Surviving

Paige and I sat in my home, watching television. We got home just last month, and we've been questioned so much since. Yea, it didn't go so well with Paige and her parents. She's staying with me for... ever. Eh, new roommate.

Turns out that Michael and Flynn live down the road on a farm, only a 10 minute walked away. I can't tell if that's good or not.

But it hurts me to think about the fact that Louis, Harry, Zayn, Niall, Liam, Violet, and Alexis are no where to be found. I know they'll make it, but I don't know when.

I've moved on from Louis. I know that if he was in my shoes, he'd do the same. (Actually, if he was in my shoes, his feet would hurt.) I haven't given up on them being alive, I just think he would want me to move on, find another boyfriend. So I did. Flynn.

Harry still hasn't contacted me, I think it had something to do with me bumping my head. Not sure. But we've lost all touch.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. I opened it to see a ton of photographers and journalists flashing things in my face, trying to enter my home to see Paige.

"Toni, how does it feel to finally get to relax after so long without anything?"
"Where's the rest of the survivors?"
"Did anyone die while on the island?"

"Get the fuck out!" I slammed the door in their faces.

"Third time this week." Paige sighed loudly.

"Yea. I'm sick of them showing up and trying to enter our home." I slumped down on the couch next to Paige.

"What do you want for dinner?" I asked.

"Oooh, make chicken with all that seasoning. I feel fancy tonight." She laughed, then suddenly paused the TV.

I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Make dinner, then put on a fancy ass dress." She didn't blink once whole saying that. Her eyes were wide open.

"Why would I do that?" I laughed. Yea, I stopped giggling a while ago.

"Because we are going to be fancy as fuck tonight." Yea, I stopped giggling, she started swearing.

"Alright, fine." I got up and went into the kitchen.

I grabbed the chicken from the freezer, the seasoning from the cabinet, and the marinating sauce from the fridge. I mixed the sauce and seasoning as the chicken defrosted on the pan. When I finished both the chicken and the sauce, the sauce was poured onto the chicken in the skillet.

I figured I could go a minute or two without watching the food, so I decided to go choose a fancy dress.

I looked at my current options. Black, skinny, short dress, or a purple ruffly dress. Purple it is! I put it on with a pair of nude heels, then walked back our to the kitchen. I already had on the necklace from the ocean, and my hair was curled.

The food was done before Paige walked out, wearing the same dress, only hers was light blue.

"Let's match!" I screeched through the house. Then the door bell rang. Ugh, fucking paparazzi.

I started yelling before I got to the door, "How many times do we have to tell you, we don't-" I opened the door, to see Michael and Flynn standing there, "wanted... interviewed."

"Not why we're her babe." Flynn patted me on the shoulder. "Paparazzi come again today?"

I grunted in response. "Not that I mind, but why are you here?"

"Paige invited us over. We have news." Michael hugged me. He was like the brother I never had.

"Alrighty then. Dinner's finished." We all walked into the dining room to see Paige had dished out the food.

Then Flynn noticed something guy's usually don't notice. "You guys match. This won't turn into you fighting for one of you to change, will it?"

"Ha, no. Paige and I realized on the island that we have way too much in common to fight." I sat down at my seat, as did everyone else.

We all began eating, and as my mind always does, it went into thought. What's the news? Then another thought popped up in my head. Where in hell did the plane crash at?

I quickly picked my phone up off the table and got on google. I searched 'Pennsylvania Plane Crash.'

The first thing that popped up, I clicked on it. It read,

'10 passengers on the plane from PA that crashed survived. Two have already returned home, but the rest are unknown. Toni June, a survivor, states "My best friend was with us, she committed suicide. That's all I have to say on the matter." If only someone could've saved Melissa's life. But it was too dangerous to search near the plane wreck, considering that the plane crashed in the Bermuda Triangle.'

I gasped. "Paige! Wanna know where we crashed?! Bermuda. Fucking. Triangle."

"So that's why no one searched?" She asked. I nodded.

Well then. "So what's the news?"

"Oh! Paige had this idea. Since the paparazzi know your address, you could move in with us at the farm. We have three rooms, and it would just be us so it would work somehow." Flynn spoke.

"Only if you want to, though." Michael was suddenly nervous for our reaction.

I thought for a moment. I couldn't sell this house. It's been in my family for so long. But we can't stay here either.

"I guess we can move in with you. But I can't sell this house, so I'll have to make money to pay for it." I said, and Michael's face suddenly lit up.

"Really?" He cheered as I nodded.

"Alright. Let's finish up and start packing." Paige laughed.

We all finished what was on o ur plates, then the boys left to get a pick up truck for our things, while we packed clothes and essential things we'd need.

By the time we finished, the guys were back and helped us load everything onto the pick-up truck, and we drove the short distance to the farm.

*

A MONTH LATER...

Paige and I adapted to farm life already. I've been sharing the master room with Flynn, and Michael and Paige shared a normal room.



(Paige and Toni)


Since we moved, we get up at 6 in the morning, and everyone has a different job schedule.

For instance, I have to feed the horses, get eggs from the coop, milk the cows, and pick crops. When I'm done, I'm free to do whatever.

Paige feeds the pigs, collects any honey from the bee house, milks goats, then mows the lawn that isn't taken over by crops.

My alarm went off. First thing on my list, feed the horses. I got out of bed and got dressed. I noticed that Flynn wasn't in bed. I then went upstairs and woke up Paige and Michael. They were cuddling when I walked in. Aww.

"Paige, get up. The pigs are waiting." I poked her. She groaned and sat up. Then I walked to the other side of the bed. "Mikey, get up."

I didn't leave until they confirmed that they were awake. So I walked downstairs to the main floor, and my arm was grabbed harshly by Flynn.

"Where ya going?" He asked.

"I was gonna go get some eggs for breakfast." I gulped. His eyes were bloodshot, he had a scent of beer in his breath. He got drunk beford we woke up again. I just hope he doesn't get violent this time.

"Make me extra, I'm starving." He pushed me toward the door, digging his nails into my skin. He released me out of the house, then shoved me in the direction of the chicken coop.

Flynn had a drinking problem, I knew it since he got drunk on the plane (Get it? DRUNK ON A PLANE by Dierks Bentley). I never told Michael or Paige that he hit me, Mikey would beat the drunk out of Flynn.

I had a single tear in my eye as I collected eggs from the coop, 6 eggs today.

I brought them inside and inspected each one, making sure none were rotten or had salmonella. Once I confirmed that they all were safe to eat, I cracked all but one into the pan. I watched them boil, then turn into a solid. I scrambled them up and served them on four plates.

"Breakfast!!!" I yelled through the small house as I got four cups and put juice in each. You can already hear the country accent in my voice, and I've only been here a month.

Paige and Michael came down hand in hand. I smiled, then my face went grim. That could be Flynn and I, but he's a drunk abuser.

"Ooh, scrambled eggs. Delicious." Michael rubbed his hands together and sat down. Paige laughed at him and sat down next to him.

Then Flynn came down, looking more drunk than before. But he won't hit me in front of the others. He's not that bad of a guy.

"Eggs! Yay!" Flynn cheered. I grunted. So, he can be nice in front of them but not when we're alone.

We all kinda ate in silence, other than the deafening sounds of the scraping forks off of plates, and the slurps of juice.

I was the first to finish, so I took my plate to the sink and walked out the doors to what was supposed to be my first chore. The horses.

I hand fed the first horse, Midnight. Yea, cliche black horse name.

I moved on to the next horse, a brown with white spots horse, FiFi.

After, FiFi, I fed the third horse, a white horse, Charlie, an apple.

Finally, the last horse, Ginger. She was a light golden color.

Midnight was Paige's horse, FiFi was Mikey's, Charlie was Lynn's, and ginger was mine. I always rode Ginger after Flynn would beat me, it seems like Ginger is the only one I can talk to.

I finished up with the horses and went onto job number 2. Milk the cows. I don't know why, but this was my favorite.

I walked over to the cows, they all had names, but mt favorite cow was Brooke. She was so pretty. And she provided the most milk. And milk is my favorite drink.

I petted Brooke's head as I hooked up the machine to her, and all the cows too. The machine started running, so I walked to the crop field to harvest what was ready ehile the cows were milked.

I walked into the small field. By the looks of it, only a few tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, lettuce heads, and cucumber were ready to be plucked out. So I did so.

I placed all the food into a basket and carried it inside to the kitchen. I placed the basket on the kitchen counter, turned, and did a little mini scream.

"Jesus, Flynn, you scared the shit out of me." I put my hand covered in calluses to my heart.

He stumbled as he walked over to me.

"Babe, please quit drinking for awhile. Your gonna get hurt if you don't." I put my hand on his shoulder.

"Shut up! I'll drink if I want." Before I could react, he swung his hand back and slapped me hard across the face. Then he shoved me to the ground, and punched me in the face. He didn't even stop to think what he did, then he just walked away.

I waited til I couldn't see him to stand up and burst out in tears.

Michael ran in the kitchen as soon as he heard me sob. He picked me off the ground and held me in his arms. "What happened?"

I had to come up with a quick lie to cover my abusive boyfriend, "Nothing, one of the cows tripped me in the barn and I hit my face on the wall. But I hit the cut I got from the waterfall."

"Okay, I can give you the rest of day to relax if you want. I'll finish the cows up for you." He smiled at me, and I returned the smile.

"Thanks, Mikey. It means a lot." I started walking to the door, "If anyone needs me, I'll be riding Ginger."

*

I bounced as Ginger gallows through the large field behind the barn. No fencing, she ran free.

I really wished that I didn't lie to Michael, this abuse could end. But like when Lou and I lied to the group about the hickey, it was for the best.

I felt a hot tear roll down my face when I thought of Lou. And Liam. And Niall. And Zayn. And... Harry.

"Ginger, never worry about me. I'm a big girl. I can handle myself and Flynn, the only thing I can't handle is how much I miss Harry and the guys. But I'll never give up. As Gary Allen once said, Every storm runs out of rain, just like every dark night turns into day. And every heartache will fade away, just like every storm runs out of rain. "

It literally hurt my heart to think about that song, or Zayn singing it to me that night. It hurts me more to think about that song and Zayn than it hurts to get hit by Flynn. And that's saying something.

But until Flynn quits drinking, or I find the rest of the group, we're all just SURVIVING.

Notes

LAST CHAPTER!!! Don't worry, I'll update normally. Everything is set up, so I can update as soon as I write the chapter. The story is called 'Something Stronger Than Love'. Oh, and Flynn isn't a good guy.

Q: What's up with the rest of the gang?
Q: Should Toni tell someone about the abuse?

Listen, no one's been commenting lately. It used to be so often, now no one comments. There's like a few people that do, but no one commented on the past chapters. On TCATB too. It upsets me a little.

Well, I'll see you tomorrow on TCATB then the next day with SSTL .