FAKE

four

So I feel like this song goes with the story. To be honest, I feel like a lot of the songs from the album Badlands are going to fit with the story just from the electronic sound and twisted thoughts. A lot of them are probably going to be good for the story because of how I'm trying to build Ross' persona. Oh well, enjoy.

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I wake in a dark alley with my head still throbbing. I sit up and touch the back of my head hesitantly, then wince as soon as my fingers brush over the small lump.

"How are you feeling?" His voice slips smoothly through the dark, though I freeze.

"Ross?"

"Its me." He confirms and moves forward so I can just barely see his eyes glittering in the low lit back alley.

"Ross, I can't see anything." I complain as my hand searches over the concrete for my bag. "Where's my backpack?" He shoves it forward to me.

"I took it off so I could carry you." He answers shuffling around his own bag and finding his water bottle. He takes a swig, caps the bottle, and sets it back down.

"What's the plan?" I ask and lean back against the brick wall behind me. He shrugs.

"To stay alive." Ross answers.

"Ha. I'll keep that in mind." I roll my eyes. Silence falls heavily over the two of us. "Why didn't you leave me behind?" I ask suddenly, now thinking about it and being surprised by his actions.

"If I left you behind they would've killed you." He responds.

"You would've been okay with that if you had gotten away."

"No I wouldn't. Not anymore, at least." He admits suddenly and catches me off guard. "Besides," he continues, "we both got out didn't we? You owe me now." A light smirk tugs at his lips.

I roll my eyes. "Yes, Ross, I'm eternally grateful to you."

"We should keep moving. Find somewhere to stay." Ross decides and stands up. I push myself up and nearly fall, though he quickly puts his arm out to balance me.

"Thanks." I quickly push his arm away and hoist my backpack onto my shoulder. Ross starts ahead of me and we walk in silence, which is probably for the better since someone could jump out at us at any given moment.

"Ross?"

"Yes, Courtney?" He asks, not turning to face me but still walking straight ahead without a clue of where either of us would end up.

I pull out my cell phone. "Where are we going to find a place to crash? I could look something up on my pho-"

Ross turns and snatches the phone from my hand.

"Hey!" I protest.

"No cell phones, Court. You can be tracked." He hisses and shuts off my phone completely, then takes out the battery.

"What are you doing?" I as in horror as he reassembles the cell, though it now would no longer work without the battery. Ross slips the battery in his pocket and hands my dead phone back to me.

"I'll give it back to you when I'm certain you won't be traced from the data usage." He explains.

In other words, I was now without without WiFi for the rest of my life.

I unzip a side pocket on my bag and drop my phone in, then shut the pocket.

***

"Ross, I can't go any farther." I complain as I drag my feet across the sandy dirt below. I just barely trip over a patch of dead grass and quickly compose myself. "Can't we stop somewhere?"

I hear Ross sigh in front of me. He stops and turns around to face me. "Alright, fine, there should be a town coming up here and I'm sure we can find a cheap hotel."

I groan softly, wanting more to just collapse on the ground right there. He can see it, so he grabs me by the backpack strap and pulls me along wordlessly.

We make it to the town and Ross is the first to spot a fairly run down looking motel that looks fairly empty.

He stops me about fifty feet away, and pulls out his set of extra clothing.

"Lift up your shirt." He instructs me.

"Do what? Why?"

"Do you trust me?"

No, I don't. Not. At. All.

"...Fine." I give in.

Ross hands me his t-shirt. "Stuff that under your shirt and keep it over your lower stomach." He orders and I do so.

"Are you trying to make me look fat or something?" I ask indignantly.

"That's the idea." He replies. "Round out my shirt so it looks more believable."

I follow his instructions and smooth out the t-shirt carefully. Ross takes my bag and digs through it, finding my plastic bag of emergency makeup.

"I said only the necessities." He says, studying it.

"Well... it's necessary for me.. and it's only some concealer and an eye pencil." I make an excuse.

"And eye shadow, I see." He takes out the case and pops it open, then swipes his finger across the black powder and carefully drags its under both of his eyes.

"Ross.. if you're trying to not look so tired and run down, I wouldn't suggest darkening the circles under your eyes-"

"Shut up." He interrupts me. "Close your eyes."

I follow the order and feel his finger rub under my eyes. When I open them I pick up the eye shadow case and study the damage in the mirror of the compact. There are no dark circles under my own eyes, and I look even more exhausted then I am.

Ross zips my bag shut and pulls it onto his shoulders. Without warning and in one fluid motion, he picks me up like I am his lovely bride, when I look more sleepless, tubby, and undeserving of love.

Ross starts walking to the motel. "Now, let me do the talking and act like you're really tired. Okay?"

"Okay." I agree without a complaint of being carried. Ross pushes open the door carefully and walks up to the front desk where a tired looking woman is just nodding off. The bell on the door makes her jump awake.

"Is there a reservation? Or are you interested in paying right now."

Ross frowns. "I'm- I'm sorry, ma'am, my wife and I are incredibly tired. She's expecting and we need somewhere to stay."

Like I'd ever have his child.

"Well, for just the night it's about 63 dollars, sir." She replies. Ross bites his lip and glances down at me sympathetically.

"We, uh, don't have any cash, please, could we just stay the night?" Ross begs her. "Angelica hasn't had a proper place to sleep for days."

I can see the lady hesitate for a moment. "Alright, room 7 is open, just please don't make a giant mess and checkout is at 11:00 tomorrow."

"Thank you." Ross smiles weakly as she hands him a set of keys. We leave the main office and find room seven. Ross sets me down, unlocks the door, and walks inside. I follow him in and swing the door shut behind me, then fall onto the single large bed.

"I'm taking a shower, you can do whatever you want." Ross tells me and disappears into the bathroom.

I don't even bother to turn back the quilts, just pull out Ross' shirt from under mine, toss it to the side, and pass out from exhaustion.