Running

Chapter 27

Around noon that day, Corey went to go check on her, and found the bunk empty. He walked back to the bathroom, knocking on the door. The door flew open, and Vyla was dressed, and looked better. She had color in her cheeks, dark circles were gone. She had her make up on, and her hair hung down on her shoulders.

"Hey!" He said smiling at her, surprised.

She smiled. "Hi." He lifted her up, hugging her hard.

Setting her down, he gave her a quick kiss. "Feeling better?" He asked concerned.

She nodded. "A little. Are we out of California?" She asked him.

He nodded smiling. "Yes. Oklahoma actually." He said.

"Thank God. I was hoping I slept the whole time." She said. He nodded.

"We're stopping soon." He said.

"Good. I need to get out of here for a bit." She said. He nodded, "Me too." He said.

They stopped somewhere for the rest of the day. Vyla and Corey went for a walk. "When do you want to get married?" He asked her.

"Whenever. My schedule is pretty open." She grinned at him.

He nodded. "What kind of wedding do you want?" He asked.

"I don't need anything fancy. Something small, I guess. Unless you want something different." She said.

"Whatever you want I'm fine with. As long as you wear a dress." He smiled at her.

"As long as you wear a suit." She smiled back, making him nod.

They made their way back to the bus. Sid was on a skateboard, riding around. He stopped in front of them. "Want to give it a try Vy?" Sid asked grinning, holding the skate board out to her.

"Sure. Nothing to it right?" She said.

"Want me to teach you?" He asked.

She grabbed the board out of his hand, tossing it down, placing her foot on it and pushed off. Him and Corey watched in surprise, as she glided around on Sid's skateboard. She skid to a stop in front of them. She stepped off, stomping her foot on the end of the board, flipping it up, catching it. She handed it back to Sid. "Want me to teach you?" She asked laughing.

"Holy shit!" Jim yelled. She looked over and laughed at him.

"I'm a little rusty." She said.

"What the fuck Vy!" Sid yelled laughing.

"My brother taught me when I was six." She laughed.

Corey's eyes were wide at her. "I have the coolest fucking fiance." He said, still in awe.

She grinned, grabbing the board from Sid, taking off again. "You are a lucky man, Taylor. You have no idea." Sid said to Corey.

"Quit staring at my soon to be wife asshole." Corey said laughing.

"Can't help it." Sid smiled shaking his head, watching her.

"Babe! Get off the board. Now they all want to marry you!" Corey yelled to her.

She laughed, skidding to a stop. She got off handing the board back to Sid. "Not my fault I'm fucking amazing." She grinned.

She walked on the bus, Corey right behind her. He grabbed her, holding her close. "Any other random things you can do that I should know about?" He asked smiling.

She shrugged, "Guess you'll have to wait and see." She smiled, walking upstairs.

He chuckled walking into the kitchen area where Jay and Chris were looking at a laptop. They looked up, shutting it, when they saw Corey. "What?" Corey questioned them.

"Nothing, man." Jay said, looking away.

"What is it?" Corey asked, starting to get pissed.

Chris sighed, "There are pictures of Vyla's trial. The pictures they showed as evidence, are on the news. Her..um..her back is one of them." Chris said, opening his laptop, showing Corey.

"Fuck! Why the fuck would they do that?!" He yelled.

He shut the laptop, looking at Jay and Chris. "Promise me you guys won't show this to Vyla." Corey said.

"Won't show Vyla what?" They heard Vyla ask from behind them. All three of them froze. Corey turned around, looking at her.

"Hey want to go somewhere for a while?" He asked, avoiding her question.

She narrowed her eyes glaring at him. "Don't fucking dick me around Corey. What are you hiding?" She asked sternly.

"Its nothing Vy." He said, almost desperately.

"Corey." She said in a deadly calm voice that he knew all to well.

He looked away, lifting the lid on the laptop. Jay and Chris stood, leaving the kitchen. Vyla walked over and looked at the news article about her, looking at the evidence photos, and she felt an icy fist in her stomach. She slammed the lid on the laptop, turning and walking away from him.

He caught up to her, grabbing her arm and turning her to face him. "Vy, it's ok. Don't let it bother you." He said quietly.

"Corey let go of my arm. Now." She said sternly. He let go, and backed up a step.

"I need to be alone. I don't want to talk about it." She said through her teeth.

"Babe, please. Just don't leave on your own, ok?" He asked softly.

"Just move. Please." She said, her voice shakey. He could see the tears in her eyes.

"I am two fucking seconds from losing my shit, and I need five fucking minutes to pull myself together, and I don't need everyone hearing me. Now please move." She said, as the tears fell.

He leaned over, looking out the window, taking a quick count of the guys. Jay and Chris were still inside. "Please wait right here, ok?" He said, running up the stairs as fast as he could.

"Guys. Can you.." He started to say, noticing they were already on their feet, walking to the stairs.

"Already on it. Take your time." Chris said, walking past him.

He ran down the stairs, seeing she was still where he left her. They heard the doors shut. He looked at her, and watched her chest rise and fall at fast pace. She looked at him, tears falling faster than they were before.

"Why the fuck would they do that! Why would they post fucking pictures on national news about that!" She yelled.

He didn't say anything. He just waited.

"Now I get to have everyone talk about me even more for months! FUCK!!!!!!" She yelled louder. She sat down on the floor, holding her face in her hands and sobbed.

"Its like I am fucking freak or an animal caged at the zoo, that everyone is staring at." She sobbed.

Corey couldn't help but feel the tears in his own eyes start. He sat next to her, pulling her into his lap. "Baby, that's not true at all. It's not." He said, wiping his eyes.

She turned facing him, wrapping herself around him, laying her head on his shoulder. He held her as tight as he could, as she sobbed. "I'm sorry Vy. Jay and Chris didn't even want to show me. They were upset too. No one is happy about it. I promise." He said. He felt her nod.

"I'm tired Corey. I'm really tired." She said sadly.

"Come on, I'll lay with you." He said, both of them standing. They walked to their bunk, laying down. Her heard her sob quietly as he held her. They became less and less, until he knew she was asleep.

He got up and walked out of the bus. "She alright?" Jim asked Corey.

"For now. She's sleeping. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be at least." Corey said.

Jim nodded. "I can't believe they put that shit out there for people to see. Christ, she's been through enough." Jim said, sounding angry.

"Hey, man. We weren't trying to upset you guys. We didn't want to tell you. You just came in right then." Jay said.

"Its alright. I'm actually glad she knows. This way it's not a surprise later." Corey said.

They hung outside for a few hours, before loading back on the bus. Corey went to their bunk to check on Vyla. She was curled up in the corner of the bunk, with her ear buds in, looking out the window. She noticed him and pulled them out of her ears, shutting the song off on her phone.

"Watcha listening to?" He grinned, moving on to the bed next to her.

"Probably nothing you would like." She grinned.

"Try me." He said.

"Tori Amos." She said.

"Tori's not bad. A little depressing though." He said still grinning.

"Yeah, well, I couldn't bring myself to listen to Brittany Spears." She said making him laugh.

"You ok?" He asked seriously.

"Yeah. Sorry about the melt down." She said.

"Don't be. The guys are pissed about it being out there too. Jay and Chris feel really bad. They didn't want either of us to know." He said

"I'm going to go talk to them. I'll be back." She said, getting up. He grabbed her as she crawled over him, making her stop. He kissed her softly.

"I love you." He said.

"I love you more." She replied, moving off of him.

She found Jay and Chris in the upstairs, watching tv. She went over, sat in Jay's lap, making him laugh. She hugged him tight, then smiled, and went over to Chris, doing the same. No other words needed to be said, as she left to go downstairs. Corey looked surprised when she came back to their bunk.

"That was quick." He said, surprised.

"Sometimes words aren't needed. I sat in their laps and gave them hugs, and that was it." She said laughing. He glared playfully at her.

"What the fuck woman! Now we have to get married soon, or I will get passed up to one of them." He laughed.

She shrugged. "Sure. Pick a day and time, and I'll be there." She said, making him laugh and shake his head.

"You really don't care what our wedding is like do you?" He grinned at her.

"Nope. Just as long as we get married, I'm fine with it. I did look at dresses, if that makes you feel better." She said.

"Really? Like what?" He asked. She grabbed her phone, pulling up the saved pages, showing them to him.

She had found one that would cover her back entirely. It was an elegant white gown, with embroidered red roses throughout it. Around the bottom of the dress, it had a large red thick red ribbon around it. It was nothing flashy, which he knew wasn't her style. But he loved it.

"I love it." He said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Yeah? I'm glad. I was hoping you wouldn't think it was too boring." She said smiling.

"Not at all. I can't wait to see you in it." He said, not wiping the smile from his face.

"Good. You get to figure out the rest." She laughed.

"You want me to plan this? Why do I so not feel like the guy in our relationship anymore?" He asked making her laugh.

"Whatever. You love that I call you on your bullshit, and take charge of things." She said smiling.

"Yeah I do." He said moving over to kiss her.

"You can call me on my bullshit too Vy. I don't mind you taking charge of things." They heard from Jim in his bunk.

They both laughed. "Fuck off Jim!" Corey yelled at Jim.

"How long before we leave?" She asked him.

"A few hours. Why?" He asked.

She grinned hard. "Because I want to show Sid how to skate." She said.

He laughed, "Come on." Pulling her out of the bed with him.

Later that night, she was laying in Sid's bunk next to him. "You're quiet." He said.

"Yeah. I was just thinking what a shitty month and a half it's been." She said.

"Agreed. How are you after hearing the sentencing?" He asked.

"Pissed. I just laid out the shittiest details of my life for the world, and they can't keep him in a prison cell for that long. How the fuck did he get out of attempted murder? I don't get it." She said.

"Me either. Its fucked. Completely fucked. But at least you don't have to worry about him now." Sid said.

"For now. I need to get used to the fact he's gone. I can't turn it off. I look over my shoulder all the time. He's still in my dreams. I get panic attacks out of the blue now, and for the love of God, I don't want to be alone in a room. I don't feel like I won anything really." She said.

"Shit. Vy, I didn't realize you were feeling like that at all. Why didn't you say anything?" He asked turning his head to look at her.

"What's there to say? I'm an emotional basket case. I can't believe Corey wanted to stay around for all of this." She said looking at him.

"Ok. Quit with that. I have known Corey a long time. If he didn't want to be with you, he wouldn't be. The dude was a wreck when you were in the hospital. I have never seen him that crazy in love before. And you're not a basket case. You don't have a straight jacket." He said making her laugh.

"Not yet I suppose." She said.

"And you won't ever. Just take some time to deal with it. You have to. Doesn't matter who you tell. Just talk woman. You have a big ass mouth, start talking." He said as the both laughed.

She leaned up looking at him. "How come you came after me at Mick's that night. Did Corey send you?" She asked.

"No. I just told him to stay, I was going. I felt like I needed to I guess." He said as he sat up. "Ever met someone, and for whatever reason, you feel like they need a friend, but they're really fucking stubborn, and you know deep down they need a friend but are too scared to reach out? That's what I felt that night. You reminded me of my best friend from high school. She was a lot like you. I miss her." He said.

"Can you call her?" Vyla asked.

He shook his head sadly and said, "No. She died in a car accident. Right after high school." Vyla's heart broke hearing that. She hugged Sid hard.

"Ahh, Sid. I love ya. And thank you for coming after me. I'm sorry about your friend." She said quietly.

"I love ya too Vy." Was all he said.

"Now you love my fiance too, asshole?" They heard from Corey.

"Fuck off, of course I do!" Sid laughed, pulling back from Vyla.

Vyla turned around flipping Corey off. He smirked. "Throwing out offers again?" He questioned.

"Alright, guys! Get the fuck out of here." Sid said, making all of them laugh.

"Night Sid." Vyla grinned at him.

"Night Vy." Sid said pulling the curtain on his bunk.

Corey and Vyla laid down in their bunk. He ran his fingers up and down her arm gently. Unable to help himself, he started kissing her neck. She turned to him grinning, and shaking her head at him. He was pleading with his eyes at her. She shook her head, still smiling.

"No way." She whispered.

"We can be quiet." He whispered back, grinning.

"You know that won't happen." She whispered.

He glared playfully at her, eyeing her neck. She shook her head, laughing. He moved back to her neck, making her laugh. She leaned back at him, giving him a look. Sighing, he laid down next to her.

"You want me just as much, and you know you do." He whispered directly in her ear.

She nodded, turning to face him. She leaned in licking his neck, then turning her back to him.

"You are fucking tease." He said whisper in her ear again.

She moved to whisper in his ear, "You love it. And you know you do, because you keep coming back for more each time." She grinned at the look on his face, rolling back to her side.

She felt his fingers dig into her hip slightly. "You're right. I do love it. I always want more." He whispered back, nibbling her ear.

"Want me to talk about banking again?" She whispered.

He grinned and nodded. "So when you balance a teller drawer, you have to count all the cash-" he cut her off.

"Thank you baby. That did the trick." He said quietly, making them both chuckle.


A few days later Vyla was sitting in their bunk, staring off into space, when she heard a noise outside her bunk. She opened the curtain, seeing Jay and Shawn. Both of them holding coloring books, smiling. She grinned, getting up to follow them upstairs.

The rest of the guys were watching a movie, as the three sat coloring. Corey shook his head at them. "Seriously Vy?" He grinned.

"Hey! The guys have made some awesome coloring pages. I mean, look." She said holding up a page. "Jay drew a set of tits on this one. Alex, this was really a work of art buddy. He drew a dick on the owl. Chris threw some manly Slipknot writings on his. Shawn drew devil horns on this one. So it's not like their coloring flowers and shit." She said, hearing the guys laugh hysterically.

Corey laughed shaking his head at her. "Keep it up Taylor, and we will watch Titanic. And I will find a Lifetime movie marathon. Keep fucking with me." She grinned.

"Titanic was a good movie." Jay said.

"Fuck off Jay! Get your balls out of Vy's purse for fucksake!" Corey yelled.

Jay laughed. "Sure. They're sitting right next to yours in there." Making them all laugh.

"He's right." Vyla said, making Corey glare at her.

"Vyla. You are fucking killing me." Corey laughed.

"I know. It's my charming personality." She grinned, getting up.

"Where are you going?" Corey asked her.

"I'm actually hungry for the first time in a while." She said, walking down the stairs.

She was looking at what they had to eat. Digging through the cupboard, she grabbed a glass, setting it on the counter. Turning around she knocked it off the counter, breaking it on the floor.

Fear ran through her. She felt her heart pounding. "Oh shit." She said panicked. She bent down, frantically picking up the broken glass. "Vy." She heard quietly. She froze, panting.

"Babe. It's just a glass." She heard, still frozen in fear. She could see shoes, but wouldn't look up. She saw tattooed hands, reaching for her. "Corey." She whispered, relieved.

"Vy, your hand is cut." He said quietly. She looked up finally at him. He looked worried. She stood, looking at her hand. She began pulling pieces of glass out of her hand, unaffected by the pain.

"Let me help, ok?" He asked, gently. She nodded, as he led her to the bathroom. She sat on the counter, looking at her hand.

He was looking at a piece of glass that was wedged deep in her finger. "Shit. Babe, I'm sorry. This is going to hurt." He said. She looked at him blankly, as he pulled hard to remove the glass. She didn't react, and it scared him.

"Vy." He said placing his hands on each side of her face, making her look at him. She blinked a few times.

"I'm sorry Corey." She said, sadly.

"Are you ok? You weren't here just now. It's a glass Vyla. Things like breaking a glass, don't cause you to get hurt anymore, ok?" He said, reassuring her.

She nodded. "I'll know that someday. Can we get plastic cups for a while?" She asked, making him smile softly and nod.

"I hate glass." He said, making her grin slightly.

He cleaned and bandaged her hand, then hugged her close.

"Know what always brings me back? The tattoos on your hands." She smiled, holding his hands, looking at him.

"I knew there was a reason I got them." He grinned, as she looked at him.

She grabbed his face, kissing him passionately. His hands snaked around her waist, as she continued to deepen their kiss. He pulled her to him harder, making her moan quietly.

She latched her her legs around him, running her hands through his hair. "I want your legs wrapped around me..."He said moving to her neck. "I want our clothes on the floor.." He continued, between kisses on her neck. "I want to hear you moan." He said.

She pulled him back to her mouth, kissing him passionately again. His hands gripped her harder, as he moaned quietly in her mouth. She pulled back, leaning her head against his. "I want you so bad right now. I almost don't care who is here." She whispered.

He groaned quietly. "God, we need to stop, and I don't want to. Jesus, I don't want to stop." He whispered.

Unable to stop himself, he kissed her hard, and frantically. Her hands roamed down to his ass, pulling him into her hard. He moaned, louder than he meant to. "Shit." He said breathlessly, pulling away from her mouth.

"Sorry. That was my fault. I don't know what came over me honestly." She said.

He chuckled. "I don't care what it was. I'm not complaining." He grinned.

She got off the counter. "Are you ok though Vy?" He asked. She nodded.

"I am for now, I guess." She said.

"You may need stitches." He said concerned about her hand.

"Stitches are for pussies." She grinned, making him laugh, as they walked out of the bathroom.

"You going to eat?" He asked.

"I might in a bit. Need to calm down." She said as they walked back upstairs.

"Sid, will you convince her she needs stitches, please?" Corey asked Sid.

"Stitches are for pussies. I'm fine." She said.

"You heard her. They're for pussies. She's fine." Sid laughed. "Sorry man, her mind is made up." Sid said.

"You drive me fucking insane, woman." He growled.

"He loves it too." She laughed to Shawn, as he nodded, smiling.

Later that night, she was sitting in the lounge area alone. She woke startled, and shaking. Not wanting to wake any one, she went to the lounge. "How come you're up?" She heard Jim, startling her.

She jumped at his voice. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya. You ok?" He asked sitting next to her on the couch.

"Yeah. Just a bad dream. I was more glad I didn't wake anyone. Corey has to deal with me enough. Thought I'd let him sleep." She said.

He nodded. "I used to have nightmares when I was a kid. Almost every night. My mom always sat with me. I don't think that woman had a good night's sleep for years. She never complained though. I was always glad she was there." He said.

"I hated having them when I was alone. It was a terrible feeling of being alone and scared." She said, as he nodded. "I hate being tired, and not able to sleep." She said.

"You're more tired than you think you are. I'll sit with ya. I don't mind." He said. She grinned.

"Thanks." She said. She leaned against his shoulder.

"Jim." He heard Corey in a loud whisper. Jim opened his eyes to see Corey standing over him. Jim looked down, and saw Vyla sleeping with her head in his lap. He had fallen asleep sitting up on the couch.

"Is she ok?" Corey whispered.

"Yeah. She had a bad dream. She was sitting out here last night. She didn't want to wake you up. I saw the light on, saw her in here and offered to sit with her. She fell asleep. I didn't want to get hit." He whispered grinning.

"Sorry man. She had a rough night last night. Thanks for sitting with her. It means alot." Corey said.

Jim nodded. "Think you can move her safely?" He whispered, grinning again.

Corey nodded. "Babe." He said quietly. "Babe. Come on. Let's go to bed." He said as she stirred. She jumped, looking up to see Jim.

"Sorry big guy didn't mean to keep you here." She grinned.

"No problem. I didn't mind." He smiled, as she sat up. He patted her back as he got up to go back to his bunk.

"Come on babe. Let's go back to bed." Corey said. She followed him to their bunk, getting in.

"You could of woke me up." He said softly.

"You've lost enough sleep over me." She said quietly.

"I don't mind. You know that." He said.

"I just wanted you to sleep good for once." She said.

"I can't sleep if your not with me." He said, holding on to her.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"Don't be. Get some sleep." He said.