22. Daniel
Chapter twenty-two
Daniel
Mine
A s I round the corner at school, my heart sinks as I see Becca rushing out of the guidance counselor's office, her face streaked with tears.
I quickly reach out and grab her by the shoulders, trying to comfort her. "Becca, what's wrong?"
She pulls away, wiping at her wet cheeks. "Nothing, just leave me alone."
I refuse to let her push me away and guide her into an empty classroom, where I make her sit on a desk so we can be eye-to-eye. "You know you can't hide things from me, Becca. Tell me."
She rolls her eyes and tries to brush off my concern. "I can handle it, Danny. You don't have to fix everything for me."
I take her face in my hands and stare deeply into her tear-filled eyes. "That's where you're wrong." She scoffs, but I won't let this go. "Now, listen to me. Whatever it is, we'll get through it together."
She brushes a stray hair behind her ear and takes a deep breath. "It's my family. My mom wants to sue the school, my dad, Katya, even your family. She's threatening to tear everything apart again, and I can't just stand by and watch."
Anger boils inside of me and I clench my fists. "She can try all she wants, but she won't fucking win. I'll make sure of it."
Becca lets out a small laugh at my protective nature. "Danny..."
But I cut her off with a kiss. "I'm serious. Now tell me, is that all?"
Her expression darkens, and she shakes her head.
The words hang heavy in the air, suffocating and oppressive. Becca stares at the ground, her shoulders slumped with defeat. "Not quite..." she begins, her voice shaky and unsure. "I uh... I was just screamed at for not applying to colleges," she confesses, her voice cracking with emotion. "For, and I quote, doing nothing with my life." She takes a deep breath, struggling to regain composure.
"He screamed at you?" I ask disbelievingly, unable to hide my shock.
Becca lets out a tired sigh. "Maybe scream isn't the right word... but it was loud enough that the other counselor came in to end the session."
Without hesitation, I storm out of the room and into the guidance counselor's office. My fists are clenched tightly at my sides, fury coursing through me. I fling open his door, Becca close on my heels with determination etched on her face. The counselor jumps at our sudden intrusion, his eyes widening at the sight of us standing there, united against him.
The guy's face becomes a fiery crimson, his eyes narrow with seething fury. “Can I help you Rorke?”
“Yeah, you fucking can.”
Becca yanks on my arm, pleading. “Danny... please. It's fine. Let it go.”
But the counselor chimes in with a bitter laugh. “Listen to your new plaything. Back off.”
My blood boils at the condescending tone, and I snap. My fists clench as I struggle to keep my cool, but it's no use. The rage inside me explodes like a volcano, consuming every rational thought I had left.
I lunge forward, grabbing the counselor by his shirt collar and slamming him against the wall. "You think you can talk to her like that?" I snarl, my face inches from his. "You think you can belittle her dreams and get away with it?"
He sneers. “Maybe she should have gotten her head out of her ass and applied to colleges. It's too late now. She has the whole world in front of her, yet she chose to play games with your ass this year.”
I can feel my blood pressure skyrocketing, my vision blurring with rage. I'm seconds away from punching this smug bastard in his face when I feel Becca's hand on my arm, gently but firmly pulling me back.
"Danny, stop," she says, her voice quiet but resolute. "He's not worth it."
I release my grip on the counselor's shirt, shoving him back against the wall as I step away. He straightens his collar, a mixture of fear and contempt in his eyes.
"You're lucky she's here," I growl. "Because otherwise..."
"Otherwise what?" he sneers, regaining some of his bravado. "You'd assault a school official? Go ahead, ruin your own future. See if I care."
And that’s when I lose it.
I lunge forward again, my fist connecting with the counselor's jaw before I can even process what I'm doing. He stumbles backward, shock and pain flashing across his face.
"Danny!" Becca screams, grabbing my arm and trying to pull me away. But I'm too far gone, rage clouding my judgment.
The counselor recovers quickly, his own anger flaring as he charges at me. We grapple, knocking over a chair and sending papers flying off the desk. I vaguely register Becca yelling for help in the hallway as I struggle with the older man.
Suddenly, firm hands are yanking us apart. The school security guard has arrived, along with the Dean. I'm breathing heavily, my shirt torn and hair disheveled. The counselor doesn't look much better, a bruise already forming on his jaw.
"What the hell is going on here?" the Dean demands, his voice booming through the small office.
I open my mouth to explain, but the counselor beats me to it. "This student assaulted me!" he shouts, pointing an accusing finger at me. "I want him arrested!"
The security guard tightens his grip on my arm, but I barely notice. My eyes are locked on Becca, who's standing in the doorway looking pale and terrified.
"That's not what happened," she says, her voice shaky but determined. "Mr. Roberts was verbally abusing me during our session. Danny was just trying to defend me."
The principal's eyes narrow as he looks between us. "Is this true, Mr. Roberts?"
The counselor sputters, his face turning an even deeper shade of red. "Of course not! These kids are lying to cover their own asses!"
We all freeze as a new voice cuts through the tension. "Actually, I can corroborate Miss Carney’s account."
We turn to see Mrs. Patel, the other guidance counselor, standing in the doorway. Her normally kind face is set in a stern expression as she addresses the Dean.
"I overheard Mr. Roberts speaking very inappropriately to Becca earlier. His behavior was completely unacceptable for an educator."
The Dean's face darkens as he processes this information. He turns to the security guard. "Please escort Mr. Roberts to my office. We'll be having a very serious discussion about his future at this school."
As the sputtering counselor is led away, the Dean fixes his gaze on me. "As for you, Mr. Rorke, while I understand your desire to protect your friend, violence is never the answer. You'll be suspended for the next two weeks. But it will not go on your record. Consider yourself lucky. Both of you, go home.”
A fter dropping Becca off at her house, I make my way home. It's a relief to know that it's just down the street, making it an easy and quick walk.
As soon as I enter the front door, I can hear my dad's voice on the phone with the lawyers, working on fixing everything that had happened. My mom greets me with a smile, gently tending to the cuts on my face. "We're so proud of you," she says. "Although, I must admit, I'm not a big fan of violence..."
My dad chuckles and interjects, "Well, I certainly am. That asshole deserved what was coming to him."
My mom playfully rolls her eyes before turning to me. "You really love her, don't you?"
I nod without hesitation. "She's the one for me, forever."
My mom's smile widens. "I'm so glad to hear that. I adore her."
Once my mom finishes tending to my injuries, I grab a small bag from the counter. "I'll be right back. Forgot to give this to Becca."
Exiting the house and walking down the street towards Becca's home, I notice that no one seems to be there. So, I leave the bag on her front step and quickly shoot her a text message letting her know it's there.
I make my way back to my house, the familiar scent of warm cookies and fresh laundry wafting through the air. My mom greets me at the door with a warm hug, her soft voice ringing in my ears.
"We're having a little family meeting before dinner," she says.
I nod eagerly and follow her into the cozy living room. My dad and Del are already seated on the plush couch. As I take a seat next to my sister, my dad stands up and clears his throat.
"I want to start by saying that we will be starting family and individual therapy," he announces, his usually stern voice softened with sincerity.
A smile spreads across my face, knowing that this is exactly what we need as a family. The thought of opening up and healing together brings warmth to my heart.
"That's great, Dad," I say, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. "I think it'll be good for all of us."
Del nods in agreement, a hint of vulnerability in her eyes that I've rarely seen before. "Yeah, I'm actually looking forward to it," she admits softly.
My mom reaches out and squeezes Del's hand. "We all have a lot to work through, but we'll do it together."
Dad continues, his voice steady but filled with emotion. "I also want to apologize to all of you. I know I haven't been the most present father, and I've made mistakes. I want to do better."
The room falls silent for a moment, the weight of his words settling over us. It's a side of Dad I've never seen before, and it fills me with hope for our future as a family.
"We all have room for improvement," Mom says gently, her eyes brimming with tears. "But we love each other, and that's what matters most."
I feel a lump forming in my throat, overwhelmed by the sudden outpouring of emotion. It's been years since we've had a moment like this as a family.
"I have something to share too," Del speaks up, her voice barely above a whisper. We all turn to look at her, curiosity etched on our faces. "I... I've been struggling with anxiety for a while now. I didn't want to burden anyone, but I think I need help."
Mom immediately wraps her arm around Del, pulling her close. "Oh, sweetheart. You're never a burden. We're here for you, always."
Dad nods in agreement, his eyes softening as he looks at Del. "We'll make sure you get the support you need. I'm sorry I didn't notice sooner."
I reach over and squeeze Del's hand, feeling a mix of guilt and relief. I had been so wrapped up in my own problems that I hadn't realized my sister was struggling to.
"I'm here for you, Del," I say softly. "Anytime you need to talk."
She gives me a watery smile, nodding in appreciation.
As we sit there, the atmosphere in the room shifts. It feels lighter somehow, as if a weight has been lifted off all our shoulders. For the first time in years, I feel like we're truly connecting as a family.
Dad clears his throat again, a hint of a smile on his face. "There's one more thing," he says. "I've decided to take some time off work. I want to be more present in all of your lives."
Mom's eyes widen in surprise. "Are you sure, honey? Your work has always been so important to you."
Dad nods firmly. "You're all more important. I've realized that I've been missing out on so much. I don't want to wake up one day and find that I've lost precious time with my family."
A wave of emotion washes over me. This is a side of Dad I've rarely seen - vulnerable, open, and willing to change. It's both jarring and comforting.
"That's... that's amazing, Dad," I manage to say, my voice thick with emotion.
Del nods in agreement, her eyes shining. "Yeah, it really is."
Mom stands up and embraces Dad, her eyes brimming with tears. "I'm so proud of you," she whispers.
As I watch my parents, I feel a sense of hope blooming in my chest. For the first time in a long while, I feel like we're on the right path as a family. The road ahead won't be easy, but we'll face it together.
Just then, my phone buzzes with a text. It's from Becca.
Got the bag. Thank you so much! Can’t wait to see you tomorrow.
I smile at the text, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. Becca's simple message reminds me of everything we've been through together, and how much stronger we've become because of it.
"Everything okay?" Mom asks, noticing my expression.
"Yeah," I reply, still smiling. "Just Becca. She got the bag I left for her."
Dad raises an eyebrow. "A bag? What was in it?"
I feel a slight blush creep up my cheeks. "Oh, just some of her favorite snacks and a little gift. I wanted to do something nice for her after... well, everything."
Del rolls her eyes playfully. "You two are sickeningly sweet, you know that?"
I laugh, feeling lighter than I have in days. "Yeah, I know. But I wouldn't have it any other way."