Strength in Numbers

"What the fuck?!" Austin repeated as he stormed over to Aaron and me.

"Aust what's-"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, PAULEY!"

Aaron's mouth clamped shut and his eyes were wide, watching the bright red, fuming giant in front of him.

"HOW FUCKING DARE YOU!" Austin screamed getting in his face.

"Aust, calm down," I demanded, putting a hand on his chest to push him away from Aaron.

He shoved my hand away. "No Sil, I'm not letting this happen again. I'm not letting another guy do this to you. And I'm especially not letting it be my fucking band mate."

Aaron looked to me, confused. "What the hell? What does he think I'm gonna do? Rape you?" He turned back to Austin. "We went out, I can make friends if I want to, ya know."

I bit my lip. "Aust, could you give us a minute?"

"Like hell! I fucking told him I would kill him if he touched you! Let's go Aaron, you and me!"

I shoved Austin so hard he stumbled back into the still open door. "INSIDE!" I demanded again pointing at the bus.

He dropped his eyes and scurried into the bus, shutting the door behind him.

Aaron snorted. "Ok, that was pretty funny." I managed a half-hearted grin. "Ok, so what's the deal?"

I sighed. "I was really hoping the guys had told you, so I wouldn't have to."

"Tell me what?" He slid to the ground against the bus and patted the spot next to him.

I smiled and opened my mouth to talk, but...

"Tell you that she's a fucking whore who slept with everyone that was on warped with us," Alan stepped out of the bus, stumbling slightly. "Fucking slut." He spat on the ground.

I bit my lip and felt my nails dig hard into my palm. Don't cry, don't do it. You fucking idiot don't cry.

"Aw Sil," Aaron scurried up to wipe away the bastard tears that had fallen despite my instruction not to.

Alan shoved me away. "Oh don't waste your time. Silver doesn't date. Silver just fucks everything she sees without a second thought at who she's hurting." He hurled his empty beer bottle at the ground a few feet behind me. I jumped as the glass shattered. Alan just glared at me and sniffed once. "Fucking slut," he muttered again before going back into the bus.

My knees gave out and I fell among the mess of broken glass. My head was spinning. My chest was wracked with sobs. Alan Ashby was going to be the death of me.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, easy Silver." Aaron's arms were around my waist, keeping my knees from being embedded by glass shards. He held me tight to his chest as I sobbed, desperately trying to regain my composure. "Shh, it's ok. You're ok," he cooed rubbing my back.

Austin came flying out of the bus. He stared between the broken bottle and myself, sobbing in Aaron's arms. I knew what was going through his head. Should he murder Alan, or try to help me? Eventually he sighed and walked over to me. "What can I get for you, baby girl?"

I was hyperventilating and sniffling, making it difficult to say much of anything. "A-a-a sh-" Austin was gone and returned a minute later with a shot. The man was a saint. "Ok," I said handing the glass back to Austin. "So here's the deal, I'll tell you everything, just try to not judge me too hard, ok?"

"No problem, gorgeous." Aaron kissed my forehead.

Gorgeous? Forehead kiss?

This man was so bizzare.

Notes