Chapter Eight: The End

Oh gosh!!! The end is here. I'll miss Joe so much. : (

 

Gerard wasn’t sitting on the porch like I expected. He was inside, sitting on his bed, drawing.

“Has Kayla ran through here?”

“My room? No.” he chuckled. This isn’t funny. I sighed, still angry.

“She ran from us at the mall because mikey gave her a funny look.”

“She sounds a bit touchy.” Gerard put his stuff away though; maybe he was interested.

“I think I like her.” I muttered.

“Well,” he set his hand on my shoulder. “Let’s go find her.” We looked all around the neighborhood for her for an hour. Every lawn was empty, we saw no one jumping fences, nothing. Then it occurred to me. Since she’s lived here forever than she probably knows about the empty house down the street is open. Before we passed it I snuck in through the front. It was quiet, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t here. I ran up the stairs and through the study door. This house had a thousand secret rooms and compartments in walls and stairs. I told Gerard to look around downstairs while I got the upstairs. It was dusty and grimy in every room. After an hour I ran downstairs to Gerard.

“I don’t think she’s here.” I scratched the back of my head.

“Maybe she went home.” He suggested.

“I hope so.” We walked home to see mikey alone. He had dropped Joey off at her house. He said Kayla wasn’t there. I suspected she went home, but I small part of me was saying she hadn’t.

 

 Kayla’s P.O.V

 I stumbled along the sidewalk of the cold street. It wasn’t very smart to be out at night in New Jersey. I knew that. Everyone knew that. No, I’m not on a suicide mission. I’m not like that. The way Frankie held me today made me start thinking. We started kissing and crap just like with all of the other guys that had ‘loved’ me; it would just end up the same way. I knew it would. The worn out street light barely lit my way along the street. Dark alley ways were to the right and left of me. I knew this street very well. It was on the news all the time about people getting raped and drug deals and the like, but for some reason I didn’t care. I knew my life mattered, but it was hard lying to people all the time. Either I keep lying to people, fake having a house, or just flat out tell everyone; guess what? I’m homeless. I just didn’t want any person’s pity. Joey had made a comment about me not bringing clothes. I only had five pairs of clothes, and they were all dirty, one for each day of the week. Some old lady down a street I used to inhabit let me use her deceased daughter’s clothes. Yeah they were a bit outdated, but I was able to turn them in and get others. The school found out a few days into the year after I failed to give them an address, but it was only because I don’t have one. They let me eat breakfast and lunch free and they let me leave my clothes in a certain locker. Some teachers sometimes gave me food to eat for later.

 

 People see me as a care free girl who loves a lot of people. Joey, for example, said I was like a sister to her. It feels nice to take care of something or someone instead of them taking care of you. People need independence and I have a lot of that plus responsibility; like getting to a certain bus stop for school, finding a place to sleep, and getting food. A shiver ran down my spine that set off a great number of vicious tremors through my body. I shook down the street. There was no way I was going to be able to get any sleep. I was glad I took a shower at Joey’s this morning or I would have stunk. The school let me take showers in the locker room if I got there early enough, but on the weekends they had to shut me out.

 

 In the shadows I saw a black figure moving along with mine. Great. I picked up my pace and looked forward, sneaking a few side ways glances. I didn’t have anything to protect me at all and I was freezing. Last week I got into a fight with a few kids. I won, but they beat me pretty good. I was pretty sure I still had bruises on my left hand…

“Kayla?” in the darkness someone called my name. I didn’t stop. In Jersey you don’t stop, I told myself. They could just be calling out random names. They don’t know me. They don’t know me.

“Hey!” they yelled. I didn’t turn around to see who it was because I had started running. I dashed beside a house to catch my breath. Between my gasps I could hear foot steps. I really wasn’t in the mood for any drunken men right now. I peered around the corner and watched the person come to a stop and look around. In the dim light I saw who it was. David. It was a kid, of course he wasn’t a kid now, I had known and spent most of my time with up until both of my parents died and then came to live with my grandmother. I got up on one knee and stood.

“David?” I inched closer.

“Kayla,” he paused. “No way.” He scoffed and held his arms out to me. I jumped into them, but regretted it. He hand cuffed my wrists and pushed me out in front of him.

“What are you doing?” I yanked my hands around, but they were too tight. A car pulled up to the curb and someone jumped out and grabbed me. I risked a high pitch scream before David cupped my mouth and shoved me awkwardly in the car. We sped off down the street and stopped at the police station. Once they were done signing me in, I knew exactly what it was for. I had stolen a car and totaled the thing a few days before I met Joey. I knew I shouldn’t have done it, though it must have been a big deal if they were sending people out to look for me. I kind of smiled at that.

“Is there any one you would like to call?” the front desk lady said. I only had one night to stay so they let me keep on my own clothes. I tried to remember any numbers I had, then a recent event occurred to me. Frankie’s note! It was probably his number.

“Um…” I struggled to reach in my back pocket. I gave the officer an okay glance and he reached in my back pocket and pulled it out. I had had worse. “Yeah, that one.” I would have pointed, but… they still kept the cuffs on me while I called. I bet they knew if I could hot wire a car that shouldn’t be hot wired then I could surely make a run for it. The phone rang. I hoped he would answer.

“Hello?” he breathed into the phone.

“Frankie?”

“Kayla?!” he yelled, excited.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

“Where are you? Home I hope.”

“Um not exactly. In the morning could you meet me by the police department?” someone brought it a kid who was thrashing against the officer and yelling with all of his might. David stood in the corner.

“Where are you?”

“The obvious.”

“What happened?” he sounded worried.

“Just causing a little trouble. Will you?”

“Of course I’ll be there. Is there anyway I can come get you now?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Let me talk to the officer.” The officer heard and took the phone from my ear. I heard a lot of yes’s and no’s plus a whole bunch of yelling, finally they were done. He put the phone to my ear again.

“I’m coming to get you.”

“What?!” he never answered because the officer hung up.

“He’s coming in ten minutes.” The officer wasn’t talking to me though. He was talking to David. They threw me in a cell with him and locked it.

“What is going on?” David came closer; still a jumping length between us.

“I’m really sorry about this.” Before he did it I knew what was going to happen; he hit me square in the nose and watched me fall to the floor. I struggled, but staggered to my feet. The look in his eyes seemed sorry. I swung my hands toward his face, but he grabbed them and pulled me over his shoulder. My back slammed against the concrete. I gasped loudly at the pain in my lower back. He actually ran to me, my eyes wide open, mouth gasping for air and picked me up.

“Get off of me.” I sneered. He backed up and let me find my feet. My eyes closed and I swayed so he took the advantage. With David’s elbow around my neck and my head pulled back against his chest, Frankie walked through the doors and spotted us immediately. David dropped me and I had no choice but to curve my face so I wouldn’t hit my chin. The concrete came closer and closer. I could hear Frankie bolting forward. He rammed into the jail bars. I hit the floor.

“Let her out!” he yelled. I rolled over onto my back, with my hands under me, and groaned. I hurt all over. David kicked my side so he could get to my hands and pulled me up. Reluctantly I helped, just so it wouldn’t hurt as bad, and let him throw me into Frankie. He caught me roughly by the shoulders. Apparently he made them take off the cuffs because I could feel my fingers again.

 

 Frankie wasn’t old enough to drive a car so we walked to his house. At first I just stumbled along his side and finally I fell on the sidewalk. He was about to pick me up.

“Just a minute.” I pressed my cheek into the cold sidewalk.

“What did you do?” he asked in that what-made-you-deserve-this kind of ways and brushed my hair back.

“I stole, hot wired a car and then totaled it a few days before I met Joey.”

“Why?”

“Someone dared me to do it. I’m known for that kind of stuff.” I grinned.

“Are you okay?” he asked when I sat up. I let my head fall between my knees.

“Just a little shaken I guess.” I picked my head up and laid it on his shoulder and then sighed.

“Obviously, you should come to Gerard’s tonight.” He suggested. I didn’t refuse. He basically carried me to Gerard’s house, which wasn’t very far.

 

 When we walked in the door a blast of warm air hit my bitter face.

“It is so warm.”

“You must be really cold.”

“Frankie?” mikey yelled from the kitchen.

“And Kayla.” Frank replied.

“Kayla?” he rounded the corner and said, “What happened?” he jumped from the kitchen to my side. Gerard came out of the hall way and gasped.

“I’m fine.” But I wasn’t. I stumbled into the wall corner and before anyone could catch me I had slid to the floor. I swatted Gerard’s hand and slumped down as far as possible.

“c’mon. I’m sure you’ll fit into some of Mikey’s jeans and one of my t-shirts.” Gerard managed to pick me up. Frankie let him, but I didn’t know why.

“I’ll go get my jeans.” Mikey was off to his room.

He carried me to his room and sat me on the bed and then rummaged through his closet. All he had gotten was a button up black shirt. I managed to pick myself up and put me back together again. I was standing when he turned around.

“Are you okay?” he examined my nose and gingerly touched my cheek. His hands were warm so I pulled them closer. He chuckled and let me keep them there.

“Sorry,” mikey came in the door and handed me the jeans. “Thanks.”

“Hey I’m sorry about the hard feelings. I’ve just been thinking and stuff.” He hugged me awkwardly and walked out.

“I’ll just dress in the bathroom. No need to kick you out of your own room.” Before Gerard could say anything I was in the bathroom changing. The light made me look so skinny. I pulled on the jeans, noticing they fit well, and then pulled off my shirt. He knocked on the door. His voice was muffled.

“Hey I got to go, I’ll see you tomorrow.” It was actually Frankie. Without thinking I opened the door and hugged him.

“Would you quit staring and hug me back?” His hands were cold on my skin. When he let go I pulled the shirt on I zipped the jeans up and then buttoned them. Frankie just stared. He didn’t say anything when he walked out the door.

“Are you hungry?” Gerard asked.

“Yeah actually I am. What do you have?” we walked to the kitchen and he let me pick out anything I wanted. This would bring months of gratitude. He actually acted like my parent instead of a friend.

“Chill out,” I got up and refilled my drink. “I’m not two.” He laughed.

“I wished Frankie wouldn’t have left.” I murmured.

“I can go get him. He’ll come back.”

“You don’t have to.” I sipped my coke and looked around. Gerard had gotten up and dialed a few numbers into the phone.

“Thanks.”

 

 Frankie was over in the next ten minutes with his stuff to ‘sleep over’. I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned my head on his back.

“You two can sleep in the guest bedroom.” Gerard chuckled as he made his way to his own room.

“This should be fun.” I helped him with his only bag while he got his pillow. In the room I plopped down on the bed. He came next to me.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, messing with strands of my hair.

“I hurt all over.” I whispered.

“Why did they do that to you?” Jeeze, question after question.

“I’m not totally sure, unless they were paid to do that by the car owner.” I chuckled.

“That’s funny?”

“The person I stole from is like some rich dude that lives in a ritzy part of town. Some kid I was around dared me to hot wire their car, so I did, but I totaled it before I raced it with someone else and got like a fifty. It was fun.” I just smiled. He was starting to.

“I’m not a bad person Frankie.” I looked down at his hands in his lap.

“I know. I just never pictured you doing that.”

“Yeah, lots of people look at me as a loving, caring, almost goody two shoes, but I’m not.”

“How bad?”

“Um, well it was like a car pretzel once I got the chance to look at it. I jumped out of the window. It was like some really old stock car, but it was nice.”

“Yes you are.” He whispered his eyes were lingering along my curves, that I could see, but I couldn’t feel the hormones pulsing through his veins. I could feel the adrenaline running through me like a man in a mad house. Our position on the edge of his bed quickly changed to him hovering over me holding my wrists above my head. His lips lingered along my distinct collar bone before his tongue grazed my lip. I couldn’t help from smiling in pure happiness. He finally looked into my eyes.

“Love?” I asked.

“Hmmm.” He rubbed his nose against mine.

“The light, love, it’s bright.” I kept a calm face. He reluctantly got up and turned it off. Finally, I thought. When he redeemed his place above me I pulled him close and kissed him. He didn’t mind at all and kissed me back running his hands through my hair. For me this was too soft so I pulled myself on top of him and unbuttoned his shirt running my fingertips along his chest. His face was priceless. I sighed loudly, implying something he got right away and pulled my own shirt off without hesitation. We smiled and giggled the whole time. In simple words we made out in the guest bed and maybe a little more…

 

 When I peeked through my eyes I realized I had to wake up and looked at our position; I was sprawled across his chest, him under me, his hand was curved around my hip. One out of two things that jumped out the most was my pant-less legs. S**t. We hadn’t done it had we? I hope not. I lifted up slightly and looked at his legs…he still had pants on, still zipped up tight. Good, but his shirt wasn’t on. Not really surprising; it was hard to cover up something that good looking. I stumbled off of the bed and brushed my hair out with his comb and pulled on Mikey’s skinny jeans. He looked so peaceful in the bed, but I walked out into the hallway and closed the door anyway, chuckling softly. The kitchen was empty; I didn’t eat. I just stood and stared out of the little kitchen window. I was thinking about how I got here and where I was. Before I met Joey I was a total wreck and here I am now sleeping with a guy I barely know. I sighed out loud. Frank came shuffling down the hall rubbing the back of his head and yawning. I chuckled after he wrapped his hands around my waist and we started swaying slowly. I leaned my head back on his shoulder.

“Interesting.” He muttered, breathing in my shampoo scent, I suppose.

“How so?”

“You talk in your sleep.”

“Do I?”

“That’s just what I said.” He chuckled.

“Thank you smart alec. What did I say?”

“More like scream.”

“Oh.” I looked down; I knew I did that.

“You were screaming and this wasn’t just a soft cry, this was a blood curdling some-one-is-about-to-eat-me kind of scream. I couldn’t make it out though. You should have seen Gerard’s face when he came running into our room.” He seemed to look down and shake his head.

“When I was little, like five or six, my parents were murdered at my old house and then I came to live with my grandmother. I ran out a few years ago.”

“Why?” he let go and moved to the cereal box like I hadn’t said my parents were dead.

“Why were they murdered or why did I run away?” I stared blankly out the small window, emotionless, and held my arms.

“Why did you run off?” I heard him crunch into the cereal.

“I couldn’t stay with something that had so much to do with my past life. It was too much.” He didn’t say anything. The way my parents were murdered was in one of those ways you see on the most-cruel-ways-to-kill-a-person books. I shuddered at the thought. I had to watch. Whoever it was tied my to a chair and made me watch. A single tear slid down my cheek and fell onto my hand. I heard mikey walk into the room.

“Morning chickies.” His voice was covered in sleep. I didn’t hear frank make a remark. I’d probably ruined his good day. Mikey grunted. I heard him dig into the pantry and pull something out.

“Sorry about your jeans Mikey.” I laughed. He looked at them with a funny look.

“Awe man, those were my favorite.”

“You can always have them back.” I laughed and sat beside frank with my arm around his.

 

Joey’s P.O.V

 Kayla seriously needed a phone. I had called mikey and Gerard, and even frank, but none of them had answered! I had seriously hurt her feelings when we ditched her yesterday. I just knew it. That’s when I decided to walk down to Mikey’s. Outside it was really cold, but I kept walking anyway. Knock, knock, knock. Kayla came to the door dressed in Mikey’s jeans and a t-shirt.

“Hello.” I said surprised, not who I expected and especially in my Mikey’s t-shirt.

“I am so sorry.” She jumped on me and hugged me tight. I have to admit I missed her. She didn’t smell like mikey at all…it was actually frank. And to prove my suggestion right; frank came up behind Kayla and took her hips.

“I love you too, kid.”

“Hey, that’s my line!” she sighed. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“Um, Kayla?”

“Yes, love.”

“Can I come in?”

“Oh yeah.” She jumped off of me and pulled me in.

“Thanks.” I said matter-of-factly.

“Kayla!” frank yelled.

“Huh?”

“Are you going to eat?” he came around the divider in the kitchen. Jeeze he looked tired.

“Of course not.” He shrugged and turned to mikey. I pulled Kayla to the couch.

“What did you two do?”

“Nothing more than what you and Gee did.” She grinned. The reminder of Gerard‘s and my relationship sent a sort of love pain through my stomach. I had been thinking about him.

“I’ve been thinking about him.” I looked down. Kayla wrapped her arm around my shoulders and we rocked.

“Awe. You should talk to him. He would love to hear your voice again.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Okay last night I got up to get a drink and from his room I could hear him kind of screaming your name. It was really sad. You should talk to him. He’s still here.” She hooked her thumb over her shoulder, directing me to his room.

“Yeah I should. Go with frank. I’m going to get this straightened out.” She nodded, kissed my cheek, and walked into the kitchen. I breathed in one deep breath and got up, but dropped my coat at the door. I knocked quietly and he came to the door. Not wanting to look up at him, I looked from under my eyelashes and then back down.

“Can we talk?”

“Course.” He seemed eager. I looked around his room and let the memories flood me. A smile inched across my face when I saw the window I climbed through that one night.

“What you smiling for?” he followed my gaze.

“Just remembering all the stupid and crazy stuff I’ve done.” I chuckled and looked back at him.

“Joey, I…”

“Gerard, I came to apologize, the way I left you was very inhumane. I’m sorry and I’ve really missed you. A lot.” I smiled and couldn’t help but grin when I saw his face. He was smiling, too. I threw my arms around his shoulders and he placed his hands on my waist.

“I love you, Joey.”

“I love you too, Gerard, forever and always. No matter what happens.” I winked at him and then kissed his lips. He pulled me under him and kissed me back. The way he did made me think of every time we would touch each other; it was always very passionate and real. It was never fake or just for fun. We both really did love each other.

Forever and always.

 

 So, right now you could be crying, laughing, or both. I wouldn’t care if you laughed at me. My story started out with my annoying whining at the bus stop to a tragedy and then to this. I’ve been laughing too. A lot more frequent now. I have the best person I can in my life and then I have the best sister. She will always know that and always be loved by the infamous Frankie. ; )

 

In the end everyone got what they wanted.

 

THE END

Author's Note

Long Sigh. It's over and I'm so very sad. Please give me feadback. Critisism is welcome.

Reviews

[Steve]

Hey, this was a really great, a fantastic read, im reeling a bit... here are some points:

It was really well crafted for such a long piece, that requires much vision, skill and perseverance and you have all three. The story moves on so well, and never is it predictable, I loved the way you built up Kaylas character especially, poor lass, then showed us that she was homeless and in trouble with the law... such brilliant writing. Saying that I preferred the first four chapters cause it just blew me away a bit but wowwww.

I loved the small details, the way the light falls through a room and the way you set a scene, you write in such a natural way... And the content was great! In another persons hands this could have been a wishy/washy kind of love story but you paint such a pained background, the weather is sunny and the neighbourhood seems nice but behind the closed doors (like Joeys bedroom or the scene in the police station with kayla) there is something really dark there... The characters are complete... You write with such experience and knowledge, wayyyy beyond anything I could do, I have read peoples work from creative writing classes and a lot of it pales to this.

For me that the most shocking bit that'll I'll remember was when Joey woke up with a hurt jaw to see her father at the foot of her bed... really disturbing. I'm glad you gave it a happy ending! I hope Kayla's ok though.

Oh yea, chapter 4 kind of repeats itself a bit, like you pasted a large chunk of it again after it had ended? I got a bit confused for a second!

But yea, this is one of the best thing i have read on this site, certainly the best story, kudos for that my friend. I have a rubbish attention span but this had me glued throughout, Awesome write!! :)

[X_Emo_Princess_X]

i love it! great and i can't wait for your new one!!!