sniffle, staring at him as he stares back. I debate on whether he's telling the truth or not because he's doing an awfully good job at making himself believable. I just slowly nod and hum.
"Okay," I mutter, knowing it's not the full truth here. I go to get up but he grips me tighter and I clench my jaw.
"I believe it's only fair since I answered your question that I get one in return?" He says coyly. I chuckle at him, leaning down as I press my hand to his chest, sliding it up to the side of his neck. I ghost my lips lightly to the side of his ear.
Men are so easy.
His grip already tightens and his breathing changes. The way a simple touch like this can be so riveting in a man's mind is power in my court.
"But life's not fair like that, is it?" I mutter, kissing over his ear and he lets out an exhale before I pull away, getting myself up and smile. I see him leaning back and his jaw clenches as I twinkle my fingers in a petty wave.
I walk away, passing by the staring eyes and I just pull up my hood not without a sniffle. Walking out the lookout and heading down the stairs, my body is so done and my head spinning as I push the door open again.
The music fills my ears again as I step out into the crowds of people. I duck my head as I look around for my friends, not seeing them in the same spot, and I huff.
Continuing to look around and earn some stares and pats on the back, I walk by whilst holding in a cough that forces my lungs to work overtime to conceal it.
I feel my nose tingle and I freeze to inhale sharply and let out a squeak of a sneeze into my hoodie sleeve. I shake it out from the intensity of the simple sneeze, nearly falling over again but I feel an arm grab my upper arm. I yelp but it all goes unnoticed by the loud music.
My eyes snap up as I feel myself getting pulled yet again, the situation all too familiar now. I take in the sight of Harry with his death grip on my arm and I scoff.
"Get off, what is your problem?" I snap at him over the music but he just keeps yanking me through as people seem to just part like the red sea for him.
The anger on his features is intimidating, to say the least, he's about as daunting as the ring itself honestly. He steps past the guards of the other lookout with ease. Opening the door and shoving me in as I go stumbling and he slams the door shut behind him.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" He snaps and it echoes through the stairwell.
"Are you kidding me? I'm not–" I rasp, going to walk by him and he grabs my throat and shoves me against the wall to force a yelp out of me. My back slams against the hard surface, grabbing his wrist around my neck for moral support. I gasp for air as strain on cough and his green eyes blazing with anger stay locked on me.
"I told you to stop fucking around and you're over there getting yourself involved in shit with them?" He grits out through his teeth. I pull at his wrist around my neck, not hurting me but holding me against the wall.
My body's too tired to be able to do anything to beat him right now.
"I'm not getting myself involved- get off–" I rasp at him as my lungs burn and he lets go, putting his hand against the wall next to my head. I inhale sharply, holding in a cough that's only building the immense pressure in my chest. His eyebrows stay deeply knit together while I can just barely smell the tobacco on him and he just scoffs slightly.
"How can you be so fucking smart and so dumb at the same damn time?" He asks in utter annoyance and his eyes set ablaze with anger like no other. I groan, pushing at his firm, white-tank-covered chest but it doesn't budge as his face is inches away from mine.
He grabs my jaw again and I hiss at the pain across my fresh bruises but he doesn't loosen his grip.
"Listen to me, Rory, listen." He snaps at me, patting my cheek firmly to get my full attention even though he fucking has it.
My jaw clenches as I stare up at him coldly and he tilts my head up more to look up at him as I sniffle. "Stay out of shit with Cobras." He seethes slowly and clearly. I just scoff, shoving at him and he doesn't budge again.
"That's none of your goddamn business Harry. I didn't ask for this shit." I snap with my hoarse voice, shoving him with everything left in me. He simply takes a half step back as his hand leaves.
"I don't know how many times I have to fucking say it – stay the fuck away from me, stop acting like you know shit about me or what's good for me because you don't even know me at all," I tell him and he scoffs.
"I know enough, from what I've seen, to know you're damaged fucking bitch that no one wants – that's why you're all alone and don't give a fuck about yourself because you know it too." He snaps back and my heart stops altogether in my chest.
I swing my hand faster than I can process it, my palm slapping right against his cheek and his face doesn't even move from the hard slap. But I meant it with everything in me while I just see his jaw clench and the faint pink flare upon his cheek.
"You don't know shit." I rasp at him sharply, hearing it echo through the stairwell as he scrunches up his nose to contain himself from reacting. "Projecting your own damn insecurities and making assumptions about people you don't even know is fucking pathetic. Check yourself, Harry." I mutter, my voice is practically gone, and he scoffs slightly.
Just turning around with choice words of my own, "Prick." I murmur under my breath to accompany the other defending words for myself.
I open the door and step out into the club under the red lights. I let the anger in me keep me upright right now with the fog clouding my head. Weaving through people to try and find my friends, I sniffle as I try to get to the bar. My eyes set on the both of them searching for me and they sigh once they recognize my mask.
"Where the fuck have you been?" Lou snaps and I shake my head, taking my bag and the envelope with the thick wad of cash stuffed into it.
"Let's go," I mutter as they both give each other glances before helping me out of the club.
The cold air hits me like a breath of fresh relief from suffocating in there.
I sniffle profusely whilst I walk over to Lou's car across the dimly lit parking lot, sliding into the backseat and I set my bag down. I breathe out an exhale, coughing a little and replaying the words of a stranger in my head. Pulling off my mask and throwing it into my bag, I take a deep and wheezing breath with the fog clouding my head.
"Well?" Jules mutters as Lou pulls away and my heart pounds in my ears the second the wheels move. I clear my throat a little but it doesn't do anything for the pain in my throat as I sniffle.
"I didn't really get much." I rasp and Jules taps the armrest. I lean over the middle, seeing her sit to the side in the front seat, and gently hold my jaw. "He cleaned them," I tell her, seeing her eyes widen slightly and Lou glances over too as he drives, just shaking my head.
"With?" She asks as Lou drives and I sniffle yet again.
"Whiskey," I mutter and she shakes her head, opening up her own backpack. I chuckle as she pulls out things for my cuts as she clicks a button and the light turns on to blanket a soft, golden glow across the front of the car
I just shut my eyes and she opens up a packet of potent rubbing alcohol, bringing up the cold substance to my face to clean the cuts. I suck in a breath through my teeth as I feel the sting again deep in the broken skin and my hand involuntarily grabs Jules'.
"That's it?" Jules mutters. I mean, pushing the harassment to the side, I give her a slight nod as she hums sweetly.
"You did good tonight," Lou mutters and my lips curl up a little, even though I took one too many hits tonight. Jules places butterfly bandages on my cuts to hold the broken skin together.
As always, my friends put me back together again even if I didn't want to be.
---