Falling Asleep On a Stranger (Pierce the Veil Fanfiction)

Chapter 1

    The chaotic scene of the house was always, well, chaotic. Mornings were like a battlefield, where blood thirsty people swarmed. Little boys were running around with their plastic trains, cars, and helicopters. Tanner stood there quietly, just hoping she could escape or at least be gifted a piece of toast. She was alone. Sure there were other girls her age there, but she was different. No one shared her love for music and everyone that had heard it was frightened. She stood there, short, small, skinny. She could have disappear so easily if only she hadn’t stuck out like a sore thumb.

    Finally, when Tanner got to the kitchen table where vulchers were swarming, she was left with only the burnt heal of the toast. She munched on the toast before going to wait in line for the bathroom so she could take a shower. She popped in her earbuds and blared the perfect mixture of guitar, drums, bass, and a raspy voice. This was called Black Veil Brides. She hummed along to the solid voice of Andy Biersack as it carried her into euphoria.

She got in the shower and looked at her arms. Scars she thought. All these damn scars. She washed her fading blue hair and pale skin.

The day dragged on as normal. No school today.It’s Saturday. Tanner went back to her room where she stared at the picture of her and her mom hugging. They loved each other, but her mom got shot. It was a drive by and living in the ghetto was never a good idea. Her mom owed money. Lots of money. Fuck money. We want love, she told herself.

“Tanner? Tanner?” Shelly, Tanner’s foster mother, called for her, but she didn’t want to talk. She never wanted to talk. “Tanner? Oh there you are.” Shelly appeared in the small study where Tanner always went to hide. From what? She doesn’t even know. Maybe her demons? “Why do I always find you in here?” Shelly asked.

Tanner shrugged her shoulders and went back to ignoring the world.

“We got in contact with your dad. He wants to take full custody of you.”

“Okay.”

“Do you know what that means. Youre being adopted. No more being here. You’ll have a family.”

“Okay.”

“Why do you always act like you hate the world. You know there's life beyond these walls.” Shelly’s statement hung in the air till Tanner made it obvious she wouldn’t say anything else.

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Tanner shoved her multitude of band merch, posters and CDs into her small duffle bag. “Tanner, why are you packing?” a curious foster sister walked towards her.

“Um, well. I think I am going to another foster home till my birth father gets back from a trip or something. He’s taking full custody,” she stated.

“Oh, okay,” The girl said while she pranced away.

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“Shelly, I’m ready,” Tanner said as she lugged her bag down the creaky wooden stairs. ‘

Shelly helped Tanner put her things in the car and they drove away from her most recent home. Tanner wasn’t going to miss it. She was completely alone in that place and there were way too many foster kids for the size of the home.

“Shelly, am I going to another foster home or am I just going with my dad?” Tanner asked while breaking the silence of the car.

“Oh, um you'll be-” Shelly was cut off by the ringing of her cellular phone.

Of corse. Tanner rolled her eyes. She didn’t bother to hone in on the conversation Shelly was having over the phone and she had let her mind wander. It had wandered out of the car and away from the state. It kept had wandering till it surpassed the stars.

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The car stopped at a small apartment complex. The walls were a white cement and brick mixture and the rooftop was a rusty yellow color with chipped paint flicking off into the air and floating away. The place had an old rock musician vibe to it. The parking lot was filled with a small variety of compact cars and one beautiful car. Well not beautiful, it was rather ugly and worn down, but it was perfect. It was Tanner’s dream car. An old, vintage Jeep Cherokee. Tanner stared at the car intently only hoping she can meet the beautiful soul that owns that glorious car that was sent by God himself.

“This is where I leave you, Tanner,” Shelly said in her soft voice.

“Okay,” Tanner replied in her monotone voice. She didn’t have a way with words you could say. Tanner grabbed her bag and walked towards the apartment complex. She knocked on the door. Just another foster home. Just another foster home. Tanner kept repeating to herself. The door creaked open. There stood a man. Short, skinny, long hair. He was very rock looking. Something about him was so familiar to Tanner, she just couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

“I’m Vic,” the man said. He was mexican and had brown wavy hair. He was also sporting a nose ring. He extended his hand hoping Tanner would shake it.

“Tanner,” she said in her cold mechanical voice. She glared at his hand. She wasn’t going to touch him. She had bad experiences with touching.

He retracted his hand. Tanner pushed her way into the apartment and threw her bag down on the couch.

“Tanner, there’s only one room so you can sleep on the couch till I can find another place.” That comment threw Tanner off slightly, but she shrugged it off and sat down on the couch.

“Whatever.” Tanner didn’t bother to look at the home, she didn’t even care. She wouldn't be here for too long anyways. She pulled her small laptop out of her bag as Vic tried to converse with her. She wasn’t going to talk to him.

“So tell me about yourself?” Vic asked her while she plugged her earbuds into her laptop and she pressed the earbuds deep into her ears ignoring Vic, ignoring the system, ignoring the world.

Vic snached the earbuds out of her ears. “Excuse me missy. I was talking to you!” Vic yelled.

“What the hell is your problem dude? I’m only gonna be here for a few days, its not like you need to know my life story or anything,”  Tanner snapped back.

“Oh my God,” Vic buried his head in his hands. “You don’t know.”

“Know what?” Tanner asked with anger still flaring in her voice.

“I’m your dad.”