Blandview High Musical

22. More Bad News

It was mid-afternoon. Just about everyone had skipped school. I was at home in bed, too depressed to move. I just kept rewinding the words over and over in my head wondering if I had missed something, thinking of things I should've said, thinking of things that would've diffused the situation immediately. Believing it really was...all my fault. I clutched the pillow harder, listening to the incessant buzzing of my phone against the acrylic shielded vanity top beside my bed. I knew it was Jade. Caylie had probably called and told her everything. Instead, I buried my face in the pillow and cried.

Jade just sighed. She was currently catching an Uber back to her house. Javier was still asleep and would have probably been too hungover to give her a ride back home. She walked up the driveway barefooted, sending Gill text messages. She'd sent her about 20 in the last hour, but she hadn't responded. She called Caylie twice and no answer. She didn't bother calling the guys. When she got inside, she realized there was a faint smell in the air, like alcohol. Rubbing alcohol, not the drinking kind. Something felt sticky under her feet. She looked down to observe red splotches that led from the front door across the hall and into the kitchen. She reached down, touching it. Yeah, it was blood.

Carefully treading, and dragging most of the blood with her, she followed the trail into the kitchen. Bloodied handprints were smeared against the countertop as her father loomed over the kitchen sink. The water was running full blast. "Dad?" She questioned. He didn't turn to face her. "Go call 911..." he said. "What's happened?" She asked. "Do as I say!" He shouted. Although, his speech seemed to be impaired...like someone was squeezing his cheeks together. She couldn't figure out what was wrong. "Let me see." She demanded, moving swiftly across the kitchen threshold to him. "Get away!" He ordered. "Just let me see it." She said. She reached up, grabbing his shirt and trying to force him to face her.

At that moment, he dropped whatever he was holding, revealing the gutted and shot off portion of his face. "What happened to you?" She asked again. He turned his face away, scooping up the rag and pressing it against his face. Blood was splattered all over the front of the sink, inside of it, on his clothes and on the floor. Jade did as he had asked and called 911, telling them her father had had an accident.

-knock knock- The sound came swiftly against Shayne's bedroom door. "Go away." He groaned, laying on the bed facing up to the ceiling. His arms were bent over his eyes. The door squeaked open. Damien stood in the door way. "What are you doing?" He asked. "If you must know, I'm suffering. Now please go away." Shayne said. Damien quirked a brow, sighing. "Shayne, you know that never worked when you were a kid, what makes you think it'll work now?" He teased, shutting the door and moving further inward. "Let's talk about it." Damien said, sitting down on the bed beside the blond. "What's that going to do?" Shayne countered. "It'll make you feel good." Damien assured. He reached over, patting Shayne on the arm. "Come on, man. Tell me what happened." Shayne groaned and sat up.

"We just got into a fight, man. I feel like such a prick now. I shouldn't have snapped at her the way I did." He said. "What did this fight entail?" Damien asked. Slowly Shayne started going into detail about going to the diner, seeing Khaleesi and Thor and then getting into an argument with Gill about it. "I don't want to lose her, but I don't want her to be so damn controlling." Damien just frowned. "It sounds more like...you're at fault here too." Damien pointed out. "I mean, come on...this girl shows up with her boyfriend and you suddenly get horny for her attention while your girlfriend sits right there. It doesn't sound like you are the victim here." "I didn't do anything wrong!" Shayne protested. "Why is it such a big deal for me to have friends?" He asked.

Damien shrugged. "Maybe it's the way you behave around these friends." Damien pointed out. Shayne groaned again. "So now that you've pointed out the obvious, what do I do now?" "Well, normally I'd say make up...but I think you two need a little space. I think you are both steamed about this." Shayne sighed. "Maybe you're right...maybe we do need to cool off a bit."