This morning I woke up late. I had just enough time to take a quick shower and grab a slice of bread before heading to work. It was weird sleeping in my old bed last night, but at least for once, I slept without any interruptions. I'm sure I look like a zombie but will somehow manage to get through the entire day. My phone vibrates on the counter; it's Becca. "Hey girl, whatcha doing?" I ask.
"Lacey, what the hell?"
"What?" I ask, knowing what Lane meant last night when she said that we'd figure it out tomorrow. She sic'd Becca on me.
"You know what. Lane just told Trish about what happened last night, and you didn't call me? Dammit Lacey, you were cramping. What did that fucker do?"
"Nothing Becca. He was just saying some mean stuff. He's been drinking and you know how they get when they're drunk. It was my fault for being too demanding when he was in that state." I try to dismiss the severity of the situation. I probably said too much.
"You are fucked up in the head if you are blaming yourself for any of this. He has messed with your head and weakened your mind, love." She sighs. "You know it's Saturday and I don't have anything special going on, so I'm coming over."
"Becca, please. You don't have to come over."
"I want to."
"I know, but I need to talk to Caine about everything going on and there's no reason for you to get caught up in his crap." Oops, a customer happened to walk by just when I cussed. Dammit, sometimes these customers are nuisances.
"Are you for real Lacey? Youmust have been abducted by fucking aliens. I absofuckinglutely want to be there if you are going to talk to him. Look what happened last night. You were upset and began cramping. You don't need to be alone."
"Becca," I start.
"You have no choice, I'm coming over. So pick my ass up on your way home, because Trish took the car to see her boy toy. Okay?"
"Fine, but it's going to be late because I don't get off until ninethirty tonight."
"I'll see you at ten, okay bestie?"
"Alright, love, you win."
"You know I always do. Love you bestie. Mmm-ba-bye."
I smile and reply, "Mmm-ba-bye." It's from our little Saturday Night Live skit that we like to repeat on occasion. I make it through the rest of the workday without hearing from Caine. It is nice to have my mind occupied by my own thoughts and not his poison. I have no idea what the hell I'm doing staying with him. He does whatever the hell he wants to and manipulates me to stop hanging out with my family, and soon it's going to include Becca, I'm sure. It's almost as if he is pulling me away from myself and molding me into the person he wants me to be.
I pull into the driveway at the house Becca is renting with Trish, and some other girls in college. Becca runs out to hug me. I internally flinch from the pain I still feel where Caine's foot slammed in my back. The bruises will heal, but the emotional pain is so much harder to heal from. Becca pulls back from our hug to look me in the eye.
"Girl, I'm going to personally kick your ass if you ever, ever not contact me when something like last night happens again. We are best friends and we are supposed to be there for each other."
I rollmy eyes at her. "I promise I'll at least text you and say, 'something.'" I internally giggle at my joke.
"You sarcastic little twit. You will tell me what's going on love, okay?"
"Okay. Are you ready because I'm tired as all get out," I tell her as a yawn grows where I can't suppress it any longer.
"Let me grabmy bag," she says as I follow her inside.Her house is unusually quiet.
"Where is everyone?"
"There is a huge party at one of the frat houses and everyone's over there."
"Oh, why didn't you go?"
"Because I have better plans with my bestie."
"Becca, you should go. I can't hold you back from having a good time. Where's Lucas? Please reconsider and go. I'mjust going back to the house to sleep."
"I don't know what Lucas is doing. We aren't serious enough to know where the other one is all the time. And who said you were holding me back? That's a bunch of dog doo-doo," she says while I start cracking up. "What?"
"Oh, some of the things that come out of your mouth are funny. Let's go." For someone with such a vile mouth, when Becca says 'dog doo-doo', it cracks me up.
Answering all of Becca's questions about last night consumes the drive home. She needs to know every detail, but it sounds like Lane did a pretty decent job of telling Trish, who relayed it to Becca. She knows everything already, but I guess she wanted to hear it from me.
Caine's car isn't in its normal parking space; in fact, I don't see it at all. He must have gone out again. I was hoping to talk to him tonight, but maybe it's best to wait until tomorrow.
Becca and I settle in for the night. "I'mso exhausted, I could pass out anywhere."
She pulls out the sofa bed. "Do you want to watch a movie?" she asks, fixing her sheets and blankets.
I think Becca is hoping to talk more. "No, I need to go to bed. Goodnight, love." I tell her walking upstairs. I am climbing into bed when the phone rings. "Caine?" I ask, picking my head off my pillow to look at my alarm clock that reads eleven-thirty.
"Yeah, I was wondering if you were home."
"Um... yes, I answered the phone." Dumbass.
"Well, I'm over at a friend's house that is having a party." There's a lot of noise in the background. Why is he calling to tell me this? Perhaps, he wanted to see if I was home, maybe... please God NO!!!!!
"Okay. Do you know what time you're going to be home? Because...we need to talk." I hope he can hear me over the noise.
"I don't know." He sighs. "We'll talk when I get in. I have to go now." The phone clicks. Nice!