Rugged Lace

Chapter Thirteen

*Every time she tries to give up, something happens, just her luck*

"Can't I just stay here?"

Marcus and Kyle share a look. Come on... "No."

"Kyle, you said you'd help me!"

Kyle sighs, taking her hand with his two, "Tyler, we're doing everything we can to protect you. But you know Don, he'll come here right after going to Alise-"

"Oh my God, Alise! He's not going to hurt her-"

"No, no, she's safe. Her father works with Marcus, no one's gonna mess with her." Kyle smiles a bit, a sad, desperate smile. "Please, trust us. This is scary, I know, but it's not you to get an apartment, and he knows that. You can share one with a roommate to be safe, and keep your phone with you at all times."

Tyler sighs, her eyes closed in the hope that she won't begin crying, "Okay. Okay...I can do this."

"Yes, you can." Marcus stands, smiling proudly at her. "Your Mom won't have to know until it's over with, we talked to your Dad yesterday morning. He's furious, but he understands." Dad...

"You...called my Dad?"

"Yes, Tyler, we had to." Kyle speaks gently, trying to calm her down. He looks to the ceiling then back to her, as if trying to figure out exactly how to word it. "After what happened a few days ago...we can't just let him continue doing this."

"So you just told him. Without even asking me?" The sharpness of her voice catches all three of them off guard. For a moment no one says anything, the only sound that of the rocking ceiling fan. She scoffs a bit, wanting to laugh sadistically, "Whatever. Do what you think's best, Bro."

"Tyler..."

She bites her lip, removing her hand from Kyle's roughly. Nails scratching against his, Tyler gives him a tight lipped smile, "Fine. Let's just go."

"Tyler, baby girl..." Kyle reaches out, but Tyler only stands herself, looking as hurt as him. Her body arches against the pain down her spine, yet she doesn't make a move to sit back down. "Please, you know-"

"Come on. I'm sure it'll take Don a few days to figure it out, but the moment he's sober he'll be pissed. Let's just go before he blows something and has someone find me." Tyler heads for the door, shoulders stiff and arms erect at her sides."Well?" Her voice is as cold as her heart feels, frozen shut yet timid, too afraid to make a move on her own.

Kyle and Marcus share another look. Smiling like the dead, Marcus takes his lovers hand, and the three of them leave Kyle's house. No one says a word as they get in the vehicle, there's nothing to be said. All if them are aware of the line that's been crossed, and that there's no going back. The soft sounds of radio are turned off immediately, as if one single uttered word could destroy everything there is.

Tyler's gaze drips outside, where the daylight is burning holes through clouds as it bares down upon them all. Though it's still slightly chilly outside from the spring, the hot tear of summer is fighting out to take it's place. Her lips open and close, eyes stoic as she whispers. Everything fights. We always fight, and fight, never getting anywhere, always moving in circles, burning, beating each other down as we kill ourselves inside.

And always, always there's the fighting. They say, oh, second chances, we'll always get second chances. We'll find something, we'll do something, we'll...we'll...

"Tyler, please don't cry. We'll get through this." Marcus reaches over and puts his hand over her shoulder gently, pulling her towards him. "I know you're scared, and angry, and you've got every reason to be so. But please...please, be strong."