It was in the evening now. The police were still with Lacy and Abbilynn. James, Lacy’s younger brother was over Brice’s house and was in Bryan’s bedroom reading a book. Robert and Ronnie were talking to their father about the situation in the living room.
“You want me to take the family in until the mom can save enough money to get a place of her own?” Brice asked Robert.
“Please, dad. They went through so much.” Robert replies.
“There is no room for them.”
“Yes there it. You can put Lacy’s little brother in the bedroom with Bryan. You can make a room for Lacy and her mother in the attic. It’s big enough. We can clear out all the junk.” Ronnie explains to his father.
“Well… you do make a point. I’ll discuss it with your little friend’s mother later. Right now, we can start cleaning the attic.” Brice tells his sons. Robert, Ronnie, and Brice went to clean the attic. Bryan felt bored being in his bedroom with James, he goes into the living room.
“They aren’t talking anymore?” Bryan wondered and sat down on the sofa and turned the TV on.
It was later now around 9 PM. Everything was still being settled with the police, but they had let Lacy and her mother go home. Brice was talking to Abbilynn about staying at his house. Abbilynn was at first not sure of it, but then agreed to it. Robert, Ronnie, and Brice were helping Lacy, James, and Abbilynn pack their things.
“Why do we have to move again?” James asked his mother.
“Because. I am not dating Steven anymore.” She replied.
“Why not?” James asked. Abbilynn didn’t answer. She didn’t want to make Lacy more uncomfortable then she already was. Lacy went to her bedroom. Robert and Ronnie followed her.
“Are you okay?” Robert asked her. She nods.
“I’m fine. I was scared going there though. I felt so embarrassed.” Lacy said looking down. She sits down on her bed.
“You had to do it.” Ronnie reassures her.
“I know. The cops so far think Steven is guilty. They are holding him now.” Lacy explains to the boys.
“Good. That asshole needs to be locked up.” Ronnie says feeling relief.
“They made do a rape kit test on me. I…It’s a good thing I was too tired to take a bath like I wanted when he was finished with me.” Lacy starts to cry. “Am I really a stupid girl? Maybe I got him excited when I started dressing the style you guys got me.” Lacy said as she cried.
“That’s not true. Is it? Was he hitting on you before when you were wearing that frilly little cutesy style?” Ronnie asked. She nods.
“He was, and still was touching me and I hated it.” Lacy glares.
“See? We didn’t cause that. Now let’s get your things packed. Our dad is going to help move your beds over in the attic at our house.” Ronnie flashes a smile at Lacy. She dried her tears.
“Thank you both for helping me. I don’t know why but I feel like I was meant to meet you two. And you both were going to help me. Thank you.” Lacy said flashing a smile. Robert and Ronnie both blushed at her and felt their heart pound.
“Uh… let’s just get you packed.” Ronnie went and got a bag and was filling some of Lacy’s things into it. Robert also got another bag and was doing the same. Lacy gets off the bed and was helping packing her things.
It was getting late. Bryan didn’t have to help with the moving. He was sitting on his bed. “I don’t really want to share my bedroom.” He thought to himself as he was holding his favorite teddy bear. It was the teddy bear that his father bought him when he was just a toddler. Bryan always held the teddy bear when he was upset about something.
“They’re moving in here and that weird boy is going to share a room with me. I don’t want to share a bedroom with him.” Bryan looked over at the window. It was dark outside as it was late. The moon was shining in the window and into his bedroom. “I wonder about those two guys I met at school. They seemed nice, but their older than me. They wouldn’t want to hang with a young kid like me.” Bryan felt upset.
Lacy’s family didn’t move all their things over into Brice’s house only the main things. They were going to finished getting the rest of their things first thing tomorrow. Lacy was in the attic laying her blankets down on the floor as he bed didn’t get moved yet. Robert and Ronnie were with her.
“I feel awful.” Lacy said as she finished setting out her blankets and laid her pillow down on the floor.
“Why do you feel like that?” Ronnie asks her.
“It’s because of what happened.” She said and looked down. “You two don’t…hate me do you?” Lacy asked as if she was about to cry.
“No. We don’t hate you. You couldn’t help what happened.” Robert answers. Lacy blushes as she stared at him.
“Lacy, I don’t hate you either. I could never hate you.” Ronnie said and touches her face and makes her look at him. Lacy blushes more. Robert glared at his brother. Abbilynn came into the attic and Ronnie lets go of Lacy’s face.
“It’s late. We should get some rest if we’re going to get the rest of the stuff.” Abbilynn said and was laying out her blankets onto the floor next to Lacy’s. Robert and Ronnie left the attic.
“Do you think it will be weird having them live with us?” Ronnie asked Robert.
“Nah, we all should be fine.” Robert brushes off the thought of any trouble and they both went into their bedroom. Bryan was watching James set out his blankets onto the floor of his bedroom. He wasn’t happy.
“Why do you guys have to stay here?” Bryan asked James.
“My mom broke up with her boyfriend. I don’t know the whole story.” James replies.
“I don’t like this. I wish he would leave out of my bedroom.” Bryan thinks to himself feeling uncomfortable with the idea of sharing his bedroom. James finished setting up his blankets onto the floor and left the bedroom. “I’m going to talk to daddy.” Bryan got up and went to his dad’s bedroom. His dad was laying on his bed.
“Daddy.” Bryan said as he came into the bedroom and shuts the door behind him.
“What is it?” Brice asked.
“Why are they coming to live with us? That family?” Bryan asks curiously.
“They had some problems and were going to be homeless. I can’t let them be in the street when theirs kids.”
“Daddy, why do I have to share my bedroom with that boy?”
“Because, he’s the same age as you.” Brice replies. “You can’t share with a girl.”
“Ew. No way.” Bryan said and sits down on his dad’s bed. “Can I sleep by you tonight daddy? Please?” Brice sat up.
“You’re supposed to be sleeping in your own bed.” Brice tells Bryan. He gives him a sad face.
“But I don’t want to. I want to sleep by you.” Bryan said looking as if he was about to cry.
“Fine. Only for tonight.” Brice agrees to it. Bryan smiles.
Lacy was sitting down on the floor with her blanket on her. “Don’t worry, Lacy. I’ll save money and get an apartment. Also, we’ll put that creep in prison.” Abbilynn tells Lacy.
“I feel strange being here.” Lacy thought to herself. She clenches the blanket with her hands.
“Tomorrow you have to come with me to talk to the police. You hear?” Abbilynn asked Lacy.
She nods. “Good. Night.” Abbilynn laid down. Lacy was in thought as she sat there.
“I feel so humiliated. The police, my mom, Robert and Ronnie. They all know… they all know what Steven did to me…” Lacy felt upset. She didn’t want to think much more about it but her thoughts all centered on what had happened. Lacy laid down and closes her eyes. Hoping to just get rest.
Robert and Ronnie were laying in bed in their bedroom. “Do you think Lacy will be okay?” Ronnie asked Robert.
“She should be. Steven can’t hurt her anymore.” Robert replied.
“I can’t believe what had happened.” Ronnie says and pulled a cigarette out. He lights it and starts to smoke.
“It’s weird how we just meet her and just…” Robert didn’t finish what he was saying to Ronnie. He didn’t understood why he was always in thought of Lacy ever since he had met her.
Something about her. There was just something about her that he couldn’t stop thinking of.
“Love don’t exist.” Robert reminds himself thinking of his parents’ relationship together. How they were separated.
“You in love with Lacy?” Ronnie asked.
“No. Love don’t exist.” Robert replied taking a cigarette out of the pack Ronnie had on the bed. He lights it and began to smoke.