A/N: I had to go back and edit this one. I think I got it out the way I wanted it to,just maybe a little too quickly. Anyways,hope you enjoy!
The rain fell hard that winter afternoon,but it didn't phase McKenna. The warmth was escaping her new Mesa High hoodie,her hair soaking wet even underneath her blue beanie. The rain matched her mood. She'd trusted him with everything,and he'd made her feel like nothing.
She sat on a curb,not even realizing what street she was on. Her shoes sloshed in the water as she hung her head,the words still ringing her ears.
"McKenna,you just don't understand."
"Wen,don't be like..."
"Don't be like what? You didn't press charges against Pickett?"
"We didn't call the cops immediately. By the time they would have came,stuff would have been out of my system! I didn't want you going to jail..."
"I would have been fine! I had witnesses that it was self defense..."
"Defense! He never hit you,Wen!"
"God,maybe you wanted to go with him. You seem pretty adamant about not punishing him!"
"Just like the way you're punishing me about it." She muttered,bolting off his front porch.
She'd just ran to get away. McKenna had no idea where she was going,but felt the need to go. The sloshing of the water around her shoes soothed her for a few seconds as her mind seared in pain.
Wen sat on his bed,already cooling down from his rant on his girlfriend. He knew he needed to apologize,but he was getting concerned that now,three hours later,and he hadn't heard a peep from her. McKenna was usually the type that hated to fight,especially with him. He checked his phone,but there were no texts. His lips still burned with the venomous words he spewed. Wen decided to head over to her house,settle things himself. Her car sat in the drive,but no one answered the door. Checking the garage,he found it empty as well.
The keyboardist debated on whether to call the band. He wanted the extra set of eyes looking out for his now missing girlfriend,but he hated knowing he'd have to tell them why she ran. Sighing,he ran back under the cover of his garage and called Charlie. He was like a big brother to Em,maybe she would run to him.
"Hello?"
"Del,it's me. Have you seen Em?"
"No,not since her party. Why,what's wrong?"
"We had a fight a few hours ago,and she's not home,but her car's here."
"I'll meet you at your house."
Wen hung up the phone,calling Mo next,knowing Charlie would tell her.
"Hey,Wen."
"Mo,have you talked to Em?"
"Not today...Wen,what's wrong?"
"I uh...We had a fight."
"Just go to her house,I'm sure she'll forgive you..."
"She's not home. She ran off from my house after our fight,and it's been three hours."
"I'm heading over."
It took about ten minutes before not only Charlie and Mo,but Olivia and Stella were at the Gifford house.
"Has anyone talked to her in the last few minutes?" Everyone shook their head.
"Alright. The rain's clearing. Charlie,you and Mo head over to Dante's and work your way back here. Stella,me and Liv will head to the studio and back."
Wen was glad they lived in a small town;it wouldn't be hard to canvas. What was hard to find was the peace he needed to know everything would be okay.
McKenna watched from the curb as the clouds subsided,pulling her sopping jacket closer around her. Pulling herself up,she realized she was close to the school,deciding to head out to the field. The cold bleachers shined in harsh metal as she grabbed her phone from the miraculously dry pocket. She had tens of texts,a handful of missed calls. Wen must have gotten worried and called the others. Listening to her messages almost broke her heart more. The care and concern in their voices,the fear rising in each octave.
"Emmy,it's Charlie. I'm worried about you,sis. Call me back."
"Em,where are you? It's Mo,call me back. We can talk."
"Hey,it's Stella. Call me back,sweets."
"It's Liv,Emmy. Please. Call me."
"Baby,I'm sorry. I'm worried crazy,call me back. I love you,princess. Just come home."
Charlie and Mo were on their way back from Dante's,not seeing a sight of the small redhead anywhere. Charlie was having a hard time not being mad at Wen,but he knew that they'd fight eventually. As they neared a red light by the school,Mo jolted up in her chair.
"Charlie,look! The bleachers!" Charlie looked over and caught sight of the lone blue jacket sitting amongst the cold steel steps. He turned into the parking lot,unbuckling his seat belt.
"Should we call them?"
"No. Let's make sure she's okay. I don't think having them rush over here would do any good if she's still really upset."
The duo took care walking up on their hurt friend. She hadn't even looked up to signal she heard them coming. Mo's heart was aching,hearing Em's sniffles.
"Emmy?" Charlie asked,making McKenna stir. She looked up,faking a quick smile on her pale face.
"You're all wet,sis." He chided,helping her out of her wet jacket,wrapping her in his own.
"What happened?" Mo asked,tucking a wet strand of hair behind her ear.
"Wen and I had a fight because I didn't call the cops on Scott." Both of them stiffened a little,having their own ideas.
"I told him it wouldn't help since whatever he had Jules put in my drink was out of my system,and he never got me very far. Wen said I was trying to protect him,cause maybe I wanted to go with him.." Even though she thought there were no more tears,rehashing the story made Em cry again. She fell into Mo's lap,gasping through sobs. Mo just patted her back,trying to shush her.
"He didn't mean it,sweet heart. He was just angry that he feels Scott's not going to get what's coming to him for being a slimeball. He hurt you,and that hurt Wen."
McKenna could just nod,her voice failing her.
Charlie felt his phone buzz in his pocket,seeing Wen's name come up on the screen.
"He's calling me." He told the girls. McKenna sat up,looking a little shocked.
"Can we tell him?" He asked her,as she barely nodded.
"We won't leave you alone." Mo told her as Charlie answered.
"Where are you guys?"
"At the school. She's here."
"Is she hurt?"
"No,just all wet. I bet she's been walking in the rain."
"I'm on my way."
It took about five minutes before Wen,Olivia,and Stella were at the school. Wen couldn't decide whether to run or walk towards her. He could see the pain on her face.
"Emmy,baby." He whispered,seeing her snuggled in Charlie's jacket,still a little upset. She stood up,and he stopped. Her strides turned into running as she barreled into him,already rambling apologies. He just wrapped his arms tightly around her,kissing her wet hair.
"Hey,hey...its all okay now. I love you." He told her,causing her red-rimmed blue eyes to look up at him.
"I love you." She told him as he kissed her.
"Come on you guys. Let's get Emmy home and dry,then maybe figure out something to do." Olivia said,giving Wen's shoulder a little squeeze.
A couple hours later,McKenna was sitting in the garage with her friends and Wen,all showered and warm. The dryer was spinning in the laundry room,bumbling its own beat with her wet clothes and jacket. She'd found her favorite spot,snuggled close to Wen,who'd become super protective,covering her in a blanket.
"I'm not cold,babe. It's okay." She tried to tell him,but he just wouldn't listen. To him,he was trying to make things better where his words were failing him.
"Hey Em,anything new in here?" Stella said,smiling her grin,knowing that bringing up her songs would change the subject.
"A little. A lot of half-ideas."
"Anything worth sharing?" Wen asked,his nose nuzzled in her neck.
"Mmm..Maybe,lemme see." She told him,taking the notebook from Stella.
"I have this one. I think it's going to end up being a chorus,but I still like it." She smiled,trying to remember the tune in her head before she sang it,
"Hold on,baby you're losing it
The water's high,you're jumpin' into it
and lettin' go,and no one knows
that you cry and you don't tell anyone
that you might,not be the golden one
you're tied together with a smile
and you're comin' undone."
"I don't know how you and Olivia do it." Charlie said,just shaking his head with a smile.
"It's funny,cause we write so differently. I write more like a poem,then try and mold it into a song. Em just writes ideas down on a page." Olivia said,remembering how she looked at Em's lyrics book. She'd have pages full of paragraph sized scribbles,songs she wanted them to sound like,all before she'd write the song out and the keys and tabs.
"I'm glad you two got over your fight. You're so perfect together,it's almost disgusting." Stella teased,as Wen kissed McKenna's neck.
"Yeah yeah yeah. So,when are we going Christmas shopping? We only have a month,guys!" McKenna said,changing the subject before she turned into a tomato.