Escaping Grace

Vale really out did herself on the party.
When all of us thundered up the stairwell to our apartment and stepped inside, I could see why she had kicked me out the other day to set up.
All the alcohol sat on our kitchen table, along with solo cups, and she'd ordered a couple pizzas that were on the way. Music blasted from our TV speakers, and Jake and Jinxxs women had come over as well, adding to the group, and making our normally spacious apartment feel almost crowded.
I leaned against the back of the couch, watching as everyone laughed and drank. So far so good, though I was feeling kind of tired after the show. We'd tried to convince Bryan to come over, but he had a long drive back and he'd had to decline.
I think he was just more excited to post his video then he was hanging with us.
I couldn't blame him, we were a scary group in our concert gear and makeup, even if Ashley had finally decided to put his shirt back on.
Andy suddenly leaned beside me and bumped me. "Are you still giving me the silent treatment?"
"Maybe." I cut my eyes up at him. "Watcha gonna do about it?"
He grinned, and turned, pinning me against the couch as he slipped his hands into my back pockets. I chuckled, and stretched up to kiss him. His hair brushed my cheek as he leaned down, one hand coming up to cup my face.
Oh, did I love kissing him.
He had to be the most amazing person I had ever met.
"I love you, Andy," I stretched my arms around his neck.
"I love you, too," he murmured, and for a moment, it was just us and no one else, and it was so nice. It was like we were in our own little bubble and it was so perfect.
Until Jinxx fell backward onto the couch with a yelp as Ashley went running past him to the door as the pizza arrived.
Andy chuckled, wrapping his arms around me. "Well, you can't call us a boring crowd."
"You definitely can't," I agreed as Ashley turned around with four large pizzas in his arms, kicking our door shut behind him and hurrying to the kitchen.
I felt my pocket buzz and pulled my phone out, seeing Dannys ID.
"I'll be right back!" I called to Andy as Falling in Reverse suddenly boomed out the speakers, and he nodded, letting me go. I hurried out into the stairwell and answered my brother.
"Hey!" I was excited to hear from him, it had been a little while since I had and I'd started to worry.
"Hey, Leah! Sorry to call so late, but I figured you'd still be awake after your concert."
"Yeah, I am. Vale is throwing an after party."
"Of course she is. So I just saw the video of your concert and ---."
"Bryan posted it already?" Jeez that was quick. I sat down in the middle of the steps, stretching my legs out in front of me. It took going this far before I could hear him over the music echoing down the stairwell.
"Yeah. That was hilarious. You looked so horrified. "
"I was! I didn't know he was gonna do that and he wouldn't let me move! And then Ashley came up and made sure I couldn't throw myself off stage. Those guys suck."
Danny laughed. "Sestra, you know you had fun." he told me, switching over to Russian, which I took to mean he wasn't alone anymore but still wanted to keep the conversation private. "But I see you guys are finally official now."
"Yeah, we are. I finally agreed."
"I was hoping you wouldn't string him along forever. He's a good guy, all in all."
"I know he is. he's amazing. He's put up with me so far." Except for when he'd started to leave me, but that had been my fault and not his. God, what if I had let him leave that day? I would be so miserable now without him. I loved him so much, amd I liked hearing it and saying it, and making sure he knew how I felt.
"Leah?"
"Huh?" I'd missed half of what he'd been saying.
"I asked if anyone has heard about Romochka?"
"Oh, no I haven't heard anything. The cops haven't let us know if they have found him. In my opinion, he probably ran off and went back to wherever he was staying."
"He can't hide forever. Damn I wish I could've got my hands on him."
"It's over now, it doesn't matter," I didn't want to think about it anymore. The less I thought about him, the happier I was.
"I just worry. You know he's not gonna give up."
I shifted uncomfortably, wishing he'd let it go. "Really, Danny, I don't wanna think about it, okay? He's the past now and I want to leave it like that. I have Andy now and I'm unbelievably happy. I didn't even know I could feel this way." "Are you in love with him?" Danny sounded surprised. "Maybe. Yes. Yeah I am."
There was a brief moment of silence as my brother let that sink in. "Does he love you back?"
"He actually said it first, so I hope so."
"Huh."
"Danny, please." I was exasperated. "Don't sound like that." "You're my baby sister, how am I not supposed to sound like that? Are you sure he's not leading you on or anything? Leah, I know you don't wanna hear this, but he is the first guy you've been with since before, and ---."
"Danny." I stopped him before he could even get started. "I love him, and yes I know it's quick, and I know he's the first since then, but I'm not stupid or rushing into this or being naive. You know if I didn't think it was real I wouldn't have said so."
"That's true," Danny sighed. "You're much more of the suffer in silence type."
I rolled my eyes. I glanced back at my door as I heard a crashing sound, and sighed. I could only assume that meant something bad.
"Um, Danny, I gotta go. I think they just broke something." "Okay, but you be careful, okay? I miss you."
"Miss you too! Bye, Danny."
"Bye, sis."
I hit end, and then stiffly climbed to my feet. What the hell had they broken up there? If that was my TV or my laptop I was absolutely going to tear them in half!
I started up the stairs, and glanced down as I heard a door close below me. I frowned, and leaned over the railing to see if anyone had started up, but it was vacant.
Huh.
I shook my head, then hurried up the rest of the stairs and started to pull open the door when I heard something behind me.
I turned to look, but a hand suddenly clamped over my mouth.
Panic surged through me, and I rammed my elbow back, catching whoever it was in the gut. They grunted, loosening their grip long enough for me to jerk open the stairwell door. That musk.
Oh no.

Notes

Oh no!