And the good girls are home with broken hearts

 

"Did you tell your mother, we broke up?" Pan's words still made Roxann tear up, but she was in her old room at her mom's house now. She'd called to tell him she'd be staying there. She doubted he wanted to know. Of course, he was short on words. When did he ever talk much?

Were they ever going to let her be normal again? First, it was the meds, the questions, the discussions. Not even group therapy was going to help. What was all this nonsense for?

She guessed they were letting her go at the Coffee shop too. It was like the last straw. 

It didn't help to be around her mother. It didn't make sense. When did her mother ever listen? Wasn't she old enough to know better?

Rox felt outside of herself. She was numb and a little tingly. But she was free. Wasn't that it?

Still, a cold chill struck her and she felt her teeth chatter. All she could do was to get back in bed and hide under the covers. 

She wanted to be back at Pan's in a room of her own. Not this room. What had been days felt like years. This was no place for her, but she felt weak. She could not just put on her sneakers and get out of there. Where would she go? What would she do?

Of course, her mother brought her food to her nightstand. A sandwich and a Dr. Pepper. At least her mother remembered how she was a Dr. Pepper girl.

Rox laid still. She didn't want to speak to her. There was nothing to say. And maybe her mother knew this. She left closing the door behind her.

Really, Rox felt stiff. She was moving slowly. Maybe if she laid on her back long enough she would just fall asleep. But her phone dinged a text right next to the paper plate of the dry bologna sandwich.

Rox nursed her lip. Could Pan have text? She pushed herself up and tossed back the covers to get to the phone. Of course, it wasn't him.

"Hey, it's Elvis."

Rox winced hard. Who in the hell was that? She squinted, remembering like a vague dream of the guy back at the meeting she'd had to go to. He'd asked for her number. She'd written it like an imaginary pen with her finger on the palm of his hand. How did he remember that?

She called him then. This was totally insane.

"You want to go out?" His question took her by surprise. She choked on a breath.

"I know what you need," Elvis told her.

"What would I need from you," she practically hissed.

"Fresh air," She could feel his smile already. He did have a point.

"How?" She wanted to know.

"Oh, there are several ways," he assured her. "Crawl out of your bedroom window. Sneak out after everyone goes to bed."

She looked at the bedroom window. She wasn't in high school anymore, but he was.