So much for having a good day. Between Angel and Lucas, I had no idea how I would survive the next few months of school. What started off as an amazing day of hopeful job opportunities and a full belly of delectable muffins, turned into a nightmare.
Lucas didn’t like me because I was one of the only girls to deny him. I didn’t let him kiss me and turned down his offer of a date. Since then, I became enemy number one. He made the guys think I was a prune and refused to put out. Deemed unapproachable by the end of my sophomore year.
Lucas was one of the only people still talking to me by the tenth grade. He was the guy with the cool dad who thought it was okay to buy him a motorcycle. He was the guy who gave me that ten-minute ride. But everything changed after that day between us and now he was the one constantly leading the attacks against me.
Angel, on the other hand, hated me, and I could never understand that. She and Lucas dated on and off for the past year, so it’s not like I kept her from getting what she wanted.
Nothing and no one kept her from getting what she wanted in life. Angel wanted to be homecoming queen out sophomore year and she got it. And with it, she got a little animosity from the seniors who only had that last year accomplish that. But she didn’t care.
Angel wanted to be class president our junior year because it came with certain benefits. She got to weigh in on certain decisions that didn’t affect school policy. Such as what was served in the lunchroom, locations of class trips, and a small but generous fund to decorate the school the way she saw fit.
Then, let’s not forget the design of our gym uniforms. A too-tight white tee accompanied by almost too short red shorts.
The only thing that didn’t bother me about her being class president was she kept the lunch meals interesting. The pizza actually tasted like pizza and the burgers came with all the fixings. Including bacon and a choice between cheddar, swiss, and provolone cheese.
But her reign didn’t stop there. Angel wanted to be cheer co-captain when she was a freshman and she got it. Then every year after that she was captain.
When Angel found out I turned Lucas down, she spread the rumor that I thought I was too good for anyone in this town. And without having a boyfriend to say otherwise, I was now deemed a stuck-up bitch who wouldn’t put out. I didn’t mind the ‘put-out’ rumors. I wasn’t ready for anything serious. But her I was nowhere near stuck-up or unapproachable. But Angel always got what she wanted.
Back in middle school, we’d spoken to each other with nice words in passing. We didn’t hang with the same crowd, but some of her friends were my friends. Often, we found ourselves in the same places, and speaking to each other was just the nice thing to do.
When freshmen year came along and I lost my grandfather, I didn’t go out because I was mourning the loss of the only person to truly love me. That was the first time I distanced myself from my friends.
After the mourning period was over, and I noticed Rick’s anger toward me became worse than before, I couldn’t bring myself to go to parties and hangouts. The grief and sadness were too much for me to bear and hold a smile on my face.
But what started as a want, became a need. At first, I wanted to be alone to deal with it. But then I needed to be alone. There was no way I could explain the bruises that dawned on my body occasionally.
There was no excuse why I couldn’t wear a swimsuit to a pool party. Or why I would need a long sleeve shirt during a hot day.
Sometimes I would get looks at school while I wearing a jacket to class on a hot day. But as soon as the air kicked on and forced its way through the wide vents, the person looking would turn away.
It became easier for me to hide as the days went by and I lost one friend after another. I mourned them too until I realized that no friends meant no questions.
Skipping my last class of the day was the worst thing I could have done. Making it home a few hours earlier than normal caught Rick’s attention almost immediately.I heard music blasting from the auto garage and decide to walk behind it. He wouldn’t see me and the music helped bury the sounds of my footsteps over the broken branches and loose rocks.When I opened the door to the house, it flung into Rick who was carrying a cold six-pack. He dropped the pack and at least two of the cans cracked open and began to spray across the already dingy walls.I should have checked the auto garage before walking to the house. I should have made sure he wasn’t in the house. But all the drama from school had me off my game and I was distracted.“What the hell are you doing home?” He yelled while yanking me into the house by my arm.“Rick!!!” I screamed. “You are hurting me.”“You think I’m going to raise a delinquent. Are you trying the cops to my steps?”With his free hand, he slapped my face befo
My eyes searched the many vehicles for the nice black motorcycle I saw when I left for school earlier that day.It had moved since I last saw it. No longer right up front, but off to the side with the other finished cars and bikes. Rick once told me that a row of finished cars represented his money. When the owner came to collect, so would he.The motorcycle was black all over except for a silver plate that read Kawasaki and the grey letters on the side that read Ninja. It stood apart from the other bikes on account of how clean and new it looked.Rick was a good mechanic, but the rumors of his beer-filled life got around and the expensive vehicles stopped coming. Who would trust a drunk mechanic with such a possession?I ran my finger across the beautiful bike as I imagined being free once again. And without any thought, I threw my legs over the leather seat to straddle it. The machine was cold and dead between my legs. I’d worn some blue jean shorts and a black screen-t with some bl
I closed my eyes and waited for the car to hit me. I didn’t have to pull too much into the direction of the car because the bike took on a life of its own once I let the handles go. In less than a second, I was already completely in the wrong lane.Smiling for the first time in a long time, I embraced the last moment I would feel the wind on my face. The last moment of my life.My eyes popped open at the sound of tires screeching across the graveled road. But they weren’t my tires. The sight of the black car sliding across the road and stopping a few feet away from me dragged a hint of regret to the pit of my stomach.When the car came to a complete stop, I turned my focus back to the road, but it was too late.The road was curving and I tried to turn with it at the last minute. I panicked and all at once, I yanked the handle and pressed the grips. The bike leaned too far right and I began to slide across the road. Somehow my body separated from the bike and I rolled into the grass, r
The guy before me couldn’t have been more than a few years older than me. And yet, at that moment, he made me feel like a little girl who just stole a cookie. I panicked. “You’re bike?”“Yes. The black bike that you just crashed.” He reminded me.“Where is she!” Rick’s voice boomed through the halls of the hospital. I didn’t have to guess that he was angry. Everyone on this floor knew he was angry.I squeezed my eyes together. There was no way this could end well. Soon I would be trapped in a room with some random guy and my raging, probably drunk father.“Sir. Can you please keep it down?” I heard a woman say from the hall.“There the little brat is.” Rick stumped inside my room. He commenced yelling. “Do you know how much trouble you are in? And the damage you caused? I am not paying for this. Do you hear me?” He narrowed his eyes. “I’m not paying for this.”I kept my eyes closed and prayed he would stay by the door. That he wouldn’t come near me. And also, that he would calm down.
Those words finally got his attention. “And how do you plan on doing that?” He turned his head to look back at me.I didn’t answer.“Do you have money?”I shook my head.“Do you have a job?”I shook my head.“Then how do you plan on paying for the damages you caused.”The pretty nurse appeared in the doorway to say. “Times up sir. Visitation hours are over.”Mr. Hardin took one more look at me. “Get some rest, Danica.”I closed my eyes just as he walked out of my room. Finally leaving me alone.The next morning brought a mixture of unwanted thoughts. But the biggest one was regret. Regret that I took the bike. Regret that I didn’t try to crash that bike into a tree instead of a car. Regret that I woke from this accident.But I also woke with something else inside my head. Thoughts of him. Mr. Hardin. I wondered what he saw when his dark grey eyes stared back at me.“Morning.” I heard a man call from my door.I sat up to see the doctor come in with a clipboard.“My name is Dr. Willard.
I sit back and relax as Mr. Hardin makes his way to my house. He takes the road that runs through the downtown area instead of Lake Road. I can’t help but wonder if that was on purpose. Perhaps he wanted to steer clear of the place where I almost died.Death by a motorcycle crash.I caught a glimpse of the coffee shop I applied to yesterday and began checking my phone for missed calls. It was dead.“Do you need to charge your phone?” This was the first thing he asked me since I jumped in the car.“Yes. Do you have an iPhone charger?”“No. I have an android.”I smiled a little. “Thanks anyway.”The car veered toward the parking lot where the coffee shop sat. “I hope you don’t mind. I’m starving.” He said.“No. Go right ahead.”He jumped out of the car. “I’ll be right back.” Before he could close the door, he popped his head back in. “Do you want anything?”I had no money. Rick never gave me an allowance. In fact, the only thing my tiny wallet carried was the city-sponsored bus card I a
We rode in silence for the first mile. I would like to think we both wanted to avoid the elephant in the car. That thin piece of paper in his lap that had the ability to weigh me down. I could tell from the eagerness in his voice that he was far from wanting to avoid the subject. “I bring a thirty thousand dollar bike to a shop for a two hundred dollar tune up and now I’m out seven thousand dollars.” I almost chock on the last bit of coffee I just swallowed. “Seven… thousand… dollars?” I asked while trying to keep my breakfast down. How was I supposed to pay back seven thousand dollars and save to move out of Ricks house? Suddenly I felt the sir around me disappear. Every goal I set seemed to be getting further and further away by the second. “That’s right. Your father just gave me an estimate of seven grand.” “That’s no problem,” I said pushing the words out. “I have a job or two lines up. And soon, I should be able to pay you back.” I spoke aloud, trying to convince myself more
Dmitry pulled away as I trotted up the sidewalk. His car clock read 9:10 am. The courtyard was practically empty now, as everyone before made their way to class. I thought about skipping this class altogether. By the time I make it to my locker to gather my English book, English class would be over.My next class was chemistry. I weighed the option of skipping that class too. I had too much on my mind to safely mix chemicals today.I should be happy that I had a job. Though happiness isn’t what I felt when he offered the job. I would be practically working to pay off a debt. Not to save money for an apartment. Not to save money to get out of town. I need another job.Lost in my thoughts I was stunned when a pair of hands grabbed me when I entered the hall where my locker was stationed. I was pinned against a corner wall. My head nearly bounced off the wall from the sudden movement. I closed my eyes from the pain and when I opened them, I wasn’t surprised to see Lucas. He was the onl
EpilogueOne Year LaterDanica POV“I still cannot believe you’ve been living here in this house. With those two gorgeous men all year long. Every time I come to town, I’m still amazed.” Grace said while lounging on the float next to me.She was home for summer break, and we were enjoying a nice swim while Dmitry and Cory fixed a few poolside snacks.“First of all, I’m not living here with two guys. It’s just me and Dmitry here. Cory’s just visiting. Always visiting.” I laughed. "Just Like you are visiting me now."Grace flew in from Cali a few days ago. She was on summer break from UCLA. I was on summer break too from University of Pennsylvania. I started attending last semester since I didn’t apply on time last year. Now that I had money for college, the dream of getting a degree in English didn’t seem so far away. Thanks to my grandfather’s generous insurance money.I kept my grandfather’s house, though I didn’t live there. Instead, I visited a few times a week to study and write.
Danica POVDmitry and I lay comfortably across the couch with me nestled on top of him. We’d been laying here for nearly an hour without saying a word. Simply enjoying being in each other’s space. The kiss we shared was passionate and enticing, but nothing else was needed tonight.Another half hour passed before something started nagging at me.“What did you mean, you were here when Rick left? How did you know he wasn’t going to be here tonight?”He sighed. “There is something I need to tell you.”Dmitry shifted beneath me until we were both in a sitting position.“When you first came to work for me, I started looking into your family.”“You what?!” I jumped off the couch. “Did you run a background check on me?”He laughed. “No.” He leaned forward. “Well, not really.”I folded my arms across my chest. And sighed waiting for him to explain.“I didn’t have to wonder why you wanted to hurt yourself that day on the bike. I knew when the nurses were working on you that something wasn’t rig
Danica POVI slowly crept my way up the dark stairs, and down the restored hallway to Ricks room. Sweat covered my hands as I thought of all the things that could go wrong if opened this door and he was laying there waiting to meet his intruder.My mind became riddled with memories. I looped the hallway twice, struggling between leaving the house and opening that door. Finally, I came face to face with the bedroom door that used to belong to my grandfather. And now belongs to my father.I twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open at the slowest pace my hand could muster. My eyes squinted at the small rust screech. I peeked through the small open space to see a very vacant, perfectly made bed. My head swiveled around the room as I pushed the door wider.It was empty. The room was neat and clear of sign that someone lived here. I expected to see Ricks clothes thrown across the furniture. And unmade bed with beer cans scattered throughout the sheets. But I found nothing.It is as
Danica POV I pulled off onto a dirt road behind my fathers’ property. I would cut across it every other day to go to Dmitry’s house when I was trying to hide the fact that I’d been working off my debt. I didn’t want my father to know I was sneaking in and out the house late at night. Even if I was working, he would find some perverted way to punish me for it. I parked the car and closed my eyes. I needed strength for what I was about to do. It was late and I had nowhere to go. There were a few hundred dollars in my account from being paid. Enough to get a hotel room at the cheapest motel in town. But I didn’t have a bank card yet. Dmitry took me to set up a bank account after I got my second check. I’d never forget the look on his face when he realized didn’t have one. I was eighteen with little knowledge of the world around me. It was almost ridiculous how much I had to learn to catchup with everything my classmates parents taught them outside of our normal school work. I cut t
Dmitry POVI disliked this night with a small portion of hate. Every year, we have to throw a big party, just to get our counterparts to give to charity.Small dinner plates. Entertaining music. Boring Speeches.I had half a mind to just write a check for the full amount myself. But my mother is always reminding me. This is how we make friends. This is how we leave our mark in life.Every year I plaster on my fakest smile. But this year was different. Its the first year my smile was real.I was happy though I couldn’t completely show it.From the moment I saw her in that dress, I couldn’t stop smiling on the inside. From head toe, hands down she was the prettiest girl tonight.Between her smooth copper tone, the rose gold shimmering of the dress, the dramatic gold makeup, and her hazel , Danica was perfect.There were so many times tonight I wanted to go to her. Sit with her. Chat with her. I wanted to know if she was enjoying herself. And every time I glanced at our table, I found m
Danica POV Dmitry reached for my arm once more, but I wiggled out of his grasp and burst through the door. I didn’t stop there. I kept going, making my way through the same crowd that gawked at my outburst. My feet didn’t stop there. I kept moving. A few seconds after pushing through groups of people, I heard Dmitry shouting my name and a few onlookers pronouncing their shock at his outburst. Still I didn’t turn back to look at him. I knew if I did, he would only end up embarrassed and I would end up hurt. Or should I say, more hurt. I kept going until I reached the front of the ballroom, just before the green artsy hallway. Standing near ballroom entrance was Lacy and her sister. I caught the tail end of her sentence. She noticed me just as the words came flying out of her mouth. “….nothing more than a common girl. No way is he interested in her.” My cheeks flushed as I brushed past them. This felt like school all over again. Mrs. Hardin gave Lacy the ammunition she needed to ke
Danica POV I headed for the garden inspired hallway we walked through earlier just before entering the ballroom. I was certain everyone would be here in the ballroom. They’d had their fill of artwork and beautiful greenery. I could be alone and still in attendance. I’d take some time to view the pretty paintings in the small walking spaces we passed. With my head aimed straight, I walked passed the patrons. I caught a glimpse of Dmitry, who looked bored. Caught between is father and another older gentleman. His mother was nowhere to be found. This would be the first time tonight she wasn’t hanging on her husband’s arm. Cory was nowhere to be found either. Just as well. He was good company, but I just needed a breather. Especially after being the center of attention for a dance that I don’t think ill ever forget. The hallway was nearly empty, I could hear a few female voices from one of the indented corners. No doubt they were marveling over the number of brush strokes in the paint
Danica POV The violinist began playing Turning Page by Sleep at Last. This was way too much of a romantic song to dance with Cory. He gave me an apologetic look, then leaned in to ask me, “Will you be able to find you way back to the table?” I nodded my head. Then he walked away to meet his mother and another young woman. I was just about to take my first step towards the table when I felt a hand lock onto mine. Instantly, I was pulled into Dmitry’s hold. My senses were invaded by his cologne. I didn’t realize until I exhaled, but I just spent the last few seconds inhaling all that I could. He smelled amazing. “What are you doing?” I asked as he placed his other hand in the small of my back. He smiled, “Dancing. What does it look like?” I quickly glanced around, confirming the feeling I got the moment he grabbed me. Eyes from more than half the room were on us. Just beyond the edge of the dance floor was Cory. He lifted his champagne flute with a subtle head nod. Though we didn’
Danica POV I suppose the night went on as a normal party of this stature would. We were served a three-course dinner accompanied by champagne in fancy flutes. I've always heard these kind of events leave the stomach wanting more and yet I was completely fulfilled. Not just with the food but also the entertainment. In the center of a dimmed stage sat not four, or six band members, but one lone violinist covering all the latest songs. I couldn't make out her face as she sat on a darkened stage wearing all black, but I imagined she was just as beautiful as her music. Enclosed in her own small garden surrounded by plants and vines. It was absolutely stunning. I kept my eye on her the majority of the night. I knew everyone at the table and still I had nothing to say to anyone except Cory and Dmitry. The entire table occupants consisted of me, my two guys, Lacy and Dmitry’s parents. So when each of them were away, I kept my eyes trained to the stage. Which was nearly the entire time I sa