Paper Moon

Chapter 13

(Edited)
"Ugh I quit!!" I threw my pencil across the room as I looked at my drawing. "Halo we're- Damn! What happened?" Josh asked and walked over to me. I sat up, the longer I starred at it the more I hated it.

"I quit!! Forever!!! It's too hard!!!" I complained and threw my last pencil at Alan who also walked in with Josh. "Quit at what? Drawing?" Josh asked. I nodded and looked down at them.

"Can you move a little imma jump down" I said but only Josh moved. (Guys my phone keeps autocorrecting Josh to Jish) "Alan can you move?" "I'll catch you!!" "No! What if you don't? Then we'll both be in pain!!" I said and he laughed.

"Halo your like four feet off the ground calm yourself" he said and placed his arms out. "Fine, drop me and I'll kill you. Got it Ashby?" He nodded and motioned for me to jump.

I looked down and jumped. I waited to land on the floor but never did. Instead I felt arms wrap around my body and I opened one eye. "Hey you caught me!" I said and he scoffed. "Was I supposed to drop you?" I shook my head no.

He started to walk to the front of the bus so I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Let's go explore the city? We have a few hours till show time" Alan told me, sending a glance my way.

"Ok let's ask my dad though" he nodded and we walked into the front room where you could hear everyone cheering about something. "Hey dad" everyone looked over at us.

"Yeah Halo?" "Can-" "I take her exploring?" Alan interrupted. "Sure but take an adult with you" dad said causing people to laugh. "I'll go" Jack said. "I said an Adult" dad said laughing.

"Whatever I'm still going" he said and stuck his tongue out at dad. I rolled my eyes. "Let's go" "wait I wanna go too, I don't wanna be stuck on this bus for another four hours" Austin said and stood up.

We all walked out of the bus. "Hey Alan can I get on your back instead?" "Go for it." He put me down then crouched down so I could jump on. He adjusted me on his back before we continued to walk.

"Jack" "what?" "Nothing I just wanted to say your name" I said causing him to laugh a little. "I don't understand you sometimes. By that I mean all the time, I never get you" he said still laughing. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Austin I aspire to be as tall as you one day" I said and he laughed. "You do? Why?" "I don't know, I just want to be tall, everyone on the bus is taller than me. Even Frank Iero is taller than me!!" I said causing all of them to laugh. "It's not funny."

Austin sighed, "You're so cute." I glared at him, "am not" I mumbled. "Want to feel tall?" He asked. I nodded my head eagerly. He laughed again, "get on my back."

Alan helped me onto Austin's back and I looked down at Jack and Alan. "Yay I'm taller then you!! Tell Frank I'm taller than him!!" I said and Jack laughed. "You know you're only taller than Frank when you're on Austin's back right?" I shrugged, "don't really care."

"Let's go in there! I want a snickers bar!!" I said and pointed to a liquor store. We walked to the liquor store and I had to get off of Austin because we were to tall to get through the door that way.

I grabbed a snickers bar and a monster. "Ha your funny" Austin said and took the monster from me. "Go get a soda or slushie but not a monster" he said and patted my head. I sighed before joining Jack at the slushie machine.

"Hey Halo, what kind of slushie do you want?" "Cherry." Jack grabbed a big cup but I traded it for a medium and he filled up the cup. We went to pay then decided to walk around for a little longer before we head back to the bus.

As we were walking I ended up falling a couple steps behind the guys. Every minuet or two they would look back to make sure I was there. As I finished my slushie I tapped Jack on the shoulder.

"Yeah Halo?" "I'm gonna throw this away I'll be right back." "I'll come with you I have to throw away mine too. Guys we'll be right back" Jack said and they nodded before going back to what they were talking about.

I dropped my cup in the trash. Some teenagers walking by were making rape jokes. Yes because those are so funny. "Rape jokes arn't funny" I said and walked over to Jack who was a few steps in front of me.

We joined the guys and I ended up a few steps behind them again. As I was walking I got to thinking and he popped into my mind again. I took in a deep shaky breath and tried to shake the thoughts away but was finding it rather difficult.

Tears lined my eyes. "Halo are you okay your being really quite?" Alan asked and looked back at me. I looked down not wanting them to see and nodded.

(Guys for this part I'm gonna be switching p.o.vs a lot so bare with me.)

Alan's pov.
I looked back at Halo and she was looking down. "Halo are you okay?" Jack asked after she didn't answer me. "Halo let's go talk over there yeah?" She shrugged and he took her hand before walking with her a safe distance away.

"Do you know what happened?" I asked Austin. He shook his head no. I looked over at the two of them and Jack was wiping Halos tears. He pulled her into a hug and they stayed like that for a few minuets.

"I hope she feels better because it's really hard to see her so sad. I mean she's always so happy and bubbly but now, it's just really sad" Austin said causing me to turn my attention to him.

"I know, I've never seen her sad like this. Even though I've only know her for a little it's really sad." I said to Austin.

We could hear some sniffles and turned to see Halo on Jacks back. Her head was laid on his shoulder and he was quietly humming. She yawned and her eyes started to close.

"Let's head back" Austin suggested. We agreed and started back to the bus. About halfway there Halo fell asleep. I really hope she feels better.

Jacks pov
I walked with Halo till we were out of ear shot. "Halo what's wrong?" I asked and she started crying. Crap did I say something wrong?! "Halo, what happened?" I asked calmly even though it was killing me inside that she was sad. "I- he- earlier- flashbacks- don't-" I could barley make out what she was saying but I think I know what's she's try my to say. I got down on my knees in front of her. "Halo were you remembering what happened that one day?" I asked and she nodded. My heart sank, that should've never happened.

"Halo, baby, I promise he's never ever going to come near you. If he even thinks about you I'll throw a brick at his head. Me and the guys will always protect you. Don't think about him he's not worth the time ok?" I wiped her tears and she nodded. I stood up and pulled her into a hug. She sniffled  and I pulled out of the hug.

"Wanna get on my back?" She nodded and got on. I started to hum Guts. On the way back she fell asleep and you could only hear small sniffing ever now and then.

"Can you-" "yeah." Alan opened the bus door and we walked in. All the laughing and shouting stopped when we walked into the back room.

Alex jumped to his feet and was instantly by my side. "What happened? Is she hurt?! Why was she crying?! Jack answer me!" He said way too quickly. "Alex let's go talk upstairs while I put Halo in her bunk" I said giving him a look that said 'trust me' (I'M NOT OKay.... I miss My Chem comment if you want them to make an appearance in this book).

As we were walking upstairs Halo woke up with a jolt that made her almost fall off my back. "Halo are you ok?" I asked her. She nodded her head but I had a feeling she wasn't ok. "Are you sure?" She shook her head no. I had a feeling.

She laid her head back on my shoulder and slowly fell asleep again even though she tried her best not to.