6. Daniel
Chapter six
Daniel
Burning Down
A s I pull into the school parking lot, my eyes immediately fall on Becca's car, sitting alone. I park my car next to hers and get out, knocking on her window to get her attention.
Becca startles at the sound, quickly wiping away her tears as she rolls down the window.
"What do you want?" she snaps, her voice quivering with unshed emotion.
"Why are you crying?" I ask gently, trying to hide my concern.
Her hand clenches around the steering wheel as she rolls up the window and opens the door, slamming it right into me without so much as an apology.
"Yo! What the fuck is your problem?" I exclaim, rubbing my shoulder where it collided with the door.
Becca slams the door shut and turns to glare at me, her blue eyes flashing with anger and hurt. "You. You are my fucking problem," she spits out venomously. "Do not speak to me unless it's about the project."
She storms off, leaving me standing there in confusion.
But why was she crying…?
As I peer through her car window, I notice a pile of blankets and a pillow strewn across the backseat. In the front seat, there are insulated car covers folded up on the floor. It looks like she's turned her car into a makeshift bedroom. Makeup and brushes sit in a box on the floor, and empty snack wrappers from some cheap gas station litter a plastic bag.
I shake my head in disbelief as I make my way towards the school. Who cares what Becca is doing in her car?
But deep down, I can't help but feel worried for her and wonder what could have caused such an emotional outburst from someone who usually keeps their walls up tight.
As I enter the familiar halls of the school, I spot my group of friends and make my way over to them. Kaiden greets me with a nod, his dark hair falling into his piercing blue eyes. "Sup, man?" he asks in his usual laid-back manner.
"Ya know," I reply with a shrug.
Xander's boisterous laughter cuts through the conversation. "How's working with black heart Becca been going? You fuck her yet?"
Iz shakes his head in amusement. "Nah, he's all caught up with Ashley."
Kaiden sighs and stares out into the hallway, causing us all to turn and see what has caught his attention.
Cat.
Her once vibrant face is now pale as she locks eyes with me. Penny whispers something in her ear before they quickly retreat into the girls' locker room.
I take a step forward, trying to break the tension and mend our broken friendship. "Hey, Cat." But my feeble attempt falls short as she rushes away from me, Penny following close behind.
Kaiden looks at me with sorrowful eyes. "I'm sorry. She's just..." His voice trails off and I know that he understands how torn apart Cat is over what happened between us.
"Going through some shit," I finish for him with a heavy sigh. "I get it, man. I mean, it was my sister... But really, tell Cat that I'm working on some shit."
He nods slowly, but I can see the doubt in his eyes as he speaks for both of us. "She thinks you hate her."
"God no," I exclaim, shaking my head vehemently. "Sure, I was upset at first. She... ya know," I trail off, not wanting to go into detail about my sister's death. "But I've been doing a lot of thinking."
Iz interjects with his usual humor. "You try shrooms yet? That fucking shit is insane."
Ryan shakes his head in disapproval. "No, you fuckin' hippie."
A genuine smile breaks out on my face at their banter, something that has been rare for me lately. This is what life used to be like - carefree laughter, and my best friends by my side.
Xander playfully bumps into me. "You good, man?"
"Actually, I am," I reply honestly. "I missed this."
"Same," Kaiden agrees with a nod. "Life has gotten real fucking serious lately."
I glance up and catch Becca heading into her next class, not really paying attention to my friends' conversation anymore. Xander smirks and nudges my shoulder. "Looks like somebody's serious about Becca."
With a shake of my head, I turn back to my friends. "Nah, not really. But she's hiding some shit and I plan to find out."
Ryan lets out an exasperated sigh as I sling my backpack over my shoulder. "Trust me, just leave it."
Kaiden chuckles. "Yeah, listen to your boy here. His girl has way more going on than any of us could have imagined."
"Ain't that the fuckin' truth," Xander adds with a wry grin.
As the last bell rings, students scurry off to their respective classes. I make my way to the back of the classroom and take a seat, waiting for Becca to arrive. We have an important project to work on together, and our grade depends on it. Ashley saunters over and plops down next to me, practically smothering me with her body.
"Hi," she purrs in a flirty tone.
Becca finally walks in, flipping her long hair and rolling her eyes as she takes a seat in front of me. I can't help but get distracted by how beautiful she is, despite her icy demeanor towards me. It's like she's emotionally unavailable, and for some reason, that just makes me want her even fucking more.
Ashley continues to flirt with me, asking about my plans for the weekend. But before I can answer, Becca interjects with a fake gagging noise. "Come on Danny boo," Ashley persists. "I promise it'll be worth it."
"I can't," I reply firmly.
“What's your problem?" Ashley huffs.
"Ever since we started this project, you've been all over me," I snap back. "So, what's your issue?"
Ashley tosses her hair over her shoulder and replies with a smirk, "Nothing. Just letting others know they can't have what's mine."
"I'm not yours," I remind her.
"Don't be silly," Ashley coos.
Frustrated, I push away from her and distance myself from my chair. "You're nothing to me," I tell her flatly. "Just because you gave me a blowjob at a party doesn't mean anything."
Ashley's eyes begin to fill with tears, but I feel nothing. No sympathy, no remorse. She's just a leech, a user, trying to ride my coattails.
"Why are you such a jerk, Danny?" she sobs.
I shrug nonchalantly and put my pen in my mouth like a cigarette. "Maybe you should ask yourself the same question."
Becca stifles a laugh in front of me while Ashley sneers at her. "Got something to say, bitch?"
But Becca remains silent, a sinister smile creeping onto her lips as she kicks her feet up onto the desk in front of her.
"Rebecca!" Ashley demands an answer.
Ignoring her, Becca leans back in her chair and speaks with an eerie calmness. "Devils inhabit the quiet waters, babe."
Ashley's face goes pale as she stands up abruptly. "What does that even mean? Is that some kind of threat?"
But Becca gives no reply, simply sitting back with an unsettling smile on her face. "You'll find out soon enough," she says cryptically
With a creak, the classroom door swings open and a tall, stern-looking substitute walks in. His thin lips are pulled into a tight line as he surveys the room, making sure everyone is in their seats. “Hello, hello,” he says in a gruff voice. “I’m Mister Gravas. Your regular teacher is out today, but she has left specific instructions for you all to continue working on your projects. And just a reminder, this project will make up your entire grade for this class.” He nods his head pointedly before taking a seat at the front of the room.
Becca's feet drop from her desk and she quickly gathers her things before bolting out of the classroom. I can't help but let out a curse under my breath as I grab my bag and rush after her, my heart racing with worry.
"What the fuck..." I mutter as I catch up to her in the parking lot, grabbing her bag and spinning her around to face me.
"Yo, what the hell? We have a project to work on," I say through gritted teeth.
Becca shakes her head frantically. "I know, but I just got a text and I have to go."
"Go where?" I demand, feeling annoyed and confused.
"It's none of your business," she snaps back, trying to pull away from me.
But I refuse to let her go that easily. "What's going on? Becca, we can't afford to fail this class."
"I know that," she says with frustration etched on her face. "But this can't wait. Sorry, Danny."
Without another word, Becca jumps into her car and speeds out of the parking lot. Frustrated and worried, I look around before quickly getting into my car and chasing after her down the highway.
This girl is driving me crazy. Why am I following her like this? Why am I risking getting a speeding ticket just to see where she's going?
But despite my inner turmoil, I can't help but feel a deep sense of concern for Becca and whatever it is she's running towards.
The sleek, black car glides to a stop in front of a grand home, its gates closed with a couple standing in front of the ornate doors. The couple that stands in front of the house are popping open a bottle of champagne and sharing a kiss as a real estate agent snaps a picture of them.
Looking around, I notice the bright red 'SOLD' sign planted proudly on the ground. Becca steps out of her car, wiping away a stray tear before ripping the sign from the ground and tossing it into the street. I watch as she gets back into her car and speeds off.
"Jesus Christ," I mutter under my breath, struggling to keep up with Becca's reckless driving.
She quickly exits onto the highway, but then takes another sharp turn into a truck stop. I park my car up front and observe from afar as she pulls up next to a massive semi-truck. Becca seems completely lost in her own world as she shuffles around her car.
Finally, she gets out and spreads out blankets on her back seat, creating a makeshift bed. She covers the windows for privacy before settling into her car for the night. And then it hits me - Becca is sleeping in her car.
She's homeless...
My phone suddenly rings, jarring me out of my thoughts. It's my dad's face that appears on the screen, and I quickly answer.
"Hey, dad."
"You have to come home. I know you're at school right now but-"
"I'm on my way. Don't worry."
I steal one last glance at Becca before jumping back into my car and speeding home. The image of her sleeping in her car haunts me as I drive towards home…
W ith a screech of tires, I pull into the driveway and leap out of my car, racing towards the front door. As I burst through, I see my mom sitting on the couch, her face streaked with tears, while my dad stands beside her, trying to offer comfort.
"Where did she go? Is she using drugs too?!"
My heart clenches in fear as I approach them.
I kneel down in front of my mom, taking her trembling hands in mine. "What's going on?"
"Your sister is missing! Why do they want to take all my babies from me?!" Her voice wavers with emotion and pain, making my own eyes well up.
My dad sighs heavily, his shoulders slumping. He has seen this before and knows there's no easy way to help her. It feels like we're almost helpless against it.
Suddenly, I stand up and start looking around the room. Something catches my eye - my sister's keys, purse, and phone all lying abandoned on the coffee table. A sense of relief washes over me.
"She's not missing, Mom."
She glares up at me, her eyes red and puffy. "Yes, she is! She left everything!"
I kneel back down and take her hands again, feeling the warmth and strength in them. "No, Mom. Del just needed a break. She loves you, but sometimes she needs some space to process things. And I know where she is right now."
My dad pulls my mom into his arms, grateful for the reassurance. He turns to me with a relieved smile. "Thank you."
I give him a small nod. "No worries. You handle things here."
I step out into the crisp, cool air of the backyard and make my way down the winding path through the woods. The trees tower above me, their leaves rustling in a gentle breeze. As I approach our old treehouse, built by my dad when we were kids, memories come flooding back. I climb up the creaky ladder and find my sister sprawled out on her back.
"Yo. Mom thinks you're missing," I say, trying to lighten the mood.
She turns her head to look at me with a weary expression. "Of course she does. Because it's all about mom."
Letting out a sigh, I lay down next to her. "Del..."
"She's suffocating me. I have a life, but she wants me to drop everything and move back home. She wants constant updates on every second of my day."
"Don't let it get to you. Mom needs to learn to let go."
Delilah turns to me with deep sadness in her eyes. "But how do I tell her that, Danny? She doesn't even see me anymore. It's always Daisy."
"It's not your responsibility. Look, I know I could have said that more tactfully, but I'm just exhausted. What we need is our mom back. The one who made everything fun and bright. But she's gone now and we have to move forward at some point."
Del nods in understanding. "Dad thinks we should go to family therapy. Mom refuses."
"That might actually be a good idea. Dad has been our rock through all of this."
"He really has been amazing. I know he's been taking medication and seeing a therapist..."
We both fall into a comfortable silence, listening to the sounds of nature around us from our haven in the treehouse.
But inside my mind, there is chaos. Thoughts and emotions swirl around like a tornado, making it hard to focus on anything else. And the loudest thought of all... it's not about me or my family.
It's about Becca.
That wildly entrancing, gorgeous butterfly.
There’s this rare blue butterfly out in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. They’re tiny, yet just this gorgeous, lush blue. Fender’s blue butterfly. They catch your eye as soon as you see them. You can’t get them out of your mind. You don’t see one very often, so when you do, it sticks. You want more. How could you not want to see that gorgeous butterfly every day? That’s what Becca is doing to me.
I despise Becca with every fiber of my being, but I can't seem to get her out of my head. She's like a haunting blue butterfly, fluttering through my thoughts day and night. The mere thought of her sends shivers down my spine and ignites a fire within me. It's maddening how much I want her, with her piercing blue eyes, dark tresses, and luscious lips.
How can someone evoke such intense hatred and undeniable desire all at once?
It's twisted, nonsensical, and it drives me insane.
My heart races as I turn to my sister, eyes wide open. “Can I ask you something?”
“Yeah, of course.”
I hesitate, unsure of how to bring up the topic. “There’s this girl….”
She playfully arches her eyebrows. “Oooo.”
“No, no. It’s not like that. I, uh. I think she’s homeless.”
Del sits up, concern etched on her face. “Oh, fuck.”
“Yeah. I don’t know what to do.”
“I guess offer some help. So where is her family living?”
I take a joint out of my jacket and light it, taking a hit before passing it to my sister.
“That’s the thing, Del. It’s just her. She’s living in her car at a truck stop.”
She takes a hit and passes it to me; the smoke swirling around us in the dimly lit room. “Who is it?”
“Becca Carney.”
Del huffs and shakes her head with frustration. “Her mom has always been a cold-hearted bitch, so I’m not surprised, to be honest. But I am surprised her dad is letting this happen.”
I take another hit before passing it back to Del. “They sold their house. I kind of followed Becca today…”
“Ew, you creep.”
We both laugh as we take one last hit before extinguishing the joint.
“I miss her, Del.”
“Who? Becca?”
I half chuckle. “No. Daisy.”
“I do too. But she caused a lot of pain. And she had a lot of hurt inside of her. I just remind myself that she’s at peace now. There’s no more hurt.”
The sound of crunching leaves makes us both sit up in surprise. I stand in front of Del protectively and shine my phone light out into the darkness.
“Jeez, kid. Trying to blind me?” My dad chuckles as he looks up from the bottom of the ladder. “Got your mom to sleep. Pizza just got here if you two wanna come inside. It’s getting cold.”
We both head down and make our way inside with my dad. Sitting at the table, I can’t help but smile.
This is what I miss most. Normal family time. Laughing and picking on each other. Eating late night pizza together.
But as I look between my sister and dad, I also can't shake off the underlying sadness that lingers within our family. My mom is out cold, trapped in her own struggles. My sister feels suffocated in this house. My other sister is gone forever. My dad keeps secrets from my mom, and I feel like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode…
And Becca is homeless….