Saved By Steven (finished)

33. Going away?

That night Steven took Lauren to his hotel room. She slept through most of the day and night. Steven barely slept. Lauren kept tossing and turning ans moving on and off his chest. When Lauren finally woke up around noon the next day, room service had just arrived.

"Well, hello." Steven said, pouring coffee.

"Hi." Lauren said in a soft voice.

"How are you?" Steven asked. He knew better then to ask if she was okay. She obviously wasn't.

"Fine." Lauren said, as it was her response to that question when she didn't feel good. She was still groggy from the drugs and the fact that she craved more, didn't help.

"No you're not." Steven knew her better than to know she was fine. "You feel sick and want more drugs, right."

Lauren looked at him, she knew he knew her. Without another word Lauren turned on her back and fell on the pillows pulling the covers over head.

After what seemed like hours without words, there was a knock on the door.

"Hi Joe, thanks for coming."

"No problem."

"Is everything done?"

"Yep. Just got off the phone with the tour manager."

"Great."

"So why do you need me?"

"I need your help with Lauren."

"What's up?"

"She won't talk to me, or come out of bed."

Joe and Lauren had a different connection than Steven and Lauren. He sat down on the bed, pulled down the covers and found Lauren. She looked at him with her puppy dog eyes, the same she had at the school. He felt sorry for her.

"Want some coffee?" He asked.

"No."

"Want some drugs?"

"Yes."

"Well, I can't give you those. How about a hug?"

Lauren sat up and Joe embraced her in a big hug. He felt her shake.

When he let her go he saw Lauren crying. She was in bad shape. The rape, the binge drugging and drinking, the rehab, the school, none of it had done her any favors. The fact that her friends had left her in that godforsaken place had taken her to a bad place. She needed to get out of her mind. He knew Steven was right, she had to get out of this place and leave everything behind.

"Here, take this." Joe said as he gave her a lit cigarette. "You too." He said to Steven.

"Let's just calm down a bit"

The trio sat in silence and smoked before Joe and Steven told Lauren the news. She could come on tour with them. She didn't know what to say.

"Why?"

"We don't want you in this place. You keep getting worse."

"No. I'm fine."

"No you're not. Yesterday you had a panic attack and took drugs."

"So, that was a onetime thing."

"Lauren! Please, Mick is worried about you too. He said he would come too if that made you more comfortable."

"I can't just leave, I have a job."

"Mick said you could quit anytime you like."

"But...

There was a knock on the door. It was Mick. Steven had called him, he knew the news wouldn't go over well.

"Mick, thank you for coming."

"No, no, no." Lauren said. "No, I'm not doing it. No." And she stormed passed Mick, out of the room, to the elevator.

The boys knew she wouldn't go far so they followed her slowly.

"Lauren, come on. You didn't even say hi to me." Mick said.

"No. This is just like rehab. Fuck you guys." She screamed and left.

"Fuck." Steven said.

"Well, that didn't go as planned." Joe said.

"For Christ sake." Mick said. "This is messed up!" He was frustrated and didn't know what to do of Lauren didn't leave.

"Where do you think she is going?" Joe asked.

"To use." Steven and Mick both said.

Lauren did indeed use that day. She just did cocaine and drank herself into oblivion, in some bar. Not knowing the time, she managed to get a taxi to get her to the hotel. She stumbled into the lobby where Joe, Steven and Mick sat waiting for her. Trying to keep her balance and not pass out, she walked to the elevator. Before she could get there, Joe stopped her.

"Well, look who's back." Joe said.

"Fkoffjo" Lauren slurred.

"No baby, not today." He said and let her to the couch in the lobby.

"lemmego" Lauren said again.

"Lauren, focus on me." Mick said. He looked in her eyes and told her he and she were going on a trip with Steven and Joe.

"I.. don't... want.. to." She managed to say.

"I know, but we need to get you out of here to make sure you get well."

"I like... it.. here."

"I know. Will you go with me?"

"Willyoulemmesleep?"

"If you say yes."

"Yes." Lauren said and laid her head down on Steven's shoulder.

"We did it." Joe said.

"Well, almost. We have to get her on the plane and sober."

"Fuck." Joe said.

"let's get her up." Mick said.