Page 47 of When The Noise Stops

I pointed at him.

"You shut the fuck up."

Ronny folded her arms.

"Our friends were fighting. We were fighting."

Hawk started laughing.

I looked at him.

"You too."

"I didn't say shit."

I stared at all of them.

All this trouble. We weren't even halfway to North Carolina.

Chapter 18

Lila

Breathe, Lila. Breathe, I kept telling myself, until the RV door shut. I couldn't hear anything else.

Then and only then did I allow my hands to shake.

Ronny immediately dialed Tiny. They had only known each other for a week, but talked like friends.

I stood in the bathroom the size of a closet and looked at my face. Hair wrecked. Mascara down. A bruise coming on my arm where some man had grabbed me before Knox put him in the jukebox. The shape of his hands reminded me of my ex. It was not the same, but my body did not care about the difference.

I turned the water on so Ronny would not hear me breathing wrong.

The guy in the bar had triggered me; it wasn't a full flashback, but it damn near sent me running again.

The only thing that was good about it was I managed to stay upright. Help my friend without losing myself in it.

I sat on the closed toilet and pressed my forehead to my knees and cried silently.

Ronny knocked.

"You falling in?"

"I'm fine."

"You're not fine. You're crying, I hear it in your voice."

"I need a minute."

She stood there for a minute. Then her steps went back to the bunk.

I left the bathroom and grabbed my jacket. I needed air.

When I stepped out of the RV, my eyes landed on Knox. He was in a camp chair outside his tent, boots still on, jaw working at nothing.

He looked at me. Looked at my arm.

"You should've stayed by the door," he said. Not loud.