Lauren woke up and stepped out of bed. She stretched out and for the first time since the attack, it didn't cause her to feel like curling over in pain. She went to the bathroom to check her stomach. The wounds finally healed enough to where they wouldn't keep bleeding. Lauren almost felt like herself. She turned on the shower, undressing as the water began to steam. She stepped in and let the water run down her long, slim body. Lauren didn't realize how not doing much, made her body ache. The hot water felt good on her sore muscles. She bathed and got out. She didn't want to put more bandages on, but she decided to do it for one last day. Lauren wrapped the towel around her waist as she brushed her teeth. When she was done, Lauren headed back to her room. She saw Jessie laying on the bed, looking at her as she walked in, towel still around her waist.
"Sorry" Lauren said walking to the closet and grabbing a shirt to put on, "I thought you'd still be asleep."
Jessie grinned. "Sleep? Still at this hour? And knowing you are up and naked?"
Lauren looked for boxers and pants, trying to hide her smile. "Yeah right. You can shower if you want."
"Are you saying I smell?" Jessie said standing up and stretching.
"I mean I wasn't going to say anything." Lauren joked as she pulled her boxers on under the towel and throwing the towel over the door.
Jessie shook her head smiling. "I better go home anyways, have to get a playlist ready for tonight. Will you be at work?"
"I think so. I'm tired of watching T.V. all day."
Jessie nodded and put on her clothes. She walked over to Lauren, who was trying to put on a pair of jeans. Lauren looked up to meet Jessie's gaze. Jessie leaned in and kissed Lauren hard and deep. Lauren felt Jessie's hands reach at her pants, pushing Lauren's hands away. Lauren kissed her back intensely. Jessie buttoned and zipped Lauren's jeans, pulling away. "See you tonight then." And headed out of the apartment.
Lauren was stunned and couldn't move until she heard the door shut. What was wrong with her? She thought. Lauren had never felt this way. Was Jessie just playing her to get what she wanted or did she feel some type of way too? Lauren's head spun with thoughts, having no answer to any of them. She ran her fingers through her hair. Then somebody else came to her mind. Harper. Lauren remembered everything that Harper did for her. But Lauren didn't feel the same way about her as she did Jessie. Why though? Harper treated her better than anyone she ever knew and Lauren blew her off. But Lauren and Jessie just had some kind of connection. Lauren shook her head trying to clear her mind.
Lauren finished getting ready and grabbed her jacket and helmet. She decided she was ready to ride her motorcycle again. She left her apartment and took off with headphones in her ears, music on her phone blaring, ignoring all of the messages. She needed to get a way. Riding felt good, she felt free, like herself again. She got on the highway and kept going. She went until she was almost out of gas and pulled over in some small town with one gas station and one diner. She filled up and decided she was hungry. She sat at the bar in the diner and ate breakfast. She knew she was about two hours from home and she needed to reach out to her sister, so she paid and got back out on her bike. Lauren took off back to the city. It was almost 3pm by the time she pulled up to Jessica's house. She walked in to find her sister sitting on the couch.
"Where the hell have you been? Why haven't you responded to the texts I've sent?" Jessica questioned her twin.
"I needed some time to think." Lauren stated.
"I haven't heard from or seen you in days, almost a week. Jenn said you haven't even really been at work."
Lauren sat next to her."Oh Jenn is an idiot." Lauren remembering the night she left work and hadn't been back.
"Well she's worried too. She said you just left work."Jessica scolded her. "You aren't back on drugs?"
Lauren quickly looked at her sister "I told you I wasn't doing that shit anymore. I had a lot going on. I'll be at work tonight. Stop nagging me. How has your job been?"
"It's been great. They started giving me more hours and I should be able to get a car soon."
"Good. If you need anything let me know?"
"You know I won't."
"I know." Lauren gave her sister a hug. "Let's do dinner tomorrow at my place?"
"Are you cooking?"
Lauren stood up, fixing her jeans. "Yep."
"Okay. I'll be there. Are you not working tomorrow?"
"No, I'll take tomorrow off." Lauren put her helmet back on and walked out to head home.
When Lauren got back to her apartment she pulled out her phone and sent Harper a text "I'm sorry for being a dick lately. I just needed some time to myself to get back to normal. Are you free for lunch tomorrow?" Lauren went through her closet looking for clothes to wear to work. She decided to wear a pair of dark washed tight jeans and a black button down. She was tying a grey tie loosely around her neck when she heard her phone ring from a text. She looked. It was Harper.
"No worries. I work tomorrow. But I can meet you somewhere near the hospital around 11am for lunch."
"There is a restaurant right out front isn't there? I'll meet you there." Lauren went to brush her teeth again and spray on some cologne.
She ran her fingers through her hair. She needed to find her bookbag so she searched through her closet. Finding it hidden under some dirty clothes, she packed it with fresh bandages just in case and an extra shirt. She put on her jacket and grabbed her helmet. She knew she would get to work early, but she was sure Matt was going to be pissed. She headed off to the club.
When Lauren got there, she saw Matt directing the guy delivering their beer. She pulled up and took off her helmet. "Matt."
Matt looked over towards the parking lot and spotted her. He shouted her way "What the fuck Tripp? Where have you been?"
