Chapter Eight

Daniel came back Monday night and called his dad telling him he'd stay over at his friends' house again. They got into an argument. It was heartbreaking listening to it. His dad obviously wanted him home, but Daniel kept telling him that this was how he was dealing with it. When the conversation ended, I spoke up.

            "Daniel…you should go home. Your dad wants you there," I said. I had been looking at the floor and was a little afraid to look up, but I took a shot anyway and just barely glanced up.

            "I don't want to. Do you want me to leave? I will if you'd like me to," Daniel stepped toward me and pulled my chin up slowly with his hand. I stopped breathing for a second, almost forgetting how.

            "No, I, um, I want you here, but your dad doesn't. You can come back tomorrow or something. I don't know. I'll see you at school. Maybe your dad can't deal with this alone."

            "Are you kidding? He's probably having a party as we speak. He's just pretending so he doesn't look like a total jackass."

            "I'm gonna go take a shower." I went into my bathroom and showered, even though I'd showered that morning before school. I didn't know what to say to him anymore and I didn't want to hear any stories about his dad. That was his business and I had no right to know. I'd look at him differently if I heard anything weird.

            When I went back to my room, Gracie was in there sitting next to Daniel. I knew I was in trouble then.

            "Um, Gracie, hi!" I hugged her, hoping my sweetness would make her keep her mouth shut about this.

            "You have a boy in your room," Gracie said. I nodded.

            "I know. And I need you to keep that a secret. See, Daniel's having some trouble right now because he's going through a sad time and he needs a friend. Mom wouldn't understand, you know?"

            "No, I don't know."

            "Do you remember when your hamster died? Remember how upset you were?"

            "I'm so sorry, Daniel! Did your hamster die?"

            "Something like that," Daniel said. Gracie hugged him, but Daniel shrugged her off. He was really in a bad mood.

            "Gracie, why don't you go in your room, okay? Daniel's upset," I said. Gracie nodded like she understood and left. A few minutes later, my door was almost knocked off its hinges. My mom burst through my door and screamed as loud as she could.

            "What is he doing here?!" I'd never seen her so angry and I'd never heard her so loud. She was absolutely infuriated and I knew she'd kill me.

            "Mom, calm down!" I stood up quickly. "He's going through a tough time!"

            "Get out of my house! You're never to see him again!" The first sentence was for Daniel, I hoped, and the second for me. Daniel walked quickly passed my mom. I felt like I had just been slapped. Twice. Once because Daniel was gone and once because of how much I'd disappointed my mom. I'd never be trusted again.

            "Calm down and I'll explain what happened." She didn't listen, though. She didn't calm down. She stormed down the stairs, grabbed her keys, and left. I knew how my mom felt, because I was exactly that angry with Gracie.

            "Gracie, we need to talk." She was crying, but that wouldn't stop me. She deserved it. "Why would you tell Mom Daniel was here when you knew you weren't supposed to? Do you know how much trouble I'm in? Gracie, we weren't even doing anything! His mom died, Grace! Do you know how much that hurts? He can't be near his dad right now! God, Gracie, you have no idea how mad I am!" She stared at the floor. "Answer me! Why did you tell Mom?" She ran into her room and I left her alone.

            I didn't sleep that night. I was shaking with anger for four and a half hours before it finally stopped. My mom didn't come home that night or the next morning. Truthfully, I didn't care where she was. As long as she wasn't here, Daniel could be here.

Reviews

[Wendy Seames Garner]

Also, where did mom go? Did she leave Gracie all alone all night and the next day? That's just begging for Daniel to come back and stay. This is not a normal mom response.

[Wendy Seames Garner]

OK, finally some emotion out of Daniel, he doesn't get along with his father, but I'm still wondering about his mother. Did he not get along with her as well? How did she die? What does he feel about her dying? Your mother doesn't die without you saying something about it. Just being generally upset isn't realistic. What were Daniel and Gracie talking about when Kyland came into the room? They were just sitting on the bed together not talking? I can understand the mom being mad, but it obviously wasn't that late at night or Gracie wouldn't have been up. Why did her mom go so ballistic, slap Kyland, and be so unwilling to talk at all. For that matter, why did Kyland just say his mother had died? Why would Gracie stick around when she must have known Kyland was mad at her? I just can't believe Kyland's mother wouldn't come back into the room after Daniel left to talk with Kyland.

[lori c]

okay, this is so much better than the past chapters. there is some conflict, some explanation, some reality. i think you hit a real stride with this part. i had no jolts reading it. i want to keep reading to discover why daniel thinks his father would have a party... that's good. well done here, sammie.