I walked with Vic to the nearest mall to shop. I tucked my hand in my pockets. "How long have you been by yourself?" Vic asked. "You don't have to tell me but you know you can trust me right?" He asked glancing at me. I nodded and looked down at Tony's keystreet hoodie before deciding to talk. "Almost a year. Like, I said I grew up in California. My dad left me and my sister when she was twelve and I was four. He said he couldn't stand my mother anymore and left us without a second glance. My mother has been a drug addict since I was a baby. She slept around with people she met in bars. One night she came home with a big guy he was different, he didn't just ignore me and my sister. He started coming around a lot. My mother never seemed to notice. My sister was already gone when things started changing. It was almost three years later when he started getting angry. He started with yelling then it turned to hitting then it turned to beating. My sister was coming down to get me last year. She said she found somewhere we could get away. The night before she showed I woke up to screaming. He came into my room and......" I trailed off with tears running down my face. Vic pulled me into his arms. "My sister and I made it all the way here before a drunk driver slammed into us. Lydia died instantly. I ended up running knowing that if they called my mom he would find me. " I said between sobs. He shushed me and pulled me closer as I cried. I heard a sharp intake of breath and turned to see Kellin behind us.
I looked at Kellin and he looked back at me sadly. "I came to get Tony's wallet for him. He left it in his jacket pocket." He stuttered. I numbly felt the jacket pocket and pulled out Tony's wallet. I walked towards him to hand it to him and he pulled me into his arms. I continued crying. He shushed me. "It's okay wren we won't tell anyone you don't won't us too. He will never hurt you again." He said calmly and I swear I felt a tear hit the top of my head. I pulled back and wiped the tears on my jacket sleeve. I handed him to Tony's wallet and he hugged me again kissing my head before wandering back towards the busses. I looked up at Vic sadly. He looked at me and took my hand. "Come on Birdy let's focus on shopping. He was right this is all the past and I'll never tell a soul unless you tell me I can." I nodded and we started walking. He looked over to see if I am okay and I gave him a smile causing him to smile.
Shopping turned out to be pretty fun. Me and Vic picked out multiple outfits and to my dismay he and Kellin payed for all of it. He's not even here and he won't let me pay for anything. I know a normal person wouldn't be upset about getting free clothes but, I'm not normal. I feel useless and rather needy when I can't pay for anything. We decided to get lunch in the food court before returning to the bus. I sat down with my drink while Vic returned to grab out order. Sipping on my drink I looked around the food court. Little kids played while their mothers chattered together. A couple flirted and made cute faces at each other. Teens wandered in happy that it's Saturday and the stress of the week is gone. I let my eyes wander until I spotted a group of girls. The girls who poured coffee on me. They didn't seem to notice me and I prayed Vic and I would leave before they did. Vic wandered over and settled across from me. We started eating and I glanced over his shoulder to see I they were leaving and to my dismay they were all staring at us. I visibly shrunk a little. Vic looked over his shoulder and looked back at me confused. "Who are they?" He asked with a worried tone. "The girls who poured coffee on me yesterday. The ones who ruined my jacket." I stated trying to stay calm. He looked at me then over at them and looked angry that they were coming over here. I looked at him helplessly. We can't just leave and let them have that victory.
"Hello, can I help you?" Vic asked as the group stopped at our table. "Yes, we wondering why you are hanging out with a street rat like her." One of them stated saying 'her' like the word tasted awful just to say. He looked up at her with visible anger. "Wren, is great company and very talented." He said without missing a beat. "As if. She totally insulted Megan yesterday." A different one started with a flip of her hair. I jumped in to fight my own fight. "She insulted me, and my family I think she deserved to be flipped off. Probably worse. I however did nothing to deserve your insults or when you poured coffee over me." I said with a blank face. The other girls glared and the one who was talking yesterday looked at me pissed. "We weren't talking to you. Let the grown ups talk." She all but hissed at me. I shrugged and half smiled. Vic looked angry and amused. "The fact that she can stay calm after you poured coffee on her proves that she is more grown up than you. So, let the grown ups talk." He said repeating her words. She glared and stomped off with the other girls at her heels. I laughed when they were gone. "Oh that felt good, before now I wouldn't have retaliated because that mean disaster from someone like me." I stated and he looked at me a little sad. "You shouldn't have to worry about anything like that. You grew up too fast." I sighed in response. "Sometimes you have to grow up."