Bully

Chapter 41: Back in her hometown

**ABRIELLE'S POV**

Over the next several months, I continued working with rehabilitation and physical therapists to get my knee back to where it should be. Each session slowly started getting easier and less painful. The knee brace I was using now was less restrictive than the original. It made it easier for me to walk on my own so I didn't need the help getting on and off the bus, thankfully. I'd been on the road with Shinedown for a year now. Although I'd opened up some to Eric, I hadn't really opened up to the rest of them. I liked hanging around them. They were funny and easy to get along with. On our time off, I lived with Eric.

The Dean had sent out a mass email to all the students in the program about what to expect during the last year with our band and about graduation. It had been a while since I'd thought about graduation. Honestly, I didn't want to go back to campus and see the other students. Brent made mention that it was my graduation and I'd only have to see them for a short while. Perhaps they'd be too busy with the ceremony itself to bother with me. I hated admitting he made a good point but I was still sure they would be picking on me no matter what.

Zach didn't think I should go back at all since I was trying to separate myself completely from my family, my home, and the campus. As of now, I was on the fence about going back for graduation or not. There was a chance, however slim, of running into my parents and brothers. That was the last thing on Earth I wanted to happen. As great as the band were, I wasn't sure they could honestly take on my family to protect me.

After debating with myself for weeks, I finally sent an email to the Dean expressing that I wouldn't be making it to graduation and asked him to send my diploma to Eric's house. I gave the address and thanked him for everything he'd done for me. Bill continued to find me work which always astounded me. Several of the bands that I'd created tour posters for had hired me to create album covers for them. I always put at least half of whatever I'd been paid into my savings account and the other half in my checking.

Eric had actually turned one of the guest bedrooms into an office for me. He bought an L-shaped computer desk for me, had a desktop specially made for me (which I knew wasn't cheap), bought three separate monitors for me to use, as well as a printer that could print posters. He bought a bookshelf to house some of the books I had of web and graphic design that I frequently turned to when trying to do stuff. My office chair was super comfy too. I could sit in it all day and never feel like I'd been sitting in an office chair all day.

I was shocked when he did all this for me but he said he was happy to help me. All I could do was shake my head and tell him I'd pay him back somehow. The stubborn man retorted that he wouldn't allow me to do that earning a scowl from me. It was a lot easier working on school and work projects at home than it was on the road since I had three monitors to use. Over the course of the year, when we had time off to go home, Eric's mother would come over to teach me how to cook. It took me aback the first time but she was very patient and kind with me. I'm not sure what he'd told his family about me but they were all nice to me.

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We were on the road when it was graduation time. Since I'd opted not to go back home for it, the band, Bill, and Jake decided to take me out to celebrate on our own. They took me to an expensive steakhouse, which was delicious, and then out to a bar to let loose and have some fun. No worries about being bullied by the other students. No worries about what my family would do to me to embarrass me at my own graduation. That's if they even bothered to show up. It was just me and friends out on the town having some fun and making memories.

Me and some friends. The thought hit me hard. For the first time since grade school, I truly did feel like I had real friends. Not people pretending to be my friend out of pity. They truly cared about me. A few days after my little graduation ceremony, I was on the bus working on a website for a band that Bill had convinced to use me to create their site when the grandfatherly man boarded. He greeted me with a smile as he sat down across from me. I smile back and wondered what was going on. We remained quiet for a few minutes as we sat there together. The silence was starting to get to me. As I was about to ask him what was going on, he started to talk.