...chapter 3...

The doorbell rang at the Wilde house at seven on the dot. Ginger had felt a bit uneasy sense about six thirty-ish, so she got the address from the directory and came over to check on Tammy. She was only a little bit suprised to see a drunken woman open the door, clearly wearing nothing under her robe. The woman's voice was practically dripping with sugar when she spoke to Ginger. "Don't you think it's a bit late at night to be selling cookies Sweetie? Where's your Mommie huh?"

Ginger tried her best not to look annoyed. "Ma'am, my name is Ginger, I have history class with Tammy. I was wondering if she could go to the library for a while to help reasearch on our term project? We'll be back by ten, for sure." Ginger smiled and almost threw up at the fake sugar in the womans reply.

"Come on in won't ya sweetie? I'll go get Tammy for you." Ginger walked in and sat on the old plaid armchair near the staircase. The woman walked up the steps and opened a door. Her voice boomed as if she didnt even know there was someone downstairs. It's not evesdropping if you can hear every word they say because they never heard of the term "inside voices" was it? Ginger thought to herself. She decided it wasnt and paid close attention.

"Tammy! Fix your face and put on something long-sleeve!" The woman boomed.

Tammy's meek voice could barely be heard. "Yes ma'am, but if I could ask...Whats-? AH!"

She was interupted by what sounded to Ginger like a direct punch to the stomache and that woman's loud voice again. "Don't you sass-talk me young lady!" She WASNT! Ginger thought bitterly, but at this moment she knew she needed to simply play deaf, or Tammy could get hurt even more. "I was about to tell ya sheesh!" Ginger could now hear Tammy crying and had to litterally bite her tongue. "Some Gina-something is waiting downstairs to go to the library. So MOVE IT!" Tammy cried out again."AH! I understand, i'll be down in just a few minutes, thank you." Ginger grimanced, sounded like a blow simmilar to the last one. But she couldn't be too sure.

She heard the woman coming down the steps again so she took out her phone and pretended to be just about to get off the phone with her mom. "Ok mom. Yes, i'll head right home after I drop Tammy off. Yes, i'll call you when we leave the library. Ok, See you soon!" She put away her phone and pretended she just noticed Tammy's mother on the bottom step. "Oh, sorry Mrs. Wilde, my mom called to check on me really quick. Will Tammy be down soon?"

Mrs. Wilde shrugged. "Maybe. You know how us girls are dear. Takes FOREVER to put our face on!" She chuckled. Ginger smiled but on the inside she nearly choked. "What kind of sick joke was that?" she thought. "And after what you just said to Tammy!? Your sick!" But she only laughed and said she was the same way too. It was mostly silent for the next ten minutes until Tammy came down the steps.

She was...suprised.. to say the least to see Ginger in her living room. "G-Ginger!" Ginger quickly shot her a look, silently telling her not to act suprised. "Hey Tammy!" Ginger jumped up and hugged her. "Mr. Woodcrest(good fake name? no?...didn't think so... ) gave us a whole new topic! we have to start completly over and it's still due on Friday! We HAVE to go! NOW! Bye Mrs. Wilde!" Ginger ushered Tammy out the door.

It took a moment for Tammy to realize but when she did she stopped. "Uhh...Ginger.?.. this isn't the way to the library... and not to sound dimwitted but...there's no group project either...or a Mr. Woodcrest...w-what's going on Ginger?"

"We don't have a lot of time Tammy, just trust me and i'll explain when we get there, ok?" Ginger began running again. Tammy wan't sure..."but I'd rather be here...than in that house" she thought as she started to run after Ginger.

...

"Old Aunt Emmy's travers tavern and motel?" Tammy read. "G-Ginger? what on earth are we doing here?" Ginger only said for her to wait outside for a moment and went inside.

...Inside (with Ginger)...

Ginger walked up to the front desk, ignoring all the drunken grown men staring at this random teenage girl in their bar, rang the bell. A moment later an attenant showed up and asked for her id. Ginger instead gave her a folded sheet of paper and asked if she would please give it to Aunt Emmy and send her out. The woman started to read the note.

"Hey, if you aren't smart enough to understand that when someone says to give a note to someone, that's it's private!-then you clearly aren't smart enough to pass it along!" Ginger grabbed the note and walked behind the counter. "I'll take it to her myself." As she walked up to the manager's office she stopped and grabbed her usual room key. She knocked on the door to the office and waited.

The door opened and a frail but lively looking old woman pulled Ginger inside and closed the door behind her. "Well, if it isn't miss Ginger. What brings you here?...Don't tell me...you need to use the room again? Sweetie...I thought that dark spot in your life was over now? Is it happening again for you? Oh dear, come here." She pulled Ginger into a hug. Ginger pried herself loose.

"Aunt Emmy, the room's...not for me this time..." This was met with a confused look from Aunt Emmy. "Well see...I met this girl at my school and well...it uh...takes one to know one I guess. Is it still ok?" The old woman's heart melted to hear Ginger wanting to do something so kind for someone she didn't even know very well. "Of course, use the back door, you know the way up there, and call me if you need me. Now, go, youv'e got somebody waiting for you outside don't ya?" She winked and Ginger went to go get Tammy.

...Inside "the room" at Aunt Emmy's...

Tammy was clearly confused, Ginger had told her mother that they were going to the library(wich wasnt true) and now they were in a motel room above a run down but somehow still in buisness "tavern". "That's it." She thought. "I'm putting my foot down, i'll make her tell me what's going on."

"Ginger? What on earth is-? She stopped short. "Tammy, please, just trust me?"