For Her Undamaged (GirlxGirl)

11. Not Broken

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Bailey's POV:

How is my stomach awake before me? I woke up to the sound of my stomach rumbling, this is what I get for running last night later than usual then doing homework after my shower. I should've eaten dinner, maybe I can eat breakfast quickly. I got up to go fix myself, morning routine: Get up, pee, brush and style my hair, brush my teeth, get dressed, fix my school backpack, get breakfast. Boom ready for the day, I went downstairs seeing both my parents sitting at the dining table opposite of each other with their noses in their faces. And I get told I'm on my phone too much.

"Good morning." I say out loud looking through the fridge, "Good morning hun, how was your sleep?" I heard dad greet me and I look over my shoulder, he was still on his phone. "Uh, it was good." I answer, my sleep was adequate it'll get me through the day but right now I need food my stomach is doing that thing where it hurts because there is nothing in it. It feels like my stomach is stabbing me if that was even possible. "What are you wearing?" I turn to see mom look up and down my body, I feel weird now. "Uh Aunt Jacky's army crew neck and my jeans then my newer pair of running shoes to break them in."

I think I look cute the jeans are a little baggy so if I ever have to run then It'll be easy and I need to break in these shoes anyway. "Aunt Jacky gave you that?" She asks and I nod, Aunt Jacky has been in the army for a decade now and she's actually a pilot for the army, whenever she comes back to visit us she always gives me some sort of clothing with Army written somewhere on it, this grey crewneck has got to be my favorite. "Hmm okay, I need to get in contact with her, a third of your closet is something related to the military. A bunch of killing machines, no place for a woman." She scoffs going back to her phone.

She's been through my closet? "I think Aunt Jacky is cool and their clothes are really comfortable plus she's a pilot I don't think there's anything cooler than flying an F-16." I comment smiling, she's literally the coolest person I know. "Let's not continue this conversation." Dad butts in while I seem to have a stare-off with mom. I glanced up at the clock seeing the time that my bus comes, "My bus is outside." I start walking away slowly still somehow in eye contact with mom tightening my backpack straps. "Okay, have fun at school hun." Dad waves and I wave back then waving at mom. I don't understand what I did wrong.

I left through the front door tapping my pockets making sure I have my keys, wallet, phone, and AirPods. I'm all set. The ride ended pretty quickly and I realized that we didn't pick up a lot of kids meaning either they're sick and so the flu is going around again or they just didn't want to come at all and I wish I had that luxury. Carmen isn't coming again today which sucks, we have a partner project in 6th period. I got off the bus keeping my head low as I made my way to our spot trying to ignore the whale sounds coming from my stomach. Why does it have to be so loud?

"Mornin' Beans." I dart my head up at the somewhat raspy voice, raspy? RASPY! I can't do this, it's too early, it shouldn't be making my, you know, "Beans?" Skylar sits on the table part of the bench with her feet on the seat part while holding her phone in both of her hands. Rings, so many silver rings, oh and veins. Lord so help me, it's throbbing, Jesus Christ what's wrong with me. God I'm sorry for you using your name in vain, please help me before I melt. "Good morning Skylar." I said almost in a whisper sitting beside her, I wonder what happened? She doesn't seem mad at me like she was last time.

It stayed silent for a while and I turned my head watching her look around but then my stomach decided to let out the loudest noise it's ever made. "Woah, was that your stomach or did we just have a mini earthquake?" She comments looking at me with my hands covering my stomach. This is embarrassing. Universe I said help me. HELP ME. "I'm sorry, I didn't eat last night or this morning." I admit slipping my hand under my crewneck, I didn't put on an undershirt. "Why?" She continues to look at where my hands are, "Uh I was busy last night and I was uh talking to my parents this morning." I explain, 'talking' that's the right word right.

"So you're hungry?" She raises an eyebrow, "Yes, I'm hungry, why else would my stomach start making horrid whale sounds." She leaned back a little and I covered my mouth, that was supposed to be said in my head. IN MY HEAD. Universe, I hate you right now. "Um okay then let's go get food." She jumps off the bench starring at me, "What?" I still sat down, "We. Are. Getting. Food." She said slowly and my face dropped, "I know what you said." I said following her. I don't leave school again, I just got here but I feel like I'm going to barf up all of my organs if I don't eat.

"Are we going to make it to first period?" I ask her catching up to her side once we were out through the courtyard, "Nope." She smirks swirling keys around her index finger. "Why not?" I see a security guard waiting by the gates, "Because we're ditching." She says proudly and the security guard stops us, if it were Jonah he'd let us go. "Where do you think you ladies are going, class starts in six minutes." He looks at the watch on his wrist, "We're going to my bike, she wants a quick look at it." Skylar points her thumb at me and I nod at the security guard. I'm lying, I'm lying to someone with power. Again universe I did mention to help me.

"Right, you know I don't trust you Morozan not after you running away from me with your little pals, but you, you Bailey, I trust you. You're a good kid, so go on. Make it snappy." He jerks his head towards the gate crossing his arms and Skylar walks right past him and I follow, great now there's pressure on me. If I didn't say anything, if I just ignored everything this morning then I would've had something to eat. "Well here is my baby, she's safe but put this on and give me your backpack." A motorcycle helmet with a visor gets shoved into my hands, I looked at Skylar. "What's wrong you can't put a helmet on?" She chuckles, "What no, I can put one on just fine, it's just I've never been on a bike before." I look down at the helmet again seeing a deep crack on the side, oh my.

"Damn, okay then I'll go slow. I was even going to ask if you want to drive." She gets my attention and my eyes widen, "That would a very bad idea." I say tracing my finger along with the damaged head protection. "Why? You're a horrible driver?" She asks turning the bike around letting the hug circle headlight face me. I like that it isn't one of those sport bikes. "No, I- uh don't have my license." I whisper. "Not even a permit?" She looks closer at me and I shake my head, "Wait aren't you eighteen?" She gets on the seat, "I'm seventeen." I tell her, "When's your birthday?" The bike comes to life with a loud grumble sound.

"Next month." I continue to inspect the helmet. "I didn't ask for the time span, I asked for the date." She takes the headgear out of my hands, "You're helmets broken and my birthday is March tenth." I stay standing, "So yeah next month and it's not broken." Yeah, that's what I said, next month. I roll my eyes. "There's a crack right there." I point at the lightning bolt-shaped gap. "Oh yeah." She reaches into a side bag of the bike then pulling out a black tape, matching the color of the helmet. "There, not so broken now is it. Now get on and let's get something to eat I'm hungry too." She hands it back, she just duck taped it. I slipped it over my head seeing everything in my vision turn a shade darker.

"Can you see?" She waves her hand a few inches away from my face, "Yes I can see just fine." I slap her hand away keep my hands away close to my chest as I lift my leg over the vehicle. I sat on the leather spot and she looks over her shoulder, "There are small pegs right by your feet so use that so that your legs aren't flying everywhere and you might want to hold onto me." She instructs, "Onto you?" I question placing my feet on the pegs, "Yeah, do you see anywhere else to hold onto?" She snickers and I mock her face, I look at her back as she places her hands on the throttle and I slowly wrap my arms around her torso, not too tight but not so that my arms look like a makeshift hula hoop.

"Might wanna hold on tight Beans." I hear her say and I hold my own wrists letting my head touch her back, she has a strong torso. "Wait you don't have a helmet." I point out, "Yeah and? I just carry it with me to avoid getting in trouble with the cops, but fuck the po po." She shrugs, I want her to wear a helmet too. The bike rattles more as she pulls out of the parking lot, I look at the school as it slowly gets further away. I can't believe I'm ditching, I'm really going to ditch right now.