***COMPLETED*** Around the World and Back [A Patty Walters Story]

Chapter 3: "If it's for your safety, it's priceless."

June 21, 2018
Pomona, California
Warped Tour - Day 1

I'd never been in a tour bus. Ever. So, I wasn't prepared to wake up on day one of Warped Tour with an aching back - I'm only 24, I shouldn't be having back pains like I'm 95.

After laying there for a few minutes scrolling through my social medias like they were the daily newspaper, I got up quietly so I wouldn't wake any of the band members.

I slipped into the bathroom and changed out of my athletic shorts and t-shirt into a pair of denim shorts and yet another tour shirt that Patty had brought me. He literally brought me a whole duffel bag full of his old shirts and the band's old tour shirts, so I was going to make good use of them.

I heard faint talking, laughing and sounds of things moving around outside, so I hurried up and finished getting ready so that I could start unloading the merchandise and getting it set up. I didn't want to screw up on day one, even though it was obvious I had no idea what I was doing.

My phone started buzzing loudly in my pocket, so I quickly answered it.

"What, Josh?" I whisper yelled into the phone. "What do you want?"

"You're not sharing your location with me, Avery," he said in that stupid monotone voice that I hate. "I have to be able to know where you're at at all times. You're in Pomona, which is already far enough away from Indianapolis."

I rolled my eyes, leaning against the bathroom door as I held my phone to my ear.

"I'm not gonna share my location with you, Josh," I said as I ran a hand through my hair. "That's really none of your business."

"If I catch you hanging out with that emo fucker, it won't be good for you, Avery," he nearly yelled into the phone. "You can count on that."

"His name is Patty," I said loudly. "And what are you gonna do, Josh? Hit me again? Go ahead. Please continue showing me how great of a man you are."

He mumbled something under his breath before putting the phone back to his ear.

"I should just dump your sorry ass right now," he laughed. "You're pathetic, and you're not that great at sex. Might I add that you closed our account and drained all the money-"

"Please, dump me. It'd be such an honor," I choked as I leaned against the sink. My eyes grew wide when the door flung open and Patty stood there. "And for the record, it was my checking account. Your name was not on it."

Patty closed the door behind him and leaned against it, watching me silently. He grabbed my hand that was hanging by my thigh and squeezed it.

"I'll ship all your fucking stuff to your mom, and let her know what a slut you are for running off across the country with another man," Josh said loudly.

In the background, I heard a can open, and I heard him take a drink. He was drunk, and I could tell that he'd be calling back later to ask for my forgiveness.

"Go ahead and ship what's left of it," I said as I looked down at Patty and I's hands, and then up at the ceiling, trying not to cry. "Everything that has any value to me at all is already here with me. I don't care what you do with the rest of it."

"Goodbye, Avery." He laughed as he took another long sip of his beer. "I hope you realize what a piece of shit you are," he said before he hung up the phone.

I set my phone face down on the counter and closed my eyes for a second before opening them and looking at Patty, who didn't take his eyes off of me.

"How much of that did you hear?" I asked softly, squeezing his hand that I didn't want to let go of.

"Enough to know that you need a hug," he said softly as he pulled me into his arms, wrapping them around me tightly.