We'll Brave This Storm (Sequel to You're Not Alone) [COMPLETED]
Chapter 1 (You Found Me)
It's late August and I was seriously regretting wearing a long sleeved shirt to work, but showing off my scars is not the way to get tips at a Starbucks. Working was even worse when you're seven months pregnant. Customers were constantly congradulating me until they would ask, "So whose the father," and I'd casually respond, "I left him." This would shut the customers up and then they'd wait awkwardly for me to serve them their coffee.
In general, working at Starbucks wasn't that bad. I had made friends with a girl named Diamond who was twenty-five, so she was only about seven years older than me, but most of the time she didn't act like it. She was 5' 3'' with brown eyes and long, black hair. We would talk about our pasts, which weren't really all that different. She ran away from home at sixteen and was raped, but had a miscarraige. She has a boyfriend named Austin who I've only seen pictures of. She cuts and is bulimic and anorexic, and I still haven't been able to get her out of it, but I promised myself that I wouldn't stop trying. But as close as we were, we hardly ever talked about our families. I didn't tell her about my mom and dad, or who the father of my child was, and she didn't tell me about her parents. All I knew was she had a brother who played guitar in a band.
It was just another average day at Starbucks and Diamond and I were complaining about the dress code. I still haven't gotten over the fact that they made me dye my hair back to its natural dirty blonde colour. I coudn't even get coloured streaks or tips.
"Once I can interview bands full-time and become like BryanStars, I am quitting this job and taking you with me," Diamond said, obviously playing out that scene in her head.
"Di, I'll be right back. I'm going to change into a t-shirt. This shirt is suffocating me," I told her as I pulled at the tight cotton fabric.
I kept my change of clothes in the break room, you never know what crap could get spilled on you, so it's best to be safe. I got out of my black shirt and slid on my Black Veil Brides t-shirt. Even though me and Andy were over, I still couldn't help but listen to his music, even if it was only to let my unborn child know what his or her father sounded like.
I came back from the break room and Diamond was trying to deal with five different customers at once
"Jesus," I muttered as I took my place behind the counter and started making mochas and frappes for all the buisness men and women who were coming in for their lunch breaks. It's times like these I wished I worked somewhere that wasn't Starbucks and wasn't in Malibu.
"God, I really wish I could down a monster right now," Diamond said as she served the last customer. She looked over at me and glanced at my wrists and my t-shirt. Maybe it was just me, but when she looked at my t-shirt, I swear I saw a look of regret in her eyes.
"I'd be downing two, but we both know that won't be happening for another two months," Melanie sighed.
"Yeah, you'd be needing that many when you aren't able to sleep for a few months," Diamond laughed.
"Who knows, I may not even keep it. You know I don't have enough money from this job to take care of myself and raise a kid. I can't even get a job better than this since I didn't finish high school."
"You're keeping the kid. I'll help you out financially if you really need it," Diamond said.
"I couldn't ask that of you. You need the money too."
"Well why don't you ask the father for money?"
"He doesn't know," I admitted.
"Wait...what? You're pregnant and didn't tell him? Why?" Diamond asked.
"Let's just say it would be best for him and his career if he didn't know."
"Fine. I'm going to use the restroom, but we are continuing this discussion when I get back," Diamond stated before walking to the back.
I sighed and started tracing the cuts on my arms. A lot of the scars were old, but quite a few were new. Last month I broke. I was struggling for so long, and finally it all became to much. I couldn't bring myself to cut within an inch of my tatoos though. That would've been even more painful for me.
Sometimes I wonder what would've happened if I didn't leave. Would Andy and I have been happy? No, probably not. He would most likely be taking care of some insanely depressed shell of who I was before Skylar died. I still wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat from reliving her death in my dreams. When Skylar died, I lost all sense of who I was, but I started finding it again when I became friends with Diamond.
The bell of the front door rang, causing me to jump. It was 2:30, and by now all the customers left to go back to work. I looked at the group of people who just entered. They were exactly who I didn't want to see. Black Veil Brides.
Andy looked just as gorgeous as usual. His hair was a bit longer than it was when I last saw him, but it was a great look for him. My heart beat started quickening, and all of the feelings I once had for him came flooding back, and it hurt like hell. CC was his normal self, it seemed as if he hadn't changed a bit. Jake appeared a bit more tired than usual, but I heard that they were recording a new album right now, so it wasn't completely surprising. Jinxx had a bit more pep in his step than he had before, which was nice. It was good to see him happy. Ashley looked a bit down, but not entirely depressed, and considering what happened, it's nice to know he at least appears to have moved on a little.
"Oh god, please don't remember me," I said under my breath as they made their way to the counter.
I calmed myself down a bit before saying, "Hey, what can I get you guys?"
"Five black coffees please," Andy said. He stared at me intensly, but not recognizing me so far. All I had to do was give them their coffee and I'd be home free.
I made their coffee and set it down in front of them on the counter.
"18.76 is your total," I told them.
Andy handed over the money and was picking up their coffee when Diamond came out.
"Mel, we are going to finish our-," but she stopped herself when she saw the band. Her eyes settled on Jinxx and her jaw dropped.
"Diamond, not now, please," I told her through gritted teeth.
"Diamond?" Jinxx asked.
Andy turned his attention back to me and breathed out, "Mel?"
"Oh Jesus Christ," I groaned.
This was not how I was expecting this day to go.
In general, working at Starbucks wasn't that bad. I had made friends with a girl named Diamond who was twenty-five, so she was only about seven years older than me, but most of the time she didn't act like it. She was 5' 3'' with brown eyes and long, black hair. We would talk about our pasts, which weren't really all that different. She ran away from home at sixteen and was raped, but had a miscarraige. She has a boyfriend named Austin who I've only seen pictures of. She cuts and is bulimic and anorexic, and I still haven't been able to get her out of it, but I promised myself that I wouldn't stop trying. But as close as we were, we hardly ever talked about our families. I didn't tell her about my mom and dad, or who the father of my child was, and she didn't tell me about her parents. All I knew was she had a brother who played guitar in a band.
It was just another average day at Starbucks and Diamond and I were complaining about the dress code. I still haven't gotten over the fact that they made me dye my hair back to its natural dirty blonde colour. I coudn't even get coloured streaks or tips.
"Once I can interview bands full-time and become like BryanStars, I am quitting this job and taking you with me," Diamond said, obviously playing out that scene in her head.
"Di, I'll be right back. I'm going to change into a t-shirt. This shirt is suffocating me," I told her as I pulled at the tight cotton fabric.
I kept my change of clothes in the break room, you never know what crap could get spilled on you, so it's best to be safe. I got out of my black shirt and slid on my Black Veil Brides t-shirt. Even though me and Andy were over, I still couldn't help but listen to his music, even if it was only to let my unborn child know what his or her father sounded like.
I came back from the break room and Diamond was trying to deal with five different customers at once
"Jesus," I muttered as I took my place behind the counter and started making mochas and frappes for all the buisness men and women who were coming in for their lunch breaks. It's times like these I wished I worked somewhere that wasn't Starbucks and wasn't in Malibu.
"God, I really wish I could down a monster right now," Diamond said as she served the last customer. She looked over at me and glanced at my wrists and my t-shirt. Maybe it was just me, but when she looked at my t-shirt, I swear I saw a look of regret in her eyes.
"I'd be downing two, but we both know that won't be happening for another two months," Melanie sighed.
"Yeah, you'd be needing that many when you aren't able to sleep for a few months," Diamond laughed.
"Who knows, I may not even keep it. You know I don't have enough money from this job to take care of myself and raise a kid. I can't even get a job better than this since I didn't finish high school."
"You're keeping the kid. I'll help you out financially if you really need it," Diamond said.
"I couldn't ask that of you. You need the money too."
"Well why don't you ask the father for money?"
"He doesn't know," I admitted.
"Wait...what? You're pregnant and didn't tell him? Why?" Diamond asked.
"Let's just say it would be best for him and his career if he didn't know."
"Fine. I'm going to use the restroom, but we are continuing this discussion when I get back," Diamond stated before walking to the back.
I sighed and started tracing the cuts on my arms. A lot of the scars were old, but quite a few were new. Last month I broke. I was struggling for so long, and finally it all became to much. I couldn't bring myself to cut within an inch of my tatoos though. That would've been even more painful for me.
Sometimes I wonder what would've happened if I didn't leave. Would Andy and I have been happy? No, probably not. He would most likely be taking care of some insanely depressed shell of who I was before Skylar died. I still wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat from reliving her death in my dreams. When Skylar died, I lost all sense of who I was, but I started finding it again when I became friends with Diamond.
The bell of the front door rang, causing me to jump. It was 2:30, and by now all the customers left to go back to work. I looked at the group of people who just entered. They were exactly who I didn't want to see. Black Veil Brides.
Andy looked just as gorgeous as usual. His hair was a bit longer than it was when I last saw him, but it was a great look for him. My heart beat started quickening, and all of the feelings I once had for him came flooding back, and it hurt like hell. CC was his normal self, it seemed as if he hadn't changed a bit. Jake appeared a bit more tired than usual, but I heard that they were recording a new album right now, so it wasn't completely surprising. Jinxx had a bit more pep in his step than he had before, which was nice. It was good to see him happy. Ashley looked a bit down, but not entirely depressed, and considering what happened, it's nice to know he at least appears to have moved on a little.
"Oh god, please don't remember me," I said under my breath as they made their way to the counter.
I calmed myself down a bit before saying, "Hey, what can I get you guys?"
"Five black coffees please," Andy said. He stared at me intensly, but not recognizing me so far. All I had to do was give them their coffee and I'd be home free.
I made their coffee and set it down in front of them on the counter.
"18.76 is your total," I told them.
Andy handed over the money and was picking up their coffee when Diamond came out.
"Mel, we are going to finish our-," but she stopped herself when she saw the band. Her eyes settled on Jinxx and her jaw dropped.
"Diamond, not now, please," I told her through gritted teeth.
"Diamond?" Jinxx asked.
Andy turned his attention back to me and breathed out, "Mel?"
"Oh Jesus Christ," I groaned.
This was not how I was expecting this day to go.
11/21/13