Spilled Ink and Scribbled Lines (Crimson Lines Sequel)

Chapter Seven

Song of the chapter: Bad Blood by Bastille

[ K a t ]

"Hey, Kat... Kat.... Wake up"

"Shhh... Shut up" I cover my ears, feeling my head already beginning to ache. Nights full of drinking turn into mornings full of regret.

"Kat" Jack lightly nudges my arm "You should really get up" I'm blinded by the sun coming in through the useless sheer white curtains. Jack's laying next to me "You awake?"

I wrap my arms around his lanky figure and bury my head in the crook of his neck "Fuck no"

"Rian's gonna kill us" Wow, haven't heard that in a while. Really brings me back.

"I don't care" I whisper, already half asleep

"Nothing happened anyways. Just in case you don't remember" He shrugs

"I remember" I sigh. I said way too much. Damn.

"Are you going back to sleep?"

"Jack... Just shut up" I mumble, putting my hand over his face and closing my eyes

He chuckles, pushing my hand away "Remember when we all had that big water balloon fight. Everyone was so happy. I wore a tie, damn I looked good. You were wearing the same sweater you wore last night. And near the end of the war you sacrificed your brother. But he screamed and gave away where you were hiding so I hit you with a balloon and I won"

"I could've remembered it without the play-by-play, but yeah. What about it?" I ask, giving up on going back to sleep

"I dunno it was really nice"

"Yeah... I know it was"

"You should come back to Baltimore" He blurts out

"Jack-"

"No, Kat come on. We need you. You make us happy and I know that we make you happy too"

"Please don't go there" I roll my eyes

"Just listen to me-"

"No, Jack. Might I remind you who made me want to leave in the first place. You. If I go back to that damn house then everything's gonna go right back to the way it was before. Everyone would be constantly stressed out. None of us need to be reminded of it. I'm not gonna go through that again"

"We'll get you help, anything you need"

"I have a job, new friends, and a home to myself, I like it here" I sit up in the bed, Jack does the same

"So now you hate Baltimore" He frowns

"When I was living with Rian in Baltimore it was hell. Okay? I spent every day tearing apart my skin, crying until I couldn't breathe, and wishing I was dead. So excuse me if I don't want to go through that again" I pull on my jeans and sweater, regretting spending the night here.

"What, living here is perfect?" He raises his voice "You move away from your friends and family and all of a sudden you're cured. You mean to tell me that last night when you stood here in tears, covered in cuts, that was because you're so fucking happy here!"

I shake my head, feeling a knot in the back of my throat "I need to go"

He holds the door shut "Kat, god dammit just listen to me!

"You've been here for one day! One fucking day and you're already trying to force me to do things I don't want to do! I knew this was gonna happen! I shouldn't have come to see you guys! Face it, I'm not going back to Baltimore! And if I ever do it's gonna be in a casket!"