Burning Fury

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The day started with a pounding headache and a horrible stomachache. The sun was streaming through my open window and fresh air poured in, surrounding all six of my friends laying on the floor. I'd slept in my dress and didn't remember the party ending. I grabbed some fresh clothes and took a shower. It was only eleven o'clock and I saw the mess in the backyard. Pulling a huge garbage can from the garage, I set to cleaning up all the cans and bottles that were strewn across the lawn. When finished, I stirred what was left of the fire until it sprang to life again, flames licking against the sides of our large firepit. All of the discarded food and paper plates still littered the picnic tables, so I threw them all in the fire, watching as they burned.

"Morning, doll. How did you sleep?"

"Fine," I answered my dad, not tearing my gaze away from the fire.

"Thanks for cleaning up. Your brother and I will bring all of these picnic tables back to the park this afternoon. All your friends still sleeping?"

"Yes. I'm sure most of them won't be waking up anytime soon. There was no other incident if you were wondering."

"That's good news. Maybe it was a crime of opportunity."

"Maybe," I mumbled, chewing on my lip.

"The family is coming back to watch your brother open gifts today. Would you like to help with lunch?"

"Of course. I'll be in in a while."

I watched the fire die fully before going back inside. The whole family was there again and my dad had already started on lunch. I helped him finish and we moved to the living room after eating to watch my brother open gifts. My friends sat around, nursing obvious hangovers from hell so I brought them each some Advil to help. Kai opened all of his gifts and then we had dessert. I excused myself to run upstairs and grab one last gift I'd forgotten to give my brother, shoved under my bed.

Emily was sitting at my desk when I walked into my room.

"What are you doing?"

She spun around in the chair and dropped the crumpled letter I had thrown under my bed the day before.

"Clover."

"Emily, what are you doing in my room?"

"You should tell your dad, Clover. He doesn't deserve this."

"He doesn't deserve this?! Emily, I'm the one getting kicked out of school for being a murder suspect. I have every right to keep this to myself until I deem it the right time to tell him."

She shook her head and stood from the chair. "He could help you, Clover. He would know what to do."

"That's the thing, Em. Nothing can be done. Everyone in this town-in the world-has convicted me-us."

"We can't do anything about that. When will you learn to stop caring what people think of you?"

"Because everyone's had their opinions about me from day one! I was sexualized as a freaking middle schooler. Bullied into hating myself. You wouldn't know what that's like because you're one of them. You get everything handed to you and you're cruel to people to scare them into being your friends. You have no idea what it's like."

I thought she'd fight back, scream or call me names. But her shoulders slumped as if the weight of the world was resting on top of her. She fell back into the chair and stared at the floor.

"My mom puts a lot of pressure on me. She beats me. Or she did, before I moved out. I need to be in control of everyone and everything or I've lost."

I sat down on my bed and sighed. "Why haven't you told anyone? That's against the law, you know, the beatings."

"What was I going to say, Clover? I've always been so jealous of you. You could melt into the shadows and no one would look twice. Your dad treated you like a princess. Sure, my family has money and I got everything I wanted, but it wasn't worth what was happening behind closed doors."

"Why didn't you just tell me? I could've helped you. Begged for sleepovers, or...just, anything."

"What was I to say to the girl that had everything? A family that loved her, everything she could wish for and more."

"I'm really sorry this is happening to you. Or has happened."

"Just tell your dad. He'll understand."

She stood and left my room. I crumpled the letter again and made it in the trash this time.

"Is it true?"

I whirled around to see Ryder standing at my door. His gaze fell on the trash can, then moved back up to me.

"Yeah, it's true. I suppose you're going to try and tell me not to accept it."

"You have to do what you have to do. I'm not here to tell you otherwise."

"Well, thank you, Ryder. I don't need to deal with it right now. My dad doesn't need more to fight with."

"But you can trust us, Clove. From now on, we need to tell each other everything. We're all that each other have, okay?"

I nod, tears clogging my throat. "Okay."

"Why don't you come back down? They'll be looking for you."

I grabbed my brother's present from under my bed and followed Ryder downstairs. The rest of the cake was being eaten when we came down. I thrust the present in front of my brother and he opened it, absolutely in love with the watch I'd bought for him.

Hours later, I was standing outside, watching all of my friends get back into Ryder's truck. They were back in their nice clothes from the night before, but it still looked like they had a rough night.

"Remember, if there's anything you need to talk about, we're here for you, Clo."

"Thank you, Ry."

He gave me a hug and pulled away, biting his lip as though he wanted to say something.

"Ry," I whispered. "Remember: no secrets."

"Do you have anything to say about what happened last night?"

"What? What happened last night?" Fear immediately iced my veins.

He looked like he was at war with himself. "I guess I just...won the bet. You danced the night away on the dance floor."

I smiled as my shoulders sagged. "I guess you're right. Did we ever decide what the loser would get?"

A small smile tugged at his lips. "I'll think of something and let you know.

Callum leaned over the front seat and honked the horn a few times. Ryder said goodbye again and I watched as they drove down the road.