Broken

||Chapter Eight||

||Destine||

I woke up to the steady pitter-patter of rain outside, the smell of dry earth filled my sinuses as I sat up stretching looking over for Amelia. She wasn't there.

"Amelia?" I called to see if she was nearby.

I went to the bathroom looking to see if she was in there taking a shower. Resting my head against the door, I listened over the rain that was now pouring heavily outside. There was silence on the other side of the door. Opening the door I checked and found the bathroom empty.

My heart dropped as I bolted downstairs scanning around my loft in search of her. Nowhere to be seen.

She couldn't have left.

I bounded up the stairs two steps at a time and checked her drawer. It was completely cleaned out. I took a deep breath, feeling a lump in my throat rise. Feeling my knees go weak I fell to the hardwood floor.

She abandoned me. She left.

She left without so much of a goodbye. Why would she leave? OK, I know I wasn't being the best person towards her feelings... But I can't have her in all of this... Drama. She's already got so much to go through in her life. I just don't want to put her at risk to have her knowing anything... Not yet, not until everything's cleared up with Dan. When I'm finally free, I would've told her everything; but now she's gone. She ran away from me and I can't even blame her, I was so cruel to her, acting oblivious, pretending that sleeping with her was the worst decision I could've made, albeit a drunk one. She deserves so much better than me.

No. I wasn't going to give up yet. Even if I didn't deserve her... I had to at least find her and come clean with her. I got up gathering all my courage and took a quick shower. I'm going to find Amelia, no matter what, I will find her.

Getting dressed I grabbed my purse with my car keys and rushed downstairs. Closing the door behind me I was greeted with an empty parking spot...

Great. It's still at the bar from the night before. I completely forgot to go get it after all that was happening. Starting my twenty-minute walk to the bar, I took the time to think.

Where would I look first? Well obviously her house, but then what if she isn't there? Where do I look then? I stopped stressing over the particulars, thankful that I had a starting point. I'd lead from her house, maybe just maybe I'll find her.

Eventually, I arrived at the bar and saw my car in the spot from last night. I sigh of relief washed over me but a new set of nerves settled at the bottom of my abdomen. I needed something to calm my nerves.

Walking into the bar, I noticed the bartender from last time. "Hey, sweet thing." He smirked as I approached the counter.

"A cigarette." I kept my sentences short, trying not to keep up a conversation with this pathetic excuse for a man.

"Coming up." He threw a wiping rag over his shoulder and reached under the counter taking out a box of cigarettes, opening it in front of me, he ushered for me to take one out. I did so and stuck the cancer stick in my mouth. Yes, I knew this was bad for me but it really helps to calm me down. It's been over two years since I've smoked one. "May I get a light?" I asked with it in my mouth. He reached under the counter and brought up a lighter, lighting my cigarette. I took a deep puff, blowing the smoke in the air. "Thank you." I placed a couple of coins on the counter walking out when I heard him call.

"Hey! Saw you and your friend the other night. That was pretty hot, never knew you would've swung that way." He said, I rolled my eyes instead of entertaining him with an answer. "Gimme a call if you ever need a man in the mix." He winked. I felt disgusted. I scoffed at him, making sure the disgust was evident in my features, then left. He was a waste a time.

I got in my car and headed to Amelia's house. The ride there was fairly long as I suspected. Getting out, I looked up at the house, or rather what was left of it. It was tattered and very old. Boards hanging from the roof, broken windows, it had an off-white color, with many huge patches in the paint. It looked like a death trap waiting to happen. This is why I couldn't have let Amelia live here... It risked her safety, even though staying with me I guess wasn't any better.

Looking up at the window on the second floor I noticed a figure walk by, the glass was too blurry to see but I'm sure it has to be Amelia. With a surge of courage and adrenaline, I ran towards the house, I noticed that the steps were broken so I carefully evaded them while running.

Eventually, I got to the front door and opened it with a creak. "Amelia?" I called. I walked over to the stairs and began climbing, "Amelia? Are you up here? I'm sorry for everything." I got to the top of the stairs. " I'm so sorry." There were only two doors that weren't boarded up, I tried the first one. "Amelia?" I cracked it open to look. It was a bathroom, in a deplorable condition I might add. I continued down the hall to the last door. She had to be in this one. I cracked the door open "I'm so sorry Amelia--"

This was not Amelia.

"So you know Amelia eh?" The sleazy looking man started walking toward me. His dark hair was sloppy and some was sticking to his forehead, he had on a long dirty trench coat, the shirt underneath was white and covered with various stains and his jeans had more holes than swiss cheese. "She's been missing for weeks, haven't seen her around, you wouldn't know about that would ya?" He was getting closer, I started panicking, backing up.

"I don't know where she is," I said truthfully, trying to still my voice to not sound as scared as I actually was.

"Now now, don't be scared. You're a nice piece of ass aint'cha?" He started getting a little too close and that's when I bolted out the door with him in close proximity.

"I love it when they run!" He said cackling behind me.

I ran as fast as I could downstairs and was opting to the door when I felt his hand brush my back. He was close in tow. Instead of heading straight to the door I decided to make a few curves to throw him off, running around a table in the room seemed to do the trick.

He growled in anger as he stumbled around the table. "You f*****g bitch." I was almost at the door when I felt his hand on my wrist pulling me.

"You b***h," he said smirking, "I'm gonna enjoy this." He pushed me up against the wall, reaching for his pocket he pulled out a knife; pressing the tip against my cheek.

I winced in pain as I felt him pull down the blade, making a thin line in my face. "Feel good doesn't it, that's what you get for running b***h. Make any wrong moves and you're dead ya hear me?" I only nodded, closing my eyes dreading what was next.

He began unbuttoning my flannel shirt with one hand as he kept the knife at my throat. "Oh, this can work." He nodded approvingly as he got down to my bra. He smelled of burnt garbage and when he smiled you could see a few rotten teeth in his mouth; I shivered in disgust as he ran his finger down my chest in between my breasts. "Don't worry, I'll start slow."

"So sad how you have to resort to r**e to get some ass huh?" Eyes still closed as I cringed while speaking, my breath ragged.

He growled. "Shut up!" Pushing me more forcefully against the wall. So this is a sensitive topic for him huh? I thought. I might as well play my way into it.

I groaned as I opened my eyes looking him dead in the eyes. "Desperate." I started, "You poor, sad, desperate, excuse for a man. This is what you have to do to get some huh? You worthless good for nothing waste of space." I spoke through gritted teeth because at this point his free hand was gripping my neck and the knife was being pressed harder into my neck, not deep enough to cut me yet but it was getting there.

"What're you going to do? Kill me then r**e my dead body?" I laughed despite my pending doom. "That's even more pathetic!"

"OK, that's it, b***h!" He squeezed my neck tighter, almost cutting off my circulation. I was scraping at his hands, a silent plea for him to stop. He smirked and flung me to the floor getting on top of me he resumed choking me. "This is what you get you wordy bitch." Just when I thought I was going to slip into unconsciousness I heard a whacking sound and then I saw him fall off of me. I gasped for air as if I was surfacing from underwater. As I got up I saw standing in front of me a short, long raven-haired girl with dark eyes, about my age, wielding a baseball bat, looking down at me. "Wh-who are you?" I shakily asked, still out of breath.

"You OK?" She asked holding out her hand. I took the invitation, getting up.

"Yeah, I think so, just a bit shaken up. Thank you for saving me." I smiled appreciatively.

"No problem, my bother here was too doped up for his own good. I'm Celeste."

"I'm Destine... He's your brother? I wouldn't have guessed." I looked at his form laying unconscious on the floor.

"Well he's not my brother by blood, I was adopted." She shrugged. "He's a piece of s**t when he's coked up like this, it's the first time I've seen him attack a girl so violently though."

"Yeah well, either way, he needs to be turned in," I said sternly.

"Yeah, I know... This was pretty bad." She glanced at my cheek looking at the thin line of blood and my neck where there was probably a hand print.

I squinted at her curiously. "Were you also looking for Amelia?" I asked. Secretly I hoped she would be able to give me a clue of where she was, it even an idea. I'll work with anything.

"Well, my brother was. Apparently, she owes him a favor or something." She shrugged. "I was out back, never really wanted to see Amelia again actually." Her gazed held a sad resonance.

"You guys were close?" I asked curiously.

"We dated for a while. But I eventually broke up with her." She stated simply.

I was a bit taken aback by this. "May I ask why?"

She laughed humorlessly. "She was in love with someone else." She stated. "I could feel it yenno? I just knew that she had the hots for someone else because she never ever gave me her all before."

"Oh." Was all I could say.

"So you banging her now?" She smirked.

I blushed slightly at her insinuation. "No, we are not 'banging' as you say. We're merely friends."

"That's how it starts." She said, resting the bat on her shoulder. "I'll just sit here till he comes to." She sat on the floor next to him folding her legs.

"Um, would you have any idea of where Amelia would be?" I asked with hopeful eyes.

She had a contemplative face. "You checked the bar?"

I nodded. She shrugged. "Well, I'm stumped. That was the only place she ever hung out. Well there and..." She trailed off. My stomach was in knots as my curiosity grew.

"Where???" I asked impatiently.

"The corners..." She looked away.

What the hell?

"The corners...?" I squinted in confusion.

"Yenno... The corners, where all the meth heads and other addicts go to get a spike." I said nonchalantly.

I was confused. Did Amelia do drugs? Did she sell them? All these thoughts and more swirled in my head as I started worrying about her impending danger for being in risky business for quick cash or maybe slowly ruining her life by doing drugs.

"So... Is she buying or selling?" My voice was small, I was surprised by its meekness.

She chuckled. "s**t I dunno at this point. Couple years ago she was juggling between both."

I sighed realizing this conversation was going nowhere. "Well, where do I find these 'corners'?" I asked.

"Well, they're exactly where the name said. Corners. The most popular one though, is by an old pizza place called uh... Valles? Yeah, something like that."

I took this new information and started towards to front door quickly. "Thank you for saving me again. I must be going."

"Wait a minute you're going there right now?" She said a bit panicky getting up.

"Yeah... Why?" I tilted my head.

"That's a pretty bad part o' the city, gotta be careful with all those druggies crawling around looking for a quick fix but broke." She said glancing at her brother. She was dreading having to turn him in for what he did, I could tell. I almost felt sorry for her. I felt something trickling down my face and realized that the wound was still bleeding. I wiped it quickly with the back of my hand, putting my health aside for a moment.

I smiled at her before answering. "I'll be fine." Then walked out the door. She's really just another person looking for a way out of her mess; an anti-hero with a heart of gold really. Reminded me of Amelia of a bit. A pang of miss hit me in the heart as I thought about something happening to her.

I got in my car and started it, driving without direction. I'll find this 'Valles' place one way or another. I really should've asked for directions.

Just then my phone rang. I answered without looking at the screen. "Hello?"

"Hey sis? What's up?" Simon's voice spoke. I took a deep resounding breath before I replied.

"Nothing much, just driving around the city." It technically wasn't a lie, I just left out the part about me looking for Amelia. He doesn't need more drama in his life right now, and knowing Simon, he'd want to help in any way he could.

"Oh? I was thinking of stopping by later, that OK?" He asked. I inwardly groaned as I don't think I'll be able to make it home anytime soon.

"Uh, I don't think I'll be home until about the evening, or even nightfall; who knows?" I tried laughing it off.

"Ohhhhhh," he started, I could feel him smirking on the other line. "You're out with Amelia aren't you?" He asked jokingly yet accusingly.

"Whaaaaat? Pffft, no." I spoke truthfully. I also tried to come off as guilty so he thinks I'm lying.

"So you are eh?" He asked rhetorically. "Well, who am I to get in the way of... ROMANCE."

I laughed heartily despite my current situation. "Oh my god, Sy shut up."

I pulled up to a stop light. "Well don't mind me, I'll be going now."

Then it suddenly dawned on me. "Hey! Uh... Sy, you wouldn't know where a um Valles pizza place is would you?"

"Hmm... Aw, man, I suck at directions, OK look, just drive like you're going to Dan's abandoned factory, but before you get there, make a left on Aubrey Street, that's like 4 roads away from a stoplight by Ronny's pastries." He spoke. For someone who's terrible at directions, he's pretty good at it!

I looked to my left realizing that I was, in fact, driving towards the factory, I noticed a sign on a glass window marked 'Ronnie's Pastries'.

Bingo.

"Oh, thank you."

"No prob little sister, what're big brothers for apart from stealing that last piece of pizza you were saving in the fridge and epic loogies. I'll get outta your hair now."

I giggled uncontrollably remembering our childhood memories. That love-hate relationship we had was irreplaceable. "Yeah well let's not forget those times I set a lego trap for you."

"That wasn't funny!" He laughed.

"It really was," I said smugly. "Anyways, I'm driving so I'll see you soon OK?"

"Yeah D, I'll catch you later."

He hung up and I noticed the green light. Taking off down the street I started counting the roads on the left.

One. I started as I already saw some unkempt looking guys walking down the street, most of them wearing hoodies and having their hand stuck in their pockets.

Two. I realized that now there were more people walking down, some well-kept and some not so much, I started seeing girls with ratted hair and pale pasty skin. It made me shudder as I couldn't stop my mind from picturing Amelia's smooth, soft skin transforming into that.

Three. They've dispersed to both sides of the street, probably trying not to draw so much attention to themselves by traveling in groups.

And four, Aubrey Street. I turned down the street with a little more urgency. She could be here... Amelia could be here.

I looked to my left then my right looking for a sign that read Valles. Going further down the road I noticed a pale yellow and green oval with the name Valles inscribed in it. I mentally cheered as I was definitely making progress.

I then looked into the alley and noticed a figure of a man in a dark hoody talking to another guy, he was scratching himself and looked as if he was begging for a hookup. The hooded guy was being adamant. Effects of withdrawal.

He eventually gave up and walked off, that's when a plan concocted in my head. I quickly reached for my sunglasses in the glove compartment and called to him.

"Psst. Hey you." I called in a hushed tone. He turned to me.

"Yeah?"

"You need a spike? I just need some information."

"Yeah well, what makes you think I know anything?" He came to my window. He was jittery, his pale blue eyes and matted messy blonde hair rested on his shoulders. He brushed his bangs out of his face.

"Everyone's connected in this business. You want a hookup or not." I emphasized my point by holding a crisp hundred dollar bill in front of him, but not too close.

He glanced behind him then returned his attention to me. "OK OK, what do you wanna know?" He scratched his face.

"An Amelia Jones? Any idea where she might be?" I tried sounding tough to match these aviators that I'm wearing.

He looked around thinking a little. "Uhhh, how she looks? Short hair?" He scratched his arm.

"Yeah, have you seen her around here?"

"Ohhh Jones, yeah yeah she used to be my dealer. Haven't seen her around in a long time." He spoke quickly, still jittery and looking around.

"Hmm.." I hummed, deep in thought. Was she dealing again? If so was then she would need the resources to do so... There's only one place I can think of right now and I felt my stomach drop.

"Hey is that it? D-do I get my fix?"

Throwing the money at him I reversed up the road with a tunnel vision. I could only see one way as I pulled out and took off up the road.

Pulling up to the familiar old factory; I shut off the car, took the keys out of the ignition, stuffed my phone into my pocket and got out of the car. I slowly started my trek to the building.

It's now or never.