Escaping Grace

"He fucking slept with Clara!" I hissed.
"That was the girl from the bar with Danny," Vale fidgeted slightly.
SHE'D SLEPT WITH MY BROTHER AND MY BOYFRIEND!
No, I corrected myself, he's not my boyfriend. He's fucking nothing to me.
I clenched my fists, fuming.
How could he do this to me? Didn't he know who she was? That she had been with Danny?
That red dressed bitch from hell I was going to tear her apart.
She'd played my poor brother, and then played that dumbass. That cheating, backstabbing, sensitive, poor, dumb beautiful man.
I squeezed my eyes shut before I started to cry, and Vale wrapped her arms around me, her chin resting atop my wet hair. "It's okay, Leah," she murmured. "It's okay."
"It doesn't matter, we're not even together. We just sleep together. It doesn't matter." Maybe if I kept saying it I would believe it.
Vale didn't say anything, just kept her arms around me until the elevator dinged. I sniffled, then lifted my bag off the floor and strode into the lobby.
The elevator beside ours dinged, and I glanced over. My body stopped before I even thought about it, and I mustered the most vile look I had ever had on my face as Clara stepped out, checking her lipstick. She froze a split second as she saw me and Vale standing there.
"Oh, hi, Leah! Funny meeting you guys here. I loved your concert."
"Did you like my brother too?" I snapped thoughtlessly, and she stiffened.
"Look, nothing personal," she sighed, snapping her makeup mirror closed. "Danny is a very sweet guy. He'll be wonderful for a girl who wants that."
I bristled.
"But I wasn't here for him. Andrew isn't attached to anyone, least of all you, so if he wants to sleep with someone, he has full rights." she continued. "Besides, you broke his poor little heart last night with whatever you did to him."
I was going to rip her head off in this hotel lobby.
Vale stepped forward. "Listen here, you snooty little cunt, if I see you at one of our concerts or ever again, I will break you in half," she snarled, one arm in front of me protectively.
Claras eyes widened, and she took a step back.
Vale was all bite.
"You can't threaten someone just because something doesn't go your way," Clara burst, holding her ground.
"It wasn't a threat."
I clenched my jaw, staring at her. She'd manipulated my brother. She'd slept with Andy, and now she was rubbing it in my face.
What was her problem with us? I tilted my head as I looked at her. Clara gazed nervously at the two of us, and then started to walk away. She suddenly stopped, and turned around.
"Miss Kabinov?"
I glared at her.
"I hope you don't mind that I added my own little decorations to Andrews back." She started to give a self-satisfied smirk.
That was IT.
I took a step forward and slapped her so hard her glasses went skidding off her face.
"You bitch!" I snarled.
"Leah!" Vale grabbed me and pulled me back, and Clara went running out of the hotel, her broken glasses in her hand. I had never slapped anyone before, and my palm stung painfully.
"That bitch!" I fumed, and Vale glanced around. "Let's get on the bus," she muttered, and began dragging me behind her.
I let her pull me and nursed my anger. If I didn't, I would burst into tears.
We made it to the bus, and quickly stepped inside. Vale literally forced me to sit in the corner, and then sat down right beside me. "Do you want to just lie in a bunk or something?" she asked softly as the rest of the bands started to wander in.
"No." I rubbed my palm. "I refuse."
Vale gazed at me worriedly, and then looked over. She raised her hand, and CC took it, pressing a quick kiss to her knuckles before sitting beside her. He sent me a curious look, but I stared down at my lap, trying to ignore everyone.
I knew the second he got on the bus; Vale stiffened. I glanced up, and he looked at me a brief moment before looking away. He sat down across from me, and pulled his phone out of his pocket.
I glowered. Then I looked away. I was going to... Do absolutely nothing.
I flexed my palm. I'd love to smack the shit out of that smug face.
Finally, everyone was on the bus and the ten hours of hell began.

Notes