**Author's Note**

Thank you for the reviews! I'm going to try and end this story at chapter ten. But that probably won't happen if I don't start writing like 3,000 word chapters. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own any familiar characters from Stand By Me.


Chapter 8

I tried not to laugh as our drunken father was dragged out of the restaurant in handcuffs. I should really be trying to persuade the police officer to let him go but I just couldn't. Something about seeing my father in handcuffs is like a peaceful dream.

Rose took me out of the restaurant and to Roger's car, where Roger and Ray were already sitting in. She pushed me into the backseat and climbed into the front, telling Roger to step on it.

"What has your knickers in a twist?" Roger questioned as he backed out of the parking lot and sped to the house. Ray laughed and Rose turned to glare at him. He pressed his lips together in a tight, white line as the laugh died in his throat. She flashed him a fake smile before turning back around in her seat to glare holes into the windshield.

"I need to talk to you when we get to the house," she was using her serious voice. I knew she wasn't talking to me so she was talking to Roger. The rest of the car ride (which was ten minutes) was spent staring out the window, thinking about life without our father. At least that's what I was thinking about.

This was how I saw it: If our father wasn't around anymore, that means I would have to go back to work so we could have food on the table, utilities and appliances and pay for rent that was on the house. Dad said that he was renting this house because once Mom was out of Togas, we would move out of this house and out of this town and maybe out of the state.

"Who likes dumb old Oregon anyway?" Dad had said once. I agreed with him.

When we arrived at the house, we all hopped out of the car at the same time and tried to cram in through the doorway to get into the house. Ray squeezed through and eventually we all got into the house. Rose dragged Roger into the kitchen and I collapsed onto the couch, thinking about Ace.

Things were moving fast between us and did I really expect him to drop everything once we were dating? Did he even ask me if we were going steady? Was he just using me for the sex? If he was, he got it... three times. Damn. Three.

Rose's sobs broke me out of my haze.

"What do you mean 'incurable'?" She shouted. Now they had me interested in their conversation.

"Quiet down or Ray will hear you," Roger tried to grab Rose and pull her to him but she yanked herself away from him, wiping her face.

"I don't give a fuck. Tell me what you mean," Roger sighed.

"She isn't coming home," Rose turned around and stormed to me, her face hardened with anger.

"Get dressed. We're going out."


Much to Roger and Ray's protests, we finally made it to the car and drove away as quick as possible.

At the house, I didn't ask Rose questions. She looked too pissed off so I let her pick out my clothes and let her put on a little bit of makeup on me. I don't look half bad either. I mean it's not something I would wear on a daily basis. I was wearing tight black pants that hung low on my hips and a yellow shirt that showed a sliver of my tummy. The straps of the shirt stayed around my upper arms. Rose was wearing a white shirt like mine and a black skirt that was pulled up to underneath her breasts, her thighs glowing in the moonlight.

"You have to promise me that whatever happens here, does not get repeated; it stays here," I nodded my head and she sighed.

"I think I like Eyeball..." She told me. I slowly turned to look at her, pure shock written on my face. What the fuck? She looked at me for a quick second then focused her attention on the road. "We've hung out a couple of times_"

"In his bed..." I cut in.

"_but I think I'm starting to like him," she smiled.

"You only like his penis." Why was I talking like this? I never judged my sister. Why was I getting all defensive and protective over Eyeball? I'm supposed to love Ace. I'm supposed to but I don't know if I do or not.

Rose was quiet for a minute. "You don't have to be mean about it." I looked at her and she looked like she was about to cry. I remember one time she came home crying because she saw all of the things written about her in the girls' and boys' bathroom.

"I'm sorry," she nodded but didn't accept my apology. I can understand why. She doesn't like to be called a whore. "I'm just taking advantage of what God gave me." She would say.

She pulled into the Junkyard and we climbed out of the car. There was no one else there except a few empty cars.

"There's no one here..." I stated, looking around. Rose grabbed my hand and started pulling me towards the woods.

"No shit Sherlock. We have to walk there," I groaned and followed her.

Ten minutes later we came to a clearing with a fire in the middle of it and people hanging around it, talking to one another or hooking up.

"You can have James. Stay the fuck away from Jack," Rose hissed in my ear as we drew near a group of people. They were all unfamiliar faces and I was at an unfamiliar place. The only person I knew here was Rose and she was probably going to run away to be with this so called "Jack" fellow. Who the fuck is James?

We were now the center of attention for the group of people. Rose introduced me.

"This is my little sister Minnie. And this is Jack," damn he looked fine, but too old for me.

"James," he was fucking gorgeous, and Rose said I could have him. Insert excited girly squeal here.

"Betty," I knew Betty. She was the bitch that made Rose cry, one of the many people that wrote trash about her in the girls' bathroom. She also tried to fight me one time. I was about to kick her ass, but for some reason, Rose held me back.

"Carol," I never met her before but I've heard about her. She's one of the town's sluts, next to Rose. If you want big boobs, you go to Carol. If you want speed, you go to Rose.

"You already know Ace and Eyeball," I waved to Eyeball and tried not to scowl at Ace.

"Aaron," that was Ace's older brother. He ran a gang called the Cobras. It was newly formed and as soon as Aaron got to too old to be in that gang, Ace would take over. He had told me this one day.

"Ann," that was Aaron's girlfriend.

"And that's Danny." Can you say 'hot'? Sexy? He looks to be around Rose's age, which was only a year older than me. Who to choose: Danny or James?

My choice's were narrowed down when a girl pranced up to Danny and latched her mouth onto his. I kind of frowned but that meant that James was my winner for the night.

I walked over to him, trying to sway my hips and look like I knew what I was doing. His attention to me. I could feel his eyes probing my body as I stopped in front of him. He was waiting for me to talk but my mouth was felt like cotton.

"Hey," I choked out. He smirked.

"So you're Minnie?" I nodded and he bent down to whisper in my ear. I felt his arm go around my waist and pull me closer to him.

"What's going on between you and Ace?" Why should I tell him about my personal life with Ace? Why was he touching me? Why couldn't he say this out loud? When I didn't say anything, he continued. "I saw you give him this kind of look. And he looks like he wants to beat the shit outta me for touching you." So he was getting jealous, huh? Let's see how you feel when your significant other is trying to maul someone else.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and turned his head towards mine. I stared into his eyes before pressing my lips to his in a gentle kiss. As the seconds wore on, it became more intense. It wasn't about making Ace jealous (well, part of it was), it was about trying to claim James as mine; that Betty or any other girl in this town that wanted James better back up.

He pulled back, our breathing heavy as we stood there. He nibbled my earlobe, rasping in my ear, "It worked." I turned around and sure enough, Ace wasn't there. I smiled up at James and said, "Thanks."

"Let's get you something to drink..."


"I can hold my liquor... Got that from my dad," my head was spinning, my body was putty in James' hands , my stomach was churning, but my throat wanted more beer. I've had four so far and I don't think I could handle another one. But James wanted me to have more and more. As soon as I had taken the second beer, Ace started to glare at me; or maybe he was glaring at James. Either way, he was still glaring in my direction right now.

James was toying with the bottom of my shirt, running his fingers across my stomach. Another beer was in my hand and his hands were underneath my bra. But I was out of it and I didn't care at this point.

"Let's go somewhere more private," he took my hand and pulled me up, guiding me to his car. Or a car. Or someone's car.

"You are so beautiful..." He was undressing me now, damp air biting my skin. I lightly tried to push him away as he took off my pants but my arms felt like they were sandbags. I tried to scream but my mouth was full of cotton. I tried to do something but I felt paralyzed.

"Ace..."


I slowly opened my eyes, rolling over in my bed and stopping mid-way to scream out from the pain. Last night's memories were filling my head and I wanted them all to just go away. I didn't want to see his face, or feel his touch, or hear his voice. I wanted to see Ace, I wanted to feel Ace's touch, I wanted to hear Ace's voice.

My door was flung open and in came an excited Rose. She flopped down onto my bed, a grin spreading from ear to ear. I pulled myself into a sitting position, trying not to grimace.

"So..." She was staring at me, expecting me to do a new trick or something. When I didn't say anything, she continued. "I heard that you and James did the dirty last night." I mentally frowned but I smiled on the outside.

"Yeah..." She giggled and hugged me. Ow, ow, ow! She released me and was waiting for me to continue.

"How was it?" She asked.

"Not bad, it felt amazing." Lies. Why am I lying? Why can't I just come out and say it?

"I see you got some love bites," she pointed to my neck and I sprung out of bed to look in the mirror. Sure enough, I had two love bites on my neck. I wanted to cry, scream, rip out my hair. Not only was he imprinted into my mind, but also in my skin.

"Yeah. I guess so," Rose got off my bed and stood in the threshold of my door.

"Jack and I are going steady," and with that, she left. Wow. Rose has finally settled down to have a boyfriend. But when she said it, she didn't seem that happy about it. What about Eyeball? Didn't she say last night that she had feelings for Eyeball?

I slowly sat down on my bed and began to cry. Who could I talk about this to? I couldn't talk to Ace or Eyeball because they could have stopped James from violating me. I didn't want to talk to Roger or Rose because for some reason I would feel ashamed.

I got dressed, thinking of the person I wanted to tell. I haven't seen them in a long time and I would feel, not only happy but like a great weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

I walked down the stairs, tuning everyone out. I couldn't hear anything that they said as I picked up Roger's keys to the car. I walked out the door and climbed into the car. I put the key in and ignited it, backing out of the driveway and on my way to talk to my mother.


A/N: How was it? I'm so sorry about the wait. I am truly sorry. I had major writer's block and I was swamched with track and homework and such. But I found the time to finish this chapter. I'm planning on finishing this within two chapters.

Please review guys. I would appreciate it very much. (:

~Emma