Tears

Dani

    “No! You are not going out with that s**t!”

    “Nicole is not a s**t!” Thomas yelled. “And I sure as hell will go out with her if I want to!” Dad raised his fist, and punched Thomas in the gut. He doubled over, and Dad punched him in the face. Then he slammed his head against the wall. Thomas crumpled to the ground, unconscious, and dad kicked him out of the way. I heard something snap. Dad glared at me, and slapped me across the face.

“Go ahead. Go help your precious brother. Go fix him up so he can go mow the lawn.”  I rolled my eyes, and he punched me. I held my eye, willing myself not to cry.

“Don’t give me attitude.” With that, he walked into the kitchen to get another drink. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. This isn’t the first, or even the fifth time, this has happened. Let’s just say I am a very accomplished makeshift nurse by now. I grabbed an ice pack from the fridge, not looking at my dad. I placed it on the side of Thomas’s chest. Then I turned my attention to his arm. My heart sank. It was broken. I couldn’t fix this. I glanced toward my dad. He wasn’t paying any attention to me. So I pulled out my phone. Time to use something I had seen in a commercial. I dialed three numbers.

    “911, what is your emergency?”

    “Hey, Sam.”

    “Ma’am, you have reached 911.”

    “Yes, I know. “

    “Do you have an emergency?”

    “Yes.”

    “Is there somebody in the room with you?”

    “Yes.”

    “And you cannot say anything?”

    “Yes, that’s right.”

    “Do you need an ambulance?”

    “Yes.”

    “Okay. Can you tell us your address?”

    “No.”

    “Okay. We will triangulate your call. An ambulance will be there soon.”

    “Okay. Thanks.”

    “Can you stay on the phone with me?”

    “No. Bye.” I hung up. I placed my head on Thom’s chest. Good, steady heartbeat. A little high, but fine considering the circumstances. Thom stirred then.

    “D-Dani?”

    “Shh. Just lie still.” He became still again, and his eyes closed. Just then, someone knocked on the door. That was Sam’s knock. Oh, no. He couldn’t get hurt too! But I opened the door. He looked slightly nervous. He started to ask me something, but then noticed the state I was in.

    “Sam, go!” I whispered furiously.

    “What happened to you? What happened to Thomas?” I touched my cheek. There was probably a bruise. And I think I had a black eye.

    “GO!” I told him, still whispering.

    “It was your dad, wasn’t it?”

    “I-”

    “It was.”

    “Yes. . .”

    “How long has this been going on, Dani?”

    “That’s not im-”

    “How long!?” I sighed.

    “Since before I was born.” He practically growled. His hands were fists. He looked furious. It was the first time he had ever actually scared me.“Sam, don’t. He’s not worth it. Please, just help me with Thomas.” He followed me in. It wasn’t long before the ambulance came. They took Thomas. Dylan was coming down the stairs when they came. He came in the ambulance with me, Sam, and Thomas. It wasn’t until they had brought Thomas into a hospital room that I began to cry, burying my face in Sam’s neck. He held me, rubbing small circles on my back, until I finally regained control of myself and they came to look at my face. But he and Dylan refused to leave my side. I had a large bruise on my cheek, a black eye, a small cut on the side of my cheek, and a sprained wrist, from Cally yanking me back so forcefully so I wouldn’t immediately go to Thomas. But I was lucky. Thomas had a broken arm, a broken rib, a minor concussion, and a cut on his head, which had gotten blood all over me without me realizing it. Sam now had blood on his shirt from holding me, but he didn’t seem to care. There was a large wet spot on his shoulder where I had been crying. But there was a strange wetness in my hair from where Sam had cried. For me, for Thomas, for everyone. And both of us from relief that it was all over. It was all finally over. The police took my dad away that night. I would never have to wear makeup to hide bruises again, or nurse Thomas, Ash, and Cally ever again. We spent that night in the hospital. Dylan only left my room when he had to be examined, and Sam only left my room when I had to be examined. The nurse sighed at all the scars and bruises decorating my body. But I'd be a lot worse without Thom, Ash, and sometimes Cally. I just had to be grateful.

I went back to school on Thursday. Both Sam and Dylan advised me against it, but I point-blank refused to miss two weeks of school. So, scowling and grumpy, they came with me that day. We had barely made it out of the house when I knew something was wrong.

“I feel like I’m missing something . . .” I said. Sam muttered something that sounded suspiciously like “Your sanity.” I rolled my eyes.“Seriously, what am I missing?” I put my hand up to my head. “Oh my god. Where is my baseball cap?” Dylan grimaced.

“They took it away at the hospital. It was pretty wrecked.” Sam sighed.

“Wait a sec.” Sam ran into his house. He came back a minute later with his own baseball cap, and placed it on my head.“There.” He grinned. I grinned back. He looked like he was going to ask me something, but thought better of it and looked away.

“Thanks Sam.” Later that day, during L.A, I passed a note to Sam.

What are we doing in baseball today?

NO. No way. Absolutely not. You are not going.

Yes, I am.

ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FREAKING MIND? I could feel him yelling at me. I rolled my eyes.  Fine, I’ll sit on the side and watch.

Dani. No. I know you. Once you are on the sidelines, you’ll just have to stand on the field, and then you’ll have to put your glove on. And you’ll end up playing the whole practice. So no.

You’re not the boss of me. I wrote childishly.

No, I’m just looking out for you safety. Do not make me call your mom. Dang it. He played the mom card. Who does that? I stuck my tongue out at him-again, rather childishly. He just grinned, and started to write something else.

Do you-

“Is there something you would like to share with the whole class?” Mr Daniels asked. I started guiltily, and Sam stopped writing.

“No. Nothing.”

“Hmmm.” He frowned, but continued reading aloud from The Lord of the Flies. Sam smirked at me.

When the bell finally rang, I reluctantly got out of my seat. I really didn’t want to go to gym. But at least I had a note from my doctor, so I didn’t have to actually do anything.

“Dani!” Someone called. I turned around. It was Jack.

“Yo, Dani. Going to the dance tomorrow?” Jack asked me. I blushed.

    “Maybe. Why?”

    “Will you come with me?”

    “I-Sure!” I said “I mean, yeah. That’s- That’s cool.” I turned back around and me, Dylan, and Sam walked off. Sam was scowling, looking absolutely furious. But I paid him no attention. I was going to the dance with Jack.

    “Dani. You’re going to get hurt.” Sam warned me.

    “What do you mean?”

    “I mean, he was probably dared to ask you out.”

    “What? Why do you say that?”

    “Because this is like, only the second time he’s talked to you. And the first time, he thought you were a guy.”

    “What? No. You’re just . . . Jealous.” He blushed.

    “No, I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

    “Just leave me alone.” And I walked forward, leaving Sam with a stunned and hurt expression on his face.

On the night of the dance, I asked Cally, the most fashionable person in our family (She was an artist after all) for her help. First, she made me take an hour long bath while she picked out my outfit. I suspected she wasn’t picking it from my closet. These suspicions were confirmed when I walked into my room. That dress definitely wasn’t mine. It was black, with a halter top, and a neckline that went down way too far for my taste. It had a skirt that barely reached my knees. It. Was. AWFUL! I glared at her.

“Hey. You asked for my help. So get into the dress.” I complained, sighed and whined, but half an hour later I was in the dress with my makeup fully done, and Cally was curling my hair

    “I still don’t think this is a good idea.” I said, lacing up the stupid ankle boots she was making me wear. What is the point of boots if they have a heel? Okay, so it was more of a wedge, but my point still stands. Anyway, I wobbled downstairs. Sam and Dylan were there, along with Ash, Thom, and Mom. Dylan because he lived here, Sam because . . . Actually, I’m not sure why Sam was there. He was wearing a tux. I have to admit, it was strange to see him like that, as he normally preferred jeans and a t-shirt, like me. He gaped at seeing me in a dress. I almost waved at him, before I remembered we weren’t speaking. I grinned nervously as they all gaped at me, and walked out onto the porch to wait for Jack. He and his mom were picking me up. It was already six fifty-two. I hoped he would get here soon. The dance started in eight minutes. By seven fifteen, I was sweating bullets. No. Surely not. He wouldn’t . . . But by seven thirty, there could be no doubt. I sat on the porch swing and cried, not caring that my makeup was running, not caring that I was probably ruining Callys dress. I would apologize later. Just then, Sam and Dylan walked into the driveway, slightly out of breath. Probably from running all the way from the school. Dylan walked inside to explain, while Sam sat next to me.

    “He’s not coming, is he?” I asked.

    “No. The filthy, lying, cheating . . .” He mumbled a few words under his breath that I couldn’t hear. Probably a good thing, as I’m sure they would have to be censored. “We saw him with Christina.” I knew her. Nice enough, I suppose. But definitely an airhead. She was blonde, with big blue eyes. She was the prettiest girl in school, but it still stung that Jack had ditched me for her.

    “I guess I just wasn’t pretty enough for him.” I said. “I wish I was blonde.” Sam grabbed my shoulders.   

    “No. Dani, listen to me. You are beautiful just the way you are. Way more beautiful than Christina. And you deserve someone way better than him. Just because he ditched you for some blonde bimbo doesn’t change anything. He was dared to ask you to the dance. He told me you were . . . well, that’s not important.”

    “What did he say?”I asked him.

    “Nothing.” I sighed.

    “What did you say?”

    “Nothing.”

“Oh.”

    “I was too busy rearranging his face.”

    “Sam! You could get in serious trouble for that.” I told him. “I don’t want you getting suspended, or expelled, because of me!” He shrugged, unrepentant.

    “Doesn’t matter now.” His face was suddenly dark. “And nobody, no-bo-dy, insults you in front of me.” I smiled.

    “Thank you Sam.”

    “Well, Dylan helped. He held him down, but I punched.” I hugged Sam, almost crying again.

    “Hey, less of the tears. Trust me, he was no loss.” But he hugged me back anyway. He was wrong though. I was happy, not sad. I had an amazing brother, and a wonderful friend. As for Jack, well . . . I’d tell you what I wanted him to do, but it would have to be censored as well.

    “I’m sorry, Sam. I shouldn’t have said those things yesterday. I really am sorry.” He rolled his eyes.

    “Dani, can you once, just think about yourself?” I smiled.

    “Apparently not.” He grinned.

    “And anyway, I knew you didn’t really mean it.”

    “You did?”

    “Daniella Thompson. I have been your best friend for nine years now. Do you really think that I don’t know the difference between when you actually mean something, and when you’re just in denial?” I smiled.

    “Lucky for me, I suppose.” I shivered. He automatically stood up.

    “It’s getting cold out here. We should get you inside.” I wiped the makeup off my cheeks. Thankfully, there wasn’t much, as Cally had a lot of waterproof makeup. And none of it had gotten on my dress after all.

    “Okay. How do I look?” He looked at me and smiled.

    “Beautiful. Now, let’s go.” He took my hand and pulled me inside my house.