a purposeful past | s.s

Chapter Thirteen

Romeo couldn't fathom why Lane had willingly chosen to join Frisks and her kids again, especially with the intent of fulfilling an obviously empty promise, but then again, he didn't understand why girls did a lot of what they did.

But it seemed even he was taking this better than Finch seemed to be.

"She's insane!" Finch was saying, gesturing around him wildly and ultimately scaring off any potential customers. "I mean, she is! I tell her not ta walk into dis death trap, 'n what does she do? Walks into tha death trap!"

"Gee, wouldn't know anythin' 'bout dat," Romeo grumbled under his breath.

Finch didn't seem to hear. "D'ya think she'll be okay?"

"It's Lane," he deadpanned. "She's like a cat."

Finch stared at him in confusion.

"She basically has nine lives."

"So?"

"She don't die!"

Finch took this into consideration. "Alright, sure. But she could still be in pain."

Romeo sighed, thinking that if people actually listened to him, maybe things would go their way for once. "Well, she's dere now, so what's ya gonna do 'bout it?"

"I dunno." Finch frowned. "I know she don't want me goin' aft-ah her. She did it ta save Race, obviously. No one's gonna be able ta make her leave until he's free... I jus need some time ta come up wit somethin'."

"Bett-ah make it quick," Romeo told him. "I don't see anythin' good comin' outta dis."

He nodded. "It will be. I had a feelin' dis would happen. We know each oth-ah like tha back 'a our hands. She goes mad when she don't do anythin' ta help when dere's a way she can. Even if she gets hoit in tha process."

"Why?"

Finch sighed. "I know she feels like she has ta earn people's love before acceptin' it. I can tell she's doin' bett-ah, but it still weighs on her sometimes. I mean, she spent her whole childhood bein' manipulated 'n thrown aside. How else is she gonna act?"

"I jus hope ya know her as well as ya say you do."

"I promise I do," Finch told him. "I'll find a way ta talk ta her, 'n I'll make her see dat wit all tha newsies, we can pull both 'a dem out."

Romeo nodded solemnly.

"We'll get 'em home."

It was hard to find anything good about her situation.

Lane had to admit; she thought once she arrived and showed herself, giving herself over to them, they'd release Race right away.

That was not the case.

The first day went by excruciatingly slow, even though she hadn't actually done that much. Frisks did her best to introduce her to the newer kids that Lane didn't recognize, but Lane had

sworn herself to silence, and had not spoken a word since when she'd first arrived. She knew anything that came out of her mouth would most likely be untrue, and she simply could not handle that much weight on her soul. She dreaded the thought of spending any more time in this place of nightmares than she absolutely had to.

Yet she still hoped Finch wouldn't come after her.

About a day and a half into her silent treatment, Frisks had had enough and attempted to make her talk.

"Ya ain't doin' yer friend much favors by bein' so quiet," Frisks told her, irritated.

Lane said nothing.