Nothing Gold Can Stay

As I slowly opened my eyes, I found I was staring at a familiar ceiling. It was the same ceiling that I had been waking up to for the past month; since the night Rhyan found me on the street I had been staying in her spare bedroom. I hadn't seen or spoken to Two-Bit or Audrey since the night I slipped out my bedroom window and ran off into the night. They wouldn't understand. They would insist on dragging me back to play house with that man. No, I couldn't face those demons yet. Besides which history would the believe anyways, their mute baby sister who bothers people just by being alive or, their superman father who is swooping in and is willing to save them from the disaster that has become their home life. No, I was perfectly happy living with the Thatchers. Rhyan and I have fallen into a sort of routine. During the day while she was at school, I would sit around getting royally fucked out of my mind on whatever drugs Owen would give me, and by the time evening rolled around I would have dinner on the table for the three of us. After, Rhyan and I would go into the living room and watch a movie or two, sometimes Dallas would join us, but if we were alone she would attempt conversation. It surprised me how easy it was to open up to Rhyan. She would ask questions and I would answer, but if I stayed mute she never pushed. 

Last week, while we were washing the dinner dishes in silence the doorbell rang. Thinking that it was probably Dallas I continued with my chore. Moments later I heard a range of familiar voices as Jelly, Kit, and Dawn walk in all laughing about something Rhyan had told them. They were all talking about what movie they were going to catch at the theater, since all the guys were going to the rodeo that was in town. "Are you coming Blair?" My stomach sank as I suddenly realized that my sister was with the group. I froze, clinging to the plate in my hands so tight my knuckles turned white. I didn't know what to say, what to do. No I thought to myself I'm not going anywhere you're going to be. 

Before anyone had a chance to say or do anything Rhyan smiled as wide as she could, "of course she's coming! It's girls night."

* * *

I had managed to ignore Audrey for the majority of the night; making sure people were between us while walking, not opening my mouth to talk to anyone, sitting in the farthest chair from her when the movie started. I could tell she was bothered by it all. She clearly wanted to talk to me about this past month, but in order for that to happen Daddy's little girl would have to admit that Daddy wasn't such a great guy. Not that she would believe the truth. She'd blame me, tell me I'm a liar and march right over to him with a giant fuck you. 

Not that Two-Bit would be any better. He believes that he has been our protector all this time, and on the one hand he has been. However, before That Man walked out on us he was just as bad as Audrey. He was the boy, the favorite. Wanting to be just like our father he would believe anything out of the mans mouth.

My thoughts were interrupted as two pairs of hands threw me to the ground. One pair held me down, while the other started to drift down my body. My heart was racing. All I could hear was screaming and someone crying. The top button of my jeans popped off and everything went black ...

* * *

The house was filled with people. Probably a few hundred or so. I could hear the music blasting from two blocks away, that's how I found myself now standing outside. I wondered what they were celebrating; from the looks of some of the guests it looked like they should be at a hospital, let alone doing keg stands and smoking god knows what. I watched as a fleet of motorcycles sped into the driveway, parking them in perfect formation along the side. The drivers all hopped off and walked into the party; all expect the youngest looking one. A tall Latino with a shaved head full of tattoos. He stood back on the pavement, watching as his friends emerged themselves into the crowd. As he surveyed his surroundings his eyes landed on me. 

"Some party huna?" His smile reminded me of a happy-go-lucky school boy. 

"Couldn't tell you. I wasn't exactly invited." 

"Well, I could fix that for you. Let me grab us a drink."

"Now what makes you think I'm the kinda girl that lets random guys buy me drinks?"

He smirked. "I was hoping you'd do me the honor of letting me buy you a drink. We're celebrating!"

"My mama raised me to never take a drink from a big scary stranger ...." I winked at him. "Especially the ones that have tattoos."

I watched as he took off the finger-less leather glove he had been wearing. After putting it in one of his pockets he held his hand out to me. "Juan Carlos Ortiz, but friends call me Juice."

I smirked, "Now, has about that drink ... Juice."

We walked into the house, past a couple fighting and into the kitchen. "Pick your poison" he motioned to a table that had various kinds of alcohol bottles standing on it. I shrugged and pointed to a bottle of Jack Daniels. He poured two cups before handing me one. "So do I get to know your name?" 

Before I could answer a girl with long brown hair came stumbling over to us, followed closely by a slightly taller blonde. "Blair! There you are! We were getting worried. Nobody had seen you since before the fight" the brunette yelled over the music. I looked around for the friend she could have been talking to, but there was no one else in the room.

"I'm sorry," I yelled back, "you must have me confused with someone else." 

She gave me a confused look and was about to respond before she got cut off by her friend. "Common Blair! Rhyan's just trying to help, no need to be a bitch!" I couldn't help but laugh as the blonde stumbled over her slurred speech. "Can you just come home now? Two-Bit and I miss you. Not to mention Mom and Dad are worried sick..."

"I don't know what to tell you girls. I'm not your friend. Maybe she's in the other room..." I shook my head, "I just moved to town with my parents..."

I watched as the two drunk girls in front of me tried to understand what I had just told them. After a moment they started laughing and walked away. "So, Blair is it?" I turned my head to see Juice smirking at me and holding out a refilled cup. 

"No," I laughed shaking my head. "I've never met those two before in my life. I'm Kayleigh Moss."