Darkness in the Neon Lights (H2OVanoss)

Chapter 13

*Trigger Warning*

After changing into my uniform, I walk over to the door that leads to the hallway in order to join the others on the floor. However, once I start to open the door, I hear two people talking in the hall, and what I hear causes me to stop.

"I seriously think you should go to the hospital, Ryan."

"No way, Moo."

"You're being so stupid! Do you really trust what Dan did? There could still be glass in you!"

"I don't care. I'm not going to get us in trouble."

"Us, or them."

"Both. You know as well as I do what will happen if I go to the hospital."

"Yeah, and it might be better if you do go."

"I'm not fucking going! I'm not going to let them take Evan back to his parents, and I'm not letting Bryce go to jail!"

"You're being so selfish!"

"Selfish?!"

"Yes! You only care about you getting to see them, that's why you don't want to go! Bryce needs help and Vanoss deserves better than this!"

"So what?! You think going to jail is going to help Bryce?! You think Evan is going to be happier going back home?! He left for a reason!"

"I understand that. But you and I both know that this isn't a good place for him. He needs to find a better job. He needs a better life than this. But because of you and everyone else in this fucking club, he's comfortable here. He thinks way too highly of this place, and he refuses to look for anything better!"

"Do you think I don't realize that?! I've been trying to just get him to go back to high school, and I've only barely got him to start looking around to find a high school with online classes."

"That's your fault! You were the one that told him he didn't need to go back to high school, and yet, you're also the only person in this club that dropped out and went back to get your GED!"

"I realize that now... Believe me, I know I fucked up in the beginning... I didn't think I would care about him this much."

"... Look, I know that you were only trying to help him when this whole thing started, but you know that after a year of him being here, you should have tried to get him out."

"... I know. You're right."

"Ohm... He listens to you... You need to see if you can get it through his head. You need to talk to him."

"... I'll try to bring it up with him the next time he drags me into his apartment to teach him how to give a lap dance. I just hope he realizes what I'm trying to do."

***

When I open my eyes, I let out a heavy sigh. It's been three days since I started going back to work, and that conversation I overheard between Ohm and Brock has been stuck in my head since I heard it. I've always known that Brock wanted to get rid of me, but hearing that conversation... It's changed my idea of why.

I check my phone and see that it's ten in the morning. Knowing that I'm going to go mad if don't at least go out for my morning run with Ohm, I jump out of bed and change into my workout outfit. Then, I walk over and open my door, just in time to see Ohm getting ready to knock.

I put on my usual smile and push through the day, doing everything like I normally do. Run, eat, shower, practice lap dancing, and finish it off with texting Jonathan, since he's in class at the moment. As I text him, I also jump on my computer and start looking into the high schools in town. As confusing as it kind of is, I've been looking to see if I could take advantage of my free time and actually start taking online classes. It's not going to be fun, and honestly, I'd rather do anything but this... But... Everyone seems to think this is a good idea. Honestly, I don't know if it really is or not, but, if everyone really think I should do this, it doesn't hurt to try.