Broken (Edited edition)

Old Memories

I wake up to the noise of vomiting, several people getting sick at the same time. I sit up, and jump to my feet. I run to the bathroom, and see Jack and Mark hovering over the toilet and trashcan. I feel myself breaking on the inside, and I feel myself trembling. Danny picks me up, and walks out of the hotel room with me." You don't need to hear or see that." He says, and hugs me against his chest as he walks back and forth in front of the door. I shiver in his arms, and he hushes me while kissing my cheek." Dan, they're done!" Arin says, and he brings me back in. All four of them are leaning on something in the bathroom, and Danny walks me past the bathroom. He sets me on the ground, and keeps me from going over to the bathroom." What's wrong?" I hear Mark ask, and he coughs a few times." Well, you almost gave your little Lyca a panic attack with you being drunk." Suzy says, and I hear coughing again. I see Mark in the bathroom doorway, and he wipes his mouth." Lyca come here sweetheart." He says, and I walk into his arms. He smells like vomit and whisky, and I keep my nose out of his shirt." I'm sorry I acted like that, I promise I'll try not to do it so often." He says, and I nod." You don't have to quit entirely, it just scared me the first time." I say, and he sees me scrunch up my nose.

He smells his shirt, and makes a face." I need to get new clothes on." He says, and gets up. He's wearing pajama pants now, and he's goes to get some new clothes. Jeans, red T-shirt, gray jacket, and blue shoes. He sprays some cologne on himself, then pulls some clothes out for me. Jack asks me to come over to him, and I stand in front of him. He tells me to lift my arms up, and I do. He pulls my shirt off for me, and he grabs my other shirt. He touches my stomach, that has crossing scars and knife wounds." Jesus." He whispers, and he pulls my shirt over my head. He rolls my sleeves up a bit to show some of my arms, and he strokes my shoulder." There's my gorgeous girl." He says, and kisses my forehead." You need to get dressed now. Can I walk Jack to his hotel room?" I ask Mark, and he's rubbing his head." Yeah sure, just be careful." He says, and I walk out with Jack, Bob, and Wade into the hall. Their room is six doors away from ours, and I sit on the bed as they run around getting dressed.

After getting all ready, and getting bags, we pack into our two cars. Jack, Bob, Wade, Mark and I are in one car." Okay, Jack is going to be hanging out with you Lyca. I'm going to be do another signing. Is that alright with you?" He asks me, and I nod." Yeah, that sounds fine to me." I tell him. He smiles over at me, and Wade parks the car. We all get out of the car, and walk into Pax for day two. Jack takes my hand into his the second we step onto the open floor." Okay, be careful. Remember, she doesn't like crowds." Mark says, and Jack rolls his eyes." I'm not new to this, I know this already."

Jack, Bob and I leave the others to go look for ourselves. Jack keeps his hand tightly wrapped around mine, and walks in front of me. He keeps look around at the games and people coming toward us." What are you looking for?" I ask, and he looks down at me." I'm looking for some games I'd like to play, or designer who I know." He says, and I nod." Have you seen any games yet?" I ask, and he shakes his head." Nope, not yet." He says, and smiles down at me. We stop at a booth with a cool game you play as a deep sea diver. Jack asks if I want to play, and I shake my head." I'm good, can I go to the bathroom?" I ask, and he nods." Yeah, it's right over there." He says, and I go to the bathroom. I stand in front of the mirror after using the restroom, and smile a little bit. I don't know why, it just feels good to smile. It makes my cheeks feel warm, and I smile even brighter.

I get out of the rest room, and hear my name." Lyca!" I turn, and my stomach flips. It's an old friend of Todd's, Jimmy. He's that a smoker guy everybody knows to get drugs, and he's the one who left my biggest scar. He's really tall, with muscles everywhere, tan, buzzed head, and green eyes." Lyca Parker, the shortest rat there is!" He says, and pats my back really hard." Jimmy?" He starts laughing, and it basically vibrates the floor." Oh Lyca, you haven't changed a bit. Where's your bro, I have some business to talk to him about." Him talking about Todd makes me shiver, and I move away from his reach." Todd isn't here, you know that." I say, and he gives me a look." You really expect me to believe he's dead? Todd is the toughest bad ass I know, he can't possible be dead." He says, and I feel myself shaking before. I haven't stood up to someone like this before.