Alive
Chapter Eighteen“I’ll just tell him I can’t help him,” Lance said to his reflection as he got ready the next morning. “With
mid-terms and all of the essays and projects I have to do, I just don’t have time to help. Yeah, that’d be good.” As long as he doesn’t get mad and threaten me, too. No, wait, I’ve already been threatened. As long as he doesn’t try anything then.Someone pounded on the door and Lance sighed, gathering up his stuff. He walked out of the bathroom
and to the room he shared with Justin.“You do remember that Wade has threatened all of us, right?” Justin asked, looking over at Lance when
he walked in.“Yeah.”
“Sarah told me yesterday that it’s best that we stay in groups or pairs. No going out alone.”
“So you’re going to let Wade’s threat’s get to you?”
“Lance, did you see what he did to Cat?” Justin asked, sitting up in his bed. “The girl was gang raped.
Yeah, I’m going to let his threat’s get to, because I happen to care about myself and my friends.”“It’s because of your friends that we’re in this position. If we’d never met them, we’d be perfectly fine, not
fearing for our lives. Damn fucking Gothic freaks. And on top of that, they’re not even Christian, but witches.”Before Lance realized it, Justin had his shirt in his hands and Lance was face to face with him. “Don’t
fucking say that, Lance,” Justin said softly, in a deadly, dangerous voice. “Sarah is my girlfriend and Faith, Cat,
and Elona happen to be my friends. I don’t want to hear you insult them like that. You might be my best friend, but
I don’t tolerate having anyone insult the people I care for.” He dropped Lance, who crumbled into a ball at his feet. “Besides, you were the one who first met them, and introduced me to them.”“Damn, Justin, I was just pointing out that it’s because of them we’re in this position,” Lance said, getting
up slowly, rubbing his neck. “Don’t flip out on me like that. I don’t really hate them.”“You should know that I don’t tolerate it when my friends are getting hurt or insulted.”
“So if Wade really does try anything, are you gonna beat him up or something?”
“Yes.”
*~*~*
“So, how are you holding up?” Joey asked Catriona later that day as he sat next to her in one of the classes
they had.“It’s hard, and I hate to be myself and I’m still terrified of basically everything, but I’m holding in there.”
“At least you know that you’re having problems.”
Catriona looked at Joey. “It’s nothing new to me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Before my senior year of high school, I was raped. I couldn’t freak out, because I didn’t tell anyone
except Faith, so I learned to deal with it on my own.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I didn’t like to be alone, and
made sure I always was with someone. Usually Faith. And since we lived in dorm rooms, I didn’t have to worry
about sleeping by myself.”Joey glanced around the room and lowered his voice when he noticed the room was slowly filling with
people. “Will you be okay?”Catriona nodded her head. “Of course. I always bounce back. I’m tough. Did Chris tell you about the
threats?”“Yeah.”
“You’re lucky, because you haven’t been associated with us that much.” Catriona chewed on her lip. “But
you’re a friend of Chris’, so that might make you a target of his threats.”“He won’t mess with me,” Joey said. “If he does, he’ll regret it. How are all of you holding up?”
“I’ll be okay, since he’s already hurt me. Elona will be fine, just because she’s also the kind that can
bounce back. I’m worried about Sarah and Faith the most. Elona’s worried, too.”“Why them?”
“Sarah’s had the easiest life out of all of us, so we don’t know how well she’ll recover if he does hurt her.
And Faith takes a long time to recover from anything. And with everything that’s going on between her and Lance,
and also the stuff with JC, she’s not having any easy time of it.”“I’m sure they’ll both be fine.” Joey patted her shoulder and felt her tense under his hand, then relax. "They can both bounce back.”
“I hope so.”
*~*~*
“Have you made a decision?” Wade asked Lance.
Lance looked into his brown eyes. “I can’t help you. With school and work and all, I don’t have much
time.”“Fine, don’t help us,” Wade said, grabbing his shirt and pulling him up so they were face to face. “But
watch your back, Bass. You’ll be the first.”