Chapter 3:

I laid in bed a week before I was over it. I finally got up, showered, dressed, did my hair and make up, and made my way downstairs to get something to eat. Bam's mother April was there, and she had made a batch of Rice Krispie treats.

'Zella, right?' She asked smiling at me.

'Yes.' I said smiling at her.

'I'm April. It's nice to meet you. Glad you're out of bed and it's nice to finally meet you. The boys have said a lot about you.' She smiled and handed me a bottle of water and a fresh square.

'Thanks.' I said. 'And, what ever they said, probably isn't true.'

'It was good things.' She laughed. 'I'd say don't worry, but this is the only place I don't think any sane person can relax in.'

I giggled as I ate and continued talking to her. She was probably the nicest woman, outside my aunt I knew.

'You're up!' Novak said coming in from outside covered in sweat and wearing nothing but a very old pair of jeans cut to be shorts that were shorter than my bathing suit bottom and covered nothing at all.

'Yup.' I said avoiding his lower half at all costs.

'Good. Bam will want to go get the rest of your stuff soon.'

'Just because she's up, does not mean she's ready to go back there, Brandon!' April said.

'No, it's okay. I have to get it done with.' I said even though I was more than sure this was a horrible idea.

A week later Bam and Novak had a U-Haul rented for us out there. The plan was, we would fly out and then pick up the U-Haul, get my things while Dylan was at work and then drive home. So we boarded our plane and endured the flight out there. I spent most of the flight overly scared that I had gotten Dylan's scheduele mixed up and he'd be there.

We landed and Bam hailed a cab. I gave him directions to the nearest U-Haul, and off we went.

'You okay?' Bam asked probably noticing me shaking.

'Yeah. Fine.' I quickly lied.

We arrived and Bam paid the cabbie before we headed inside to pick up the U-Haul. They let me drive, considering I knew my way and we soon arrived at the apartment complex. I breathed a sigh of relief seeing Dylan's car wasn't there.

'Here we are.' I said forcing a smile on my face. We got out and they followed me up to the apartment. I took out my key and tried the lock. It wouldn't work. I tried again. Nothing.

'Fuck!' I said.

'What?' Novak asked.

'He fucking changed the lock.' I said. I looked at the door and wondered if the old trick I knew would work.

'Now what!?' Bam asked.

'Maybe we can slide a credit card in the door.' Novak suggested.

Taking my chances I pulled a bobby pin from my hair and held it up to show them.

'What, Zell? You wanna do our hair while we try and think?' Bam asked.

'Fuck off.' I said to his stupidity. I turned my back on him and worked with my bobby pin on the lock. A moment later, the door popped open.

'How'd you do that?' Bam asked.

'A trick I've known since high school.' I explained quickly. 'Come on.' He and Novak followed me inside carrying boxes.

'Okay. Novak, go pack my clothes and bathroom stuff. Bam and I will work out here.' I said.

He nodded and headed into the bathroom. I began wrapping a few pictures I had while Bam read off movie and CD titles to see if they were mine or not.

Two hours later, all the boxes were down in the truck.

'That table's mine too.' I said pointing to it.

'Let's grab it then.' Bam said picking up one end while Novak grabbed the other. I grabbed two chaird and followed them down.

'Okay guys.' I said. 'Thanks. There's just two more chairs, I'm gonna go grab them.' I said.

They nodded and I headed back up. I was in the middle of doing a final sweep of the apartment when I felt someone grab me on the arm and whip me around. I came nose to nose with Dylan.

'Hey Babe.' He said.

'Let go of me Dylan.' I said trying to stay calm and pull away at the same time. He was too strong though.

'No you little bitch.' He said. 'You wanna leave me? I'm gonna give you a real reason to leave me. I'm gonna kill you. And then I'm gonna rape your dead body.'

Fear shot through my body when I realized he was serious. I cursed myself for ever dating him, for every thinking this was love, for ever getting myself in this situation.

'Hey, Zell, Novak and I were wondering-- What the fuck!?' I caught Bam's angry look over Dylan's shoulder.

'Is this your new man, huh, Zella baby?' Dylan said turning us around to face Bam. Tears were now streaming down my face.

'Let go of her man.' Bam said. 'She didn't fucking do anything.'

'She left me.' Dylan said. 'She fucking left me. And now I come home to see she's trying to sneakily pack her shit.'

'You were fucking someone else!' Bam said.

'Bam, stop.' I pleaded. 'Just go. Please?'

'No Zella. We came here for a reason.' Bam marched right up to Dylan and I. Dylan through me to the ground, preparing to fight Bam. Novak entered the room to find out what was taking so long just as Bam punched Dylan in the jaw and repeatedly hit him until Novak ripped him off.

'Enough Bam! Let's go.' Novak said pulling him out the door.

'You're past will always haunt you Zella, you know that.' Dylan said making me stop at the door.

'Fuck you, Dude!' Bam shouted as he pulled me from the room and down to the U-Haul.

'Bam you're bleeding.' I said once we got to the car. I reached up to touch the open wound on his forehead from the one good punch Dylan had got in. His ring must have nicked Bam's head.

'I'm fine.' He said pushing me away. 'You're arms bruised bad.'

He touched it gently but it still made me gasp.

'Sorry.' He murmered jumping in the drivers seat and starting the truck.

'We should go Before he wakes up.' Novak said pushing me into the middle seat.