No Easy Goodbye

The rain was coming down in sheets, as if to punish her for being there. Teenagers scattered to their cars, the fire went out with a hiss, and the empty liquor bottles lay abandoned. And yet she stood. Not that there was another option. 'These damn parties always end so early,' she thought, shoving her hands in her pockets. She was at Black Arrow, the prominent party spot in her little interstate town. Her cell phone started to vibrate. The caller ID said 'unknown.' "Hello?" she said tentatively; as not many people had her number.

"Hey," a familiar male voice greeted her. "What's up at the Arrow?"

Ah, her boyfriend. She wondered where he was, since the caller ID hadn't known. He was so perfect, in each and every way. Tall, pale, and with black hair and light blue eyes, he was what just about every senior girl at Piedmont High dreamed of.

"Um, nothing really," she replied truthfully. "Everyone left since it started to rain. Can you come get me?"

"Sure. I'll be there in ten. Stay Black," and he hung up.

Always the one for sweet conversation. Ha. She couldn't remember a time when he had wanted to talk for more than five minutes without getting physical. Not that she had anything to complain about. Spreading her coat on the dead leaves, she sat to wait for her man to whisk her away from the loneliness that was the middle of the woods. Damn, she was tired suddenly. She leaned against a nearby tree and shut her eyes. The rain was still coming down, but not quite so forceful now. She drew her knees to her chest to keep warm, and slid into a light sleep.



"What are you waiting for? GET HER!" a voice bellowed.

She ran. There was nothing else for her to do but run. Death was not an option. Walls slid up from the previously unmarred ground, boxing her in. Her captors closed in, grinning. "No..." she cried. "No!"



"Wake up, Anjuli!"

Her eyes fluttered open to see the face of the man she had been waiting for. "I am so glad to see you," she said, throwing her arms around his neck.


{OOC: Jump in, anyone}

(OOC: I haven't RPed in a while, but I'll help you out. The story looks fun. It starts after the night you just described.)

Ginger woke up to a cold glass of water being thrown on her face.

"Hey, what's the deal?!" She said, wiping the icy liquid off.

"Your mother needs breakfast. Get to it." With that, her stepfather calmly walked out of the room.

Ginger wiped the rest of the water off with some sheets. "What's his deal...he knows I do everything around here..." She looked at her watch. "Seven in the morning?! It's a saturday...." She lay back down in the soft bed for just a moment and closed her eyes. She remembered what had happened at the party last night. It was her stepfather's birthday.....but she didn't drink anything this time.

The tall, young woman walked over to the mirror and looked in. Ugh, my hair's a mess. She took a brush and started brushing from the bottom.

"Get down here Ginger! She won't wait all day!" Scott called back to her.
"Coming!"
"Now, or else we're selling your car!"

He wouldn't really do that. He couldn't.

She rushed downstairs. Her mother was sprawled out on the couch as usual. Ginger went to her and stroked her face.

"How are you feeling today?"
"Better. Very weak, though. Do you mind making me some eggs and bacon?"
"Not at all. What kind of eggs?"
"Sunny-side up."
"Anything for you, Mom." She kissed her mother lightly on the cheek.
"You know, you don't have to take this responsibility. I should be the one--"
Ginger interrupted her. "No, you shouldn't. Not until your knee is healed. I'll be back in a few minutes with some breakfast."
"Thank you, dear."

She went to the fridge to get some eggs. Danny, her little brother, was already picking through the fridge, and Krissy, her younger sister, was up on the counter searching the cabinets for cereal.

Can't Scott take ANY responsibility?

"Lucky Charms or Cap'n Crunch?" Krissy called out.
"Lucky Charms!" Danny shouted while trying to reach the milk.

Ginger reached up and got the milk for Danny. "You guys want some eggs and bacon instead?"

"No way!" Danny said.
"Lucky Charms are waaaaaaaaaaaaay better!" Krissy commented.

She went and picked Krissy up, putting her back on the floor. "I'll get some bowls." She took out 2 purple plastic bowls and a frying pan for the eggs.

"Why did you wake her up? You knew she was up late last night." Her mother said to Scott, in the next room. She didn't mean for anyone to hear.

"She needs to learn to take care of the kids. She'll have some of her own someday........I feel like total shit from last night anyway."
"That's not her fault. We all could have had a late breakfast, I was just fine with--"

Scott slapped her face with the back of his hand. Ginger's mother looked up at him with a surprised look on her face.

"Don't tell me it's not her fault! She needs to learn some responsibility!"

Ginger sent the kids up to their rooms with a bowl of cereal each.

"She HAS responsibility! She takes care of them, day and night. They treat HER like their mother now! I'm the one who needs responsibility! I'm their damn mother! They're my kids, not anyone else's!"

"Don't you dare talk to me like that." Scott headed for Ginger's mother but suddenly fell to the floor in excruciating pain, holding his left kneecap.

Ginger stood above him with the frying pan in her had. "Hit her one more time and it'll be your head next!"

Scott was so surprised he didn't know what to think. He grabbed for Ginger's leg. She kicked him and ran for her mother.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
"No, I'm fine....but why did you do that to him?? We need to call an ambulance!"
"No one touches you like that and gets away with it. If he does it one more time, I swear I'll kill him." She had tears in her eyes.
"Run, call an ambulance!"

Ginger ran for the phone. She knew Scott would be furious. With his hangover, probably dangerous.

"9-1-1, What's your emergency?"
"Oh no, Mom!"

Scott was starting to get up. Ginger quickly grabbed the frying pan and ran for him, dropping the phone to the ground. Scott turned around and grabbed her by the arms.

"You little bitch! I'll kill you for this!"

He was so strong he was pushing her backwards with his force. She quickly thrusted a knee at his crotch, sending him once again falling to the ground. She looked up to see Danny and Krissy watching from the top of the stairs.

"Get in the car!" She called to them. They both ran downstairs and out through the garage door.

Her mother was trying to get up on her crutches. She succeeded and handed Ginger the car keys. Ginger helped her mom through the kitchen and down one flight of stairs to the car, as quickly as they could. The kids were already in the back. She jumped in the driver's seat, opened the garage, and sped away.

"Mommy, what happened?" Krissy asked her mother.
"Mommy and Scott just had a little fight. Everything's okay now."
"Who wants Denny's?" Ginger asked.

[Climhazzard]

Gavin stood outside of his apartment and lit a cigarette. He exhaled and plume of smoke escaped his mouth. He pulled the dark blue tarp off his motorcycle. Water ran off it from the rain the night before. He could barely remember the party last night, his head still pounding from the hangover. Gavin stood there in blue jeans, white t-shirt, and black boots. He ran his fingers through his messy brown hair and closed his brown eyes.

"Damnit," he said to out loud to himself. "Was that a rough night or what?"

All of a sudden his cell phone rang and he answered slowly. The voice on the other end sounded extremely urgent. "We need you in the office immediatley," the voice said."

"Yes, Sir," Gavin replied. "I'm on my way."

Gavin went inside and put on a black leather jacket and fingertipless black gloves. He reached over and grabbed his gun and check to see if it was loaded. It was a black 9mm and the grip was custom fitted. He slid the gun in its holster and closed the door behind him. Gavin started up his bike and took off toward his "office".

[Strong Bad]

Gary roached his joint and sat up in bed, he always started the day with a wake 'n' bake.

"Gah..that was some crazy party last night". He moaned as he rubbed his head. He stood up and got dressed, putting his lighter back into his pocket. He was wearing black, loose fitting shorts which came down far passed his knees, A black hoodie with the words "Led Zepplin" Across the front in dark red letters.

As he stumbled back into consciousness and looked around his stoner pad. It was a mess! Clothes lying where ever they had been dropped, empty pizza boxes thrown around. He figured he'd clean it later... always putting it off.

He beltched and scratched his ass, standing there looking out the window. A car came speeding down the road..

"Wait a minute... That's Ginger's car!" He thought to himself.

He and Ginger had grown up together, they lived on the same street and were pretty good friends. She had been having family troubles with her step-dad and was able to comfort herself by telling him. He figured something was wrong if she was speeding off in such a hurry. Gary didn't want to miss out on any of the fun now did he?

He rushed down the stairs of his appartment building, gasping for air at the bottom. He hopped onto his scooter, parked sideways across a handi-cap parking place, started the engine and gave 'er after Ginger. He'd get down the the bottom of this. Where was she going anyways..?

Anjuli woke up with a start. Something wasn't right; she could sense it. Just where the hell was she? A quick observation of the surroundings showed she was in her own room. The shades were drawn, and she was laying in her warm waterbed...but not alone. In fact, the mystery occupant had an arm wrapped around her hips. She wriggled out of the sleeper's grasp, and climbed out of the bed. The man rolled over and sat up groggily. It was JT, her boyfriend. "Hey baby," he said, yawning. "How'd you sleep?"

"Fine," she replied icily. "What the hell do you think you're doing? You know you aren't allowed to stay here! Do you realize what will happen when my parents find out? Damn, they've probably seen your car already. I'm dead, that's all there is to it."

He rolled his eyes and started to climb out of the bed. "You know, I think you put too much thought into these things. It's Saturday morning, they shouldn't be up for a while yet. In fact, I think we have just enough time to start something..." he told her in a sneaky sort of way.

She grinned, she couldn't be mad at him; he was just so damn irresistable. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close for a kiss. She pulled away and grabbed her cell off the desk. "I have to make some calls so we can party at the Arrow tonight," she explained.

She called over to Ginger's and Gary's, but no one answered. "Damn," she said, tossing the phone down. "I wonder where they are?"

"Who knows?" JT replied quickly. "But I'm kinda hungry...what say we go out for some grub, huh?"

Anjuli grabbed some clean-looking clothes off of a chair and changed quickly while he put on his clothes from last night. 'And off we go,' she thought. She checked to make sure her parents were still sleeping. The twin sets of snores told her JT had been right. They snuck out the front door and ran out to the Escort sitting on the curb.

[Climhazzard]

Gavin strode through two glass doors on his way to the conference room at HQ. People would laugh at him when the saw the look on his face and his disshelved hair. Suddenly a burly man stepped out of the office and saw Gavin approaching, and couldn't help but laugh himself.

"Well well, Mr. Dennison," the man said. "It looks like you had a good time last nite."

"Quit it John," Gavin said. "You sent me on a wild goose chase. Noone made a move on them."

"Keep up your surviellence," John replied still smirking. "Our intelligence has pointed out these teenagers as targets."

"Yeah well, I'm getting bored tailing them," Gavin said. "You guys hired me to protect them, but what exactly am I protecting them from?"

"As soon as we know all the facts, we can tell," John said.

"Yeah I've heard that one before John," Gavin said sarcastically. "Well I'm gonna get something to eat."

Gavin left the building and jumped back on his bike and revved the engine. He had no idea where he was going or what he was doing. All's he knew was that he was hungry. He started heading down the road and saw a Denny's.

"Well it's about as good as anything," he said. He pulled in and parked and went inside. He got a table and took off his jacket showing his gun. The waitress stared in shock until Gavin flashed her his badge. He lit up a cigarette and looked at the menu to decide what to order.

The waitress leaned across the booth and put a plate of hash browns, eggs, bacon, and a biscuit in front of Ginger. The family ate together. It was as if nothing had happened, there was no fight, no obligations, no Scott. Danny and Krissy watched cartoons on the overhead TV in the corner.

"Hey, everyone!" Gary walked into the restaurant, his usual half-baked self, and sat down next to Ginger's mom in the booth. "You guys alright? What happened?"

"Just a little drama at home," Ginger said, winking at him so as not to alarm the children again. "Gary, could you watch them for a second? Mom and I need to talk."

"Sure!"

Ginger and her mom left the table and went outside. Her mother was walking very well now, and she could almost do it without crutches.

"We should take them to your sister's house after this. They can....stay there, until everything calms down." Ginger suggested.

"That's a good idea. But what if it never calms down? Scott...he'll be furious with that temper of his. I'm as scared to go back to our house as you are," Her mother said.

"Kick him out! We don't need him! I don't see why you brought him into our lives in the first place."

"He provides stability, Ginger. Stability."

"Not when he's the corrupt one."

"Ginger! He just has a bad temper. Give him a chance!" Her mother was becoming quite flustered.

"What, another chance to beat you up?!"

She calmed down. Ginger had hit a nerve. "You do have a point.......And you're right. We should let the kids stay at Bonny's until we get everything straight around the house."

"You mean until we kick Scott out. For good."

"Sure."

They went back into the restaurant. The cartoons were on a commercial break, so Gary was amusing the kids by putting tiny pieces of bacon on the end of a fork and flinging them into his mouth. "Everything alright now?" He asked.

"Yeah. We're fine."

A tall man, with long black hair, wearing red sun glasses, a balck coat, black leather boots, with a cigarette lit in his mouth, gun in hand, was walking towards Gavin. He pointed his gun at Gavin's head speaking, "Sooo... the famous officer Gavin, caught off hisguard?" And a sarcastic laugh came out of him.

Gavin took out his gun and pointed at the man immediately. and then the man spoke" Hey! take it easy dude" and with those words, Leon took out his badge, and spoke " I'm just playing around man". and Gavin answered "You shouldn't be goofing around with a gun Leon", Leon was also an officer as Gavin, not as famous as Gavin but known for his rebel behaviour.

"So why weren't you at the meeting"

"Not interested"

"You should know this is a dangerous place and our duty is to protect the others"

"Really?.... since when you became such a careful guy?, Hmph, well enjoy your meal, heh, im going for a drink at the bar.

As Leon was getting out, Gavin spoke low so he wouldn't hear, "What is hi problem?"

as Leon was walking in the street, a guy appeared just behind him pointing a gun at his head.

"give me your money!"
"Is that an order?"

"Of course its an order you idiot!"

"You don't know who you're messing with"
"Im not afraid of cops"

With a slight movement Leon hit him in the head and shot his gun, and sent the man's gun flying in the air, when it fell down he grabbed it and pointed it to the man, who was now in the ground shaking in terror.

"You wouldn't be the first one I kill"

"No sir, please forgive me, I didn't mean.. I..I...."
"Now scram before I kill you"
the man left running in panick, Leon disarmed the gun and tossed it to the ground.

"damn no one evergets peace"
And he continued walking on his way to the tavern.

when he arrived he sat at the bar, and ordered a beer, and spoke. " finally some peace. No one knows what those mischevios teenagers are up to, these days".

His beer was served and he started drinking.

((Hi. umm, getting a little crowded I see. Still room for me?))

I woke up with my mouth dry and my head pounding. It was dark in the room but a slant of light from the window streched across the end of the bed and onto the floor on the other side. I sat up quick and felt the ache in my head from the night before. The scene was sadly familiar. Waking up in some unfamiliar room, not knowing what had happened the night before or where my clothes were. I sighed, disappointed with myself. I'd thought I was past this. I'd really thought I'd changed. But seeing as my clothes were strewn about the room and I really had no idea where I was maybe this was it. Same old me.
The room was a mess, crumpled papers and clothes on the floor and a few empty beer cans on the desk along with a butt ugly lime green telephone. There were stacks of cds by the door and the windowsills were covered with those little russian dolls that fit inside eachother.
Jesus. I thought to myself, what kind of weirdo did I get this time? I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. Just think for a second, what exactly had happened since the last thing I remembered.
I had been at the Arrow until it started raining. I'd grabbed a ride with the guy I'd been talking to...Keith...and a couple of his friends. We went down to a party at the Arbors until the cops came and broke it up so we all went back to Keith's place. That was it, we were all in his basement getting sloshed and I'd been on the couch with Keith trying to ignore the loud slurping noises coming from the loveseat next to us. Some baseball game had been on the TV.
Okay, okay, so I would assume it was Keith's house. 'congrats. Teddy girl, you've really screwed yourself over again' I said under my breath as I got myself up and put some clothes on, trying my hardest to ignore the pounding in my head and wondering where the hell Keith was. Once I had my clothes on I felt better, more in control. I found an alarm clock buried beneath a pile of clothes...11:23 am. I needed to get home.
Stumbling out into the daylight I realized that the whole house was a mess. Piles of book and shoes and a whole bunch of random shit was everywhere. I found my way to the kitchen, finding half a dozen tangerine crates stacked on the counter and a guitar in the sink...what the f*ck?...I grabbed a tangerine and started peeling it, finding my way to the bathroom and miraculously back to the kitchen again in one piece. I slumped down at the table and finished off my tangerine. what now? I thought f*ck f*ck f*ck... I hated the shame of it all. I hated the weakness. I had no control over this situation, I was powerless and embarrassed and angry with myself. Finally I found my way back to the lime green phone and dialed the only number I could think of.
"Ginger?"
I could tell she was suspicious. She could hear the shame in my voice. I remembered back to the days when this was the usual saturday morning. Me waking up someplace unfamiliar and calling Ginger to pick me up.
"Teddy? what's wrong?" she asked
"Look I screwed up big time but right now I'm at this guy's house and I need out."
I could feel her disappointment over the phone, without her saying a thing.
"Please can you just help me?"

"So, where'd you wanna go?" JT asked while gently rubbing the inside of her thigh.

"I dunno," she responded, glancing into his piercing blue eyes.

He glanced back briefly, and shot her a sexy grin. Ahh, he could melt her with the slightest facial expressions. She slid into the middle seat and laid her head on his shoulder. This was so...perfect, she could imagine doing this every day. "D'ya wanna go to-" his sentence was cut off when she pressed her lips to his.

"I don't think I'm very hungry right now," she whispered into his ear, pausing to nibble his earlobe gently. "Pull over."

[Climhazzard]

Gavin smirked as Leon left the restaurant and encountered the would be rubber. When Leon fired off his gun, the whole restaurant jumped to their feet, or dove underneath. Gavin sat there laughing to himself at their reaction and nodded his head towards Leon. Gavin's food arrived shortly after, a ham and cheese omelette and some french toast. He thanked the waitress and began eating. He would not leave afterall, two of the teenagers he was supposed to protect were in the same restaurant as he was.

He thought about what Leon had said about him being more cautious. Gavin had a reason to be. The love of his life was murdered about a year ago by the same unknown group that was after this small group of teenagers. They had been partners for three years and eventually becamse lovers.

"Lily," he whispered under his breath. He finished eating and lit another cigarette and sat there watching the two teenagers.

"What was that?!" Ginger's mother said, startled.

"Just....some idiot....with a gun," Ginger said, as Gary reached up to wipe a tear from her eye. "Excuse me."

She left for the bathroom and washed her face, then brushed her hair with her fingers. She looked okay for now, so she left and went back to the table.

"Hey, how about we go over to Aunt Becky's for a while? You guys can watch cartoons, play videogames, swim.." Her mother said.

"Yeah!" The kids said, astounded and excited.

Ginger's cell phone rang, buzzing around on the end of the table. "Let me get that." She pressed the talk button. "Hello?"

"Ginger?"
"Teddy? What's wrong?"
"Look I screwed up big time but right now I'm at this guy's house and I need out. Please can you just help me?"

She told Ginger where it was quickly.

"Mom, I've gotta go pick someone up really fast...I'll be back in a few minutes or so."
"Running off again?" Gary said.
"Yes, Teddy needs help."
"We'll wait here," Her mother said, calmly.
"Can I come?" Gary asked.
"Sure. You guys stay here," She said to her family.

They left for the car.

[Quistis]

(umm..may I? I can delete this post if it's really crowded now around here lol)

"What? You tried to rob a cop? What an idiot." Sara said in dismay as she brushed her fingers through her streaked long brown hair. She rolled her eyes at her younger brother.

"I told you, you're not suppose to steal from people." she said to Tony, who looked tall beyond his years- he probably got it from their Caucasian father while Sara looked more like their Asian mother. He was only 14 and Sara, 18. They were orphans since she was 13. They lost their parents in a car crash. They were then adopted by their Aunt. Sara's uncle tried to rape her and so she and her brother ran away. They have been on their own ever since.


"But you..." Before Tony coul