The ride home was quiet. We were both exhausted. We opened the door to find Boston sitting on the couch, watching some kind of cooking show. "How was it, ladies?" He asked. "It was so much fun, Alice got up on the stage and sang with that band you like.. Something age.." "Twisted Age?" He finished for her. "Wow. They're so good. You're lucky. How did you even get to go up there?" He asked. "Me and Jack are close." And that was all I said. "Well, alright. I ordered pizza and wings for dinner. Alice, your uncle requested that I bring you home early tomorrow. Around 9." He said. I frowned. "It's okay, honey. You can come back whenever you want." Jen said. I pretended to be okay and sat on the couch and watched for a while.
Just as the chef was screaming at a bunch of guys in blue chef hats, the bell rang. "Pizza!" He called through the door. Boston got up to go get it. "Alice, do you want to take a shower before you leave?" Jen asked me. I nodded. I never really got a shower. Just once every week, I would take the soap that I had to work for and used the shower. I only used it while Uncle Will was asleep. Sometimes he'd wake up and come in and hit me or flush the toilet so I'd be scalded by the water. The burn marks were just another thing to lie about. Oh, I was cooking and I dropped the water.
Boston came back with the pizza and set it on the table. It was pepperoni. He handed me a plate and I grabbed a piece. I said thank you and watched the rest of the show. After the show, Jen showed me how to use the shower and what stuff I can and can't use. She even brought me a little guest loofah to scrub my body with. I usually just used the bar of soap. She brought me a towel and a little shower radio. "You can change it to whatever station." She told me. I nodded. "Okay, so it looks like you're set?" She asked. I nodded. She left and I turned on the radio. Some song that I've never heard was playing. It was a little slow. I liked it. This could be my chance to learn modern music. The song ended and the that was The Fray on KFWA, your gateway to the now. I'm not even sure what that meant. Maybe it was just all types of music.
I undressed and got in the shower. A song with bouncy lyrics came on and I started to dance. All the single ladies.. thats all the song said for the longest time but the tune was great. It's funny how music can make your mood change like that. Funny how it can make you cry or make you want to dance with just sounds. It's just amazing.
I got out and dried off. I got dressed and brushed my hair. I smelled great and my hair was sleek for once. I didn't want to go back home. Was it even a home? I was scared to back. I would possibly never see Jack again. I couldn't stand the thought.
I went to bed but I couldn't sleep. Thoughts ran back to me. The bruises, the burns, the hate. I didn't want to go back. Jen and Boston were so nice to me. I didn't want to leave them. Or Jack. I couldn't think about leaving them. I finally fell asleep.
