Bleed Me Dry

Crumble in the Dust

"I'm done trying to be the one picking up the broken pieces. And I'm done trying to be the one who says I love you dear, but I'm leaving." Black Roses, Clare Bowen.

Andie

For some reason this morning I have am extremely peppy. I'm not going to complain because I can't remember the last time I was this happy for no reason. I'm bouncing around the dinner in my orange Wrigley's uniform with my cute little white apron attached to it. I'm getting more tips than usual due to my friendliness which only makes me happier than I already am.

Millie is sitting at a table in the diner because she is so sick she can't walk without a cane anymore. Pretty soon she'll have to be in a wheelchair all the time. Taking care of her has taken my mind off of things. I'm still cutting to relieve the pain but my breakdowns are few and far between. Everyday when I come home from work Millie and I just laugh about the day and gossip about harmless drama that buzzes around the diner. Living with Millie has showed me I can be okay again, that one day I'll be able to move on and be fine.

Gia is working with me today. She is getting too big for the regular uniform so she has to wear these ridiculous stretch pants and a Wrigley's t-shirt. We joke about it a lot with her because she looks so funny. Gia has been in an off mood ever since she came to our apartment crying about Tanner. They got back together and even said they loved each other but their relationship doesn't seem to be the same. Tanner is always nervous and stumbling around to help her and she only seems irritated with him. I think she's trying her best to love him but after such a long time alone it's hard for her to see anyone as anything other than something that will hurt her. If I were her I would never let him go, he cares for her and makes sure she is happy all the time. Vincent never did stuff like that for me, not even when we loved each other.

I haven't thought about Vincent a lot lately. He hasn't been calling so I'm hoping maybe he decided to let me be. I don't know how I'm going to get out of being married to him but right now that is the least of my concerns. I'm able to sleep at night without worrying that he is going to show up at work and drag me back to Florida. There are times when I find myself missing him but I am quickly able to bring myself back to reality now. I will always love him but somewhere along the lines a piece of my heart chipped off and it belonged to Vincent. That piece is lost somewhere in all the other broken parts of us. I remember all the words he said to me that cut me like knives in my heart. I'm not under his spell anymore, he can't change me or hurt me anymore. I am free.

"You alright?" Gia says snapping me out of my daze.

"Yeah I'm fine, I was just thinking," I tell her still not looking her completely in the eye.

"Well table 22 needs to be waited on dingbat."

We laugh together for awhile, "Alright I'm on it."

I smile walking over to the customer. He looks like a younger man which is surprising since we don't many of those in here. Maybe I can flirt with him a little bit to try and get back in the game. I take a deep breath and fix my red hair a little. The man is getting cuter the closer I get to him, he even has that dusty blond hair that I find so sexy.

"Hello sir, what would you like to drink?" I crouch down really close to him so I can bat my eyelashes at him. But when I look up a pair of blue eyes pierces through mine and every fear I've ever felt has come to life. I jump back up as quickly as I can tears starting to brim in my eyes. Vincent sits in front of me with a smirk on his face.

I try to back away from him unable to speak or scream. But he grabs my arm and pulls me in close to him. I can smell alcohol on his breath. He breathes down my back letting me know he has a hold on me and says, "I've got you now baby, and I'm never letting go."

Fear surges down my body. I'm wondering where Millie and Gia are, if they realize who I'm talking to. Before I can struggle to get away from him a cane hits Vincent in the back of my head. He angrily turns back around and I see Millie standing there with fear in her own eyes. I can feel the battlefield in the room. I pull myself together and prepare for the biggest battle I will ever fight.

I just hope I won't crumble in it.