Hey guys, so this is the first time I've used the new "writing" style wattpad has so I have no idea if it corrected the spelling mistakes and what not but I seriously hope it did! If not I'm sooo sorry for any spelling and grammar errors! I barely proof read this whole thing so I can't promise that it will be anywhere close to perfection.

But anyways! I hope ya'll enjoy it! And please comment and vote and what not! P.s. This chapter played out a lot better in my head.

-&-

Chapter 22

       I was huffing loudly and folding laundry in my empty house while the kitchen's stereo played at full blast three days later. It was the Tuesday before our school was officially out for Thanksgiving break and the silence was starting to get to me.

       I stayed with Rex Saturday and all day Sunday. Heck, I was even considering staying Sunday night and just riding with him to school, but I didn't want to seem too clingy... and he didn't ask me to stay either. As a matter of fact, he kept asking me when I had to be home.

       Even though that kind of made my chest ache it was a good thing that I came home early, really. I was starting to run out of excuses of why it didn't matter what time I went home. However, he did pick me up for school and took me home both yesterday and today.

       I was sooo close to asking him to stay with me for a while, but as soon as I opened my mouth to speak, he beat me to it. He had things to do, and he wouldn't tell me what. I even asked him if it was a boxing match and I wouldn't be upset if he was going to one, but he just shook his head, smiled, and said, "It's not that type of thing, Roza."

       I scoffed grumpily and set aside the pair of pants I was folding.

        Roza. That jerk always knew what to say to make me crumble into a pile of goo at his feet. But, in all reality, I was happy he didn't give me the chance to ask him to stay. Luce or Tate wouldn't have been busy today and knowing Rex, he probably would have realized they were gone.

       I wasn't sure what he would do if he found out no one was home, but I wasn't going to put him in that position. I didn't want him or any of the others thinking they needed to babysit me. I was a big girl, I could take care of myself.

       For two weeks at least...

       I sighed gently this time before closing the dryer and bending down to pick up my basket of laundry. The radio in the kitchen was pumping out Talk Dirty To Me, and even though nothing in me could dance, this song always had my body moving in an awkward little jump. Kind of like it was trying to dance, but failing miserably.

       The only reason I even had the radio on was because the deafening silence in the house tore at my sensitive ear drums. I always had to have some type of noise, always. If I was sleeping I needed a fan on, like needed it. The silence always brought back bad memories, despite how hard I tried to block it out.

       I climbed the stairs carefully so I wouldn't drop the heavy hamper in my arms and shouldered my way into my room. My heart ached at the emptiness in the house, and I wanted more than anything to talk to Jax.

       I was use to not talking to him for months on end, but I was worried about our last meeting. Gerald's abusive behavior wasn't unknown among the foster kids. It was more common than anything, and I was worried as all get out. Jax was my life for so long, we always protected each other, and now I wasn't there for him. It made my stomach twist in worry.

       I just wanted to talk to him.

       He had bought a pre-paid phone when my dad came for me, and I had the phone number committed to memory before we were even separated, but that was years ago, and I don't even know if he still had it.

       We made a deal to only call if it was absolutely necessary. Gerald couldn't find out Jax had bought the phone, he couldn't. Otherwise something terrible was going to happen to Jax and I wasn't sure if I was willing to take that risk.

       But he might not even have the phone...

       I let out a heavy sigh and picked up my cell before I could think better of it. If I'm lucky he wouldn't even be near Gerald. It was five in the afternoon, and he usual hangs out in the alley till dark. Maybe, just maybe, he still has the phone.

       He picked up on the second ring.

       "Who the fuck is this?"

       I wasn't expecting the venom in his voice, or the F-bomb he dropped either. For a moment I wasn't even sure if it was Jax... but I knew his voice.

       "Jax?" My voice was hesitant and uncertain as if I was deciding whether or not to swim into heavy waters. Angry Jax was never directed towards me, ever, so it was a shock when it actually was.

       "Rose?" His tone immediately lost all anger and venom, but was quickly replaced with worry. "Are you okay? Did something happen? Are you hurt?" His breathing increased with each word and I tried to hold back a laugh as I pictured him running his hand repeatedly in his short blonde hair, his blue eyes wide in concern.

       "I'm okay I promise." I sighed, not so softly either, happily as his voice flitted through the phone. I never realize how much I miss him until I talk to him, but somehow that just makes it harder.

       "Okay, okay." His voice was a mumbled warble like he was trying to convince himself more than me. "What's up my Rosie girl? You've never called me before."

       "You said only call when absolutely necessary and I didn't want to risk... well you know." I mumbled the last part and fell onto my bed with a plop as he sighed.

       "Yeah I know, which is why I'm confused." I let my eyes travel the ridges in the ceiling as his voice trailed off. He grew silent like he was waiting for my answer, but I honestly just wanted to hear him talk.

       "I was worried about you. I never checked up on you after I left and I've been worried sick and-"

       "Rosalyn, just stop it. I told you not to come back, so you better freaking not." He let out a heavy huff of air as I bit back the word vomit that wanted to leave my mouth. "I'm fine, my Rosie. I'm always fine, you know that."

       "That always Jax, isn't going to last forever."

       "I know bae, but I don't have to worry about that any longer, neither of us do." I smiled at his words, and his stupid acronyms, and closed my eyes as the familiar feeling of safety that Jax always made me feel enveloped me.

       "What are you up to kiddo? You miss me?" He changed the topic, thankfully, and I smiled as his voice got cocky.

       "You know I always miss you, jerk, and I'm doing absolutely nothing. What are you doing?" Anybody who didn't know us would think that we were having a normal, everyday, type of conversation. But we weren't normal teenagers, and our conversations always took a drastic turn somehow.

       "Well, at the moment I'm lugging all my shit down Third Street." As the words passed his lips I could hear his heavy breathing through the phone like he just jogged two miles, or lugged a bunch of boxes down one.

       My back instantly went rigid and I shot up so straight in my bed it felt like a pole jammed down my spine. "Why are you doing that?" My voice sounded calm enough, but my head was spinning sixty miles per minute.

       Something heavy made a 'plop' sound on the other end of the line and Jax let out a heavy sigh before answering. "Gerald and I... had a falling out..." The words left his lips uncertainly like he wasn't sure how to phrase his problem.

       "What type of falling out?" My heart rate started to increasing as he took forever to think of what to say, and I could feel the panic trying to breech me from around that dark corner.

       'Falling outs' with Gerald were never good. He was both verbally and physically abusive, and when he was drunk no one was safe. It wasn't a secret that he didn't like Jax, he didn't like any of us really, but he especially hated Jax, and I didn't want to think about how bad he hurt him for their falling out.

       "Stop worrying Rosie, I'm fine. Honestly, I promise. He just said something that pushed me over the edge, I snapped back at him, and now he kicked me out. He's using some "he's too old to be in my care" excuse to CPS so they're not going to do anything about it."

       There was a few moments of silence on my part as he huffed and puffed and picked his boxes up again. "What did he say?" I finally asked a moment later, my voice soft and rather hesitant.

       "Huh?"

       "What did he say that pushed you over the edge?"

       Jax let out another sigh and I could just picture him running his hand through his shaggy hair. "Don't worry about it Rose. I handled the situation." His voice was firm and held that 'no-nonsense' tone to it, which always meant he wanted me to drop the subject... so I did.

       "Where are you going to go?" My heart instantly sped up as the thought entered my head. Jax didn't have any money that I knew of, he didn't have any family, except if you counted me, and he didn't have anywhere to go. What if he ended up on the street living in a card board box like most of New Haven?

       The thought made panic start to rise in my chest, but the soft laugh he gave me eased my over imaginative fears. "I'll be fine, bae, I promise. I got a part time job on weekends at an auto-shop and started saving up for an apartment. As a matter of fact, I already have the down payment on one and I'm on my way there right now."

       I let out the relieved sigh I didn't realize I was holding. "Do you... do you want help moving in?" I kicked my legs lazily against the steps leading up to my bed. I didn't have anything to do and I missed Jax immensely. Besides I needed something to get my mind off of Rex's absence.

       "Nah, my friend Jack is picking me up as we speak, so I gotta go, but I love you Rose and I'll call you when I get the chance."

       "I love you too Jax."

       He hung up after that and I was left with that lonely feeling settling in my chest again. God, I hated being home alone. I sighed, well at least when I was home alone I got into the cleaning mood.

       I deep cleaned my whole room and bathroom before cleaning Tate's room and the hallway's bathroom. I never bothered cleaning Luce's room when I went on a cleaning spree. It stayed in the perfect disaster she loved so much. If I even brought a vacuum near it she would freak out and lock her door.

       Two hours later I was half way done with cleaning the living room when my door bell rang. My head snapped up at the sound and I quickly dropped the bleach covered rag and took off the big rubber gloves before racing towards the front door.

       My whole mood lit up ten fold when I pulled the door's window's curtain back and saw who was standing on my porch. "Rex?" I couldn't stop the excitement from filling my voice as I swung the door open.

       A small smile sat etched on his lips and his dark eyes flashed. "Hey Roza."

       "What are you doing here?" It was so hard trying to stop myself from grabbing onto his arm and dragging him into my house where I would never let him go, but thankfully I was able to resist.

       "I finished that thing earlier than I thought I would." I nodded eagerly as he stood in the doorway with his hands in his jacket's pockets, even though I'm sure I looked like an excited dog wagging my tail crazily. "And I figured you would like to go out tonight with me... and the others." His eyes turned hard at the last part, but I let it slide and jumped on the balls of my feet.

       "Oh yeah definitely!" I could see the smile trying to tug at his lips as I bounced back from the door and headed towards the stairs to get my shoes, and he followed quietly behind me.

       "Where are we going?" I asked excitedly as I basically jumped into my sneakers and tied them.

       "Echo, a club we like to go to sometimes and it's Brett's birthday so we let him pick..."

       My head snapped up at his words and I instantly felt ten times worse. "It's Brett's birthday?" Rex nodded and tilted his head slightly as my face fell. "I-I didn't know that..." What kind of friend am I that I forgot his birthday?

       "Hey Rose, don't worry about it. I've been his friend for years and even I didn't know it was his birthday." He reached out to me almost reassuringly, but I just glared at him.

       "Because you're a terrible friend." I tried to make my voice hard, but it came out weak as his arm dropped and he rolled his eyes.

       "Yeah, yeah, whatever, let's just go." He turned on his heels and stalked out of my room. I tried not to giggle as I followed his stiff back down the stairs and out the door before locking it, but it was hard not to.

       He was acting like what I said hurt him, but he always admits that he's awful to his friends and he acts like he doesn't care about it, but... but he's just Rex, and no one understands him. I quickened my pace until I could slip my hand into his and look up at him with an apologetic smile.

       His hand instantly gripped mine and the muscles in his back relaxed as he turned his face down to me. He gave me a soft smile before tugging on my hand and pulling me into his side.

       "You locked the door right?" I nodded as he pulled me towards a motorbike that was parked in the empty spots in my driveway.

       That's not his... is it?

        "Rex, where's your car?" I asked incredulously as he picked up a heavy padded jacket from what I assumed was the passenger seat.

       "It's at Brett and Denton's house. My babies been sitting in the garage for months neglected, so I decided to take it out today." He patted the back almost affectionately and my eyes widened at the gesture. He showed more feelings for the bike than he ever did for anything or anyone else.

       "It's your bike...?"

       "Mhm." He swung his leg over the bullet looking death trap and handed me the helmet like I knew how to put it on.

       I clutched the thing tightly as sweat started to form on the back of my neck. I-I wasn't so sure about this... Jax's friend has a motorcycle way back when, and he totaled the thing on a sharp corner. He was in the hospital for months...

       "I-I'm not so sure I can ride that, Rex." I mumbled softly as he ran his fingers through his dark hair. He turned his warm chestnut eyes on me and raised his eyebrows in question as the helmet quivered in my shaking hands.

       He climbed off the bike and beckoned me over to him without saying a word, and I went willingly, despite the common sense ringing in my head. He took the helmet from my shaking hands and set it on his seat before picking the padded jacket back up and opening it.

       "Put your arms in." His voice held it's usual hard tone, but it was slightly warmer as if he knew I was quietly freaking out on the inside.

       I did as he said and slipped my arms into the large, and heavy padded jacket, and stood like a child as he shoved my phone and house keys into one of the inside pockets before he zipped the jacket up and buttoned the buttons over the zipper.

       "I haven't crashed this thing since I got it three years ago, Roza, and I don't plan on crashing it today. Besides, you really think I'm going to put you in any type of danger?" He raised one eyebrow and turned hard eyes on my own as he picked the helmet back up.

       I shook my head rather guiltily as he lifted the black head gear up and gestured for me to lower my head. "Exactly." He grumbled as he held one of the flaps back and shoved the helmet gently onto me.

       Ugh, talk about a bad hair day.

       "Where's your helmet?" My voice came out slow and muffled through the helmet, but he smiled like he heard me anyway.

       "This is my only one and I'm not going to let you not wear one." He grumbled, but gave me a sweet smile anyway. My stomach twisted with butterflies.

       He grabbed and squeezed my hand reassuringly once before climbing back onto the bike. He revved the engine once before holding out his hand for me to take. I took it and let him help me onto the tiny padded seat. The bike wobbled as I did so and I found myself clinging onto Rex for dear life before he even let go of my hand. I heard his muffled chuckle through the padding in the helmet.

       "Alright Roza, all you need to do is lean with me on the turns and hold on as tight as you can."

       He didn't need to tell me twice.

       My chest was pressed as close to his back as humanly possible and my hands were wrapped so tightly around his stomach that I was afraid of suffocating him, but that didn't make me lessen my hold one bit. As soon as his leg left the ground and the bike started to back out of my driveway I lost all coherent thought in my brain.

        Please, don't let us die.

       I rested my head against his shoulder blade, but kept my eyes wide open as the house zoomed past us and the wind hit us square on. We were out of my neighborhood and zooming down the main-street of town before I knew it.

       It took me a good ten minutes before I could lift my head from Rex's shoulder and look around, but when I did, I wasn't disappointed. All the different colors zooming around us in a rapid fire blur was beautiful, and experiencing this with Rex only made it ten times better.

       We pulled up into a crowded parking lot thirty minutes later and the engine died down to a quiet roar as he turned the ignition off. "See? That wasn't so bad." He smiled as he helped me take the helmet off and step down from the bike.

       "I... I liked it... A lot." His lip tugged up farther in a small smirk and his eyes twinkled as he undid the jacket.

       "I do too." He took my phone out of the pocket, but kept my keys there as he unlocked the passenger seat and lifted it off the back. I watched as he shoved the jacket down into the little cubby hole it revealed before setting the seat back down and locking it.

       "Safe and sound." He murmured and smiled at me as I ran my fingers through my disheveled hair before he took my other hand. "Alright, just remember Rose this is a club and there are going to be fucking ignorant ass pricks in there." I widened my eyes at his words, but he didn't seem to register my sudden fear as he pulled me onto the sidewalk and towards the packed entrance.

       "So don't leave mine, or the other's side alright?" I nodded almost viciously and tightened my grip on his hand as he pushed us to the front of the line.

       "Rex Turner." He shouted over the heavy music at the extremely buff looking bouncer with a hard expression painted on his face. The really angry looking dude gave us both a hard once over, which caused Rex to stand in front of me rather protectively, before nodding and letting us pass through the door behind him.

       "What was that about?!" I shouted over the music even though I was basically glued to his side.

       He lowered his head down to mine and put his mouth close to my ear so he