Laine Transformation

Chapter Six

I crouch into a ball on my bed, pulling the cheetah print blanket over my head. As I let out a sigh and grunt I play images of last night back and the hangover remorse starts to set in. The thought of Killian comes in full steam and vivid.

We walk into The Broken Key shortly after 7 and it is a full house downstairs. We make our way in to the end of the bar to order a couple of beers before Sam's band, Shaving Face, begins.

Walking up to the the bar I run into Beth, the baristas at the coffee shop by my house. Beth is one of the toughest women I've ever met. She was a roller derby girl up until she injured both her ankles one too many times and got put on a permanent leave.

Beth makes cappuccinos by day and screams in a death metal band at night. She's also an adrenaline junkie whose a longtime member of the Midwest Skydive Club.

Beth, Chuck, Billie, and I birthday cheer and we knock back shots as the band begins.

The stage is rusted and the wood is warped but it's still beautiful and classic. The dusty dimmed lights creates a timeless scene that only history can develop.

When Shaving Face finishes we greet Sam who is pleasantly surprised that I was in the crowd then head upstairs to get a drink to finish off the night.

I hadn't been to The Broken Key in nearly six months. I'd been avoiding it more than any other place mostly to avoid Killian.

After we get our first round, Beth parts ways with us to meet up with her friends. Billie and Chuck break out into a fight that I couldn't quite keep up with. I know they're holding back on my account so I step out downstairs for a cigarette, giving them a moment for themselves.

"Happy Birthday." A low, crackly voice echoes from the corner behind me. "You look great." I didn't need to turn around to know who it is. Killian's in the shadow behind me, dressed in all black per usual with slick hair to match. I look over my shoulder slightly, but I don't say a word. Instead, I turn my head back around and walk a couple steps further and find a spot to lean. There's couple making out next to me blocking his view of me.

He starts to move towards me and and I look down at my feet. My curls all fall forward, temporarily hindering my view.

" I mean it." He bites towards me again for a reaction. "The truth is, I've been trying to run into you but you haven't really been around." He begins. I'm still appearing not to pay attention.

"I tried to call you but your phone always goes to voicemail and I tried stopping by your place a couple times but it appears you've moved."

"That's because it's blocked." I snap at him with anger. "For good." Killian's motionless and unsure how to respond.

"We need to talk, Lainey." He continues on. I throw my cigarette in a bucket and walk towards the front door but before I can get in he stops me. His hand's now placed firmly on my check as if it's endearing.

"I love you." He says staring down at me and into my eyes. I'm stiff as a board for only a moment.

"Go to hell." I finally say, pushing his hand away. He always manages to ignite a deep anger in me.

Upstairs I find Billie and Chuck, tired and doing their best to throw the end of their beer back.

"Are you okay?" Billie questions as she cocked her head to the left, her red locks bouncing with her. Before I could answer I can see Chuck's eyes wonder to behind me

"Killian." It lingers out of his mouth like a poisonous steam. I roll my eyes as they begin to talk then walk to the bar. Billie follows behind where we proceeded to slam a shot and order another beer.

"Don't let him ruin your day, Lainey. He means nothing." Billie 's rubbing my back and consoling me.

" Billie , I'm honestly fine. I'm capable of being in the same room as him and holding it together." I tell her. We both know its a lie but we let it lay to rest. Billie looks at her phone to check the time and immediately becomes locked in on the screen.

"I really hate to do this to you but my brother and his wife need me to stop over and watch my niece. I guess the youngest came down with a bad fever and they need to take him over to the E.R." She tells me. "Will you be okay getting home?"

I nod to her. "Go take care of your family. I'll be fine, girl." She gives me hug.

"Happy Birthday, Josephine Laine Redding. I love you to the moon and back." She tells me before walking away to get Chuck.

I take a seat at the bar and wait patiently for James to see me. When he walks over he slides a shot shot of Malort in front of me and another beer.

"This is on Killian." He tells me before walking away to serve another customer. Killian makes his way over to the bar, shaking hands with musicians and others as they're walking by. He was smug while working the room and exudes confidence. Everyone knew who he was and everyone wanted to impress him for some stupid fucking reason. I see him for what he is and that is a selfish bastard.

He leans in next to me and smiles. I don't look away from the beer, my eyes stay locked.

"Your girlfriend wouldn't want you to be talking to me, you should walk away now. I have nothing to say to you." I'm angry and almost shaking.

"She was never my girlfriend, she wasn't anything to me." He replies. I'm a million emotions but I'm mostly disgusted. I slam my shot as Killian motions the bartender for two more.

"We're done here. Don't call me, don't come to my house, don't talk to me. I don't want you in my life now or ever." It comes out bumpy but I mean it. It's the first time I can fully admit to myself that I hate him.

He slides the shot in front of me and we take them. I push myself out of the seat and turn to walk away when Killian grabs my arm like he had so many times before.

"I'm always going to be in your life, Lainey. You need me and I need you. Let's go somewhere and talk." I try to pull away once and his grip gets tighter. I pull away harder and he releases, causing me to fly onto the floor. This is literally dejavu from last year.

I look up from the floor to see him over me like a monster peering down at its prey. Sam comes running toward me and pulls me up from the floor.

"Are you okay?" He exclaims with confusion. I nod over and over again a little drunk and shaking from reliving the horror of every time he'd hurt me before. Sam picks my purse up from the floor and delicately swings it over my shoulder and puts his other arm around me.

"Stay the fuck away from her." Sam yells. I can feel all the eyes on the room on us now and I'm mortified.I keep my head down and Sam walks me down the stairs and into an Uber. I'm in disbelief this could happen again.