HEARTBREAK HIGH; •Spencer White•

-9-

Tw - Child Abuse

"What's up?" Cash opened the door as he was met with Darren, butterflies filling his stomach momentarily. He could hear Daisy's stressed shouts through the house hoping it didn't put Darren off.

"Hi. Random, I know. I guess that's our new fun thing, surprise visits." Darren exclaimed looking around Cash at the noise. "Um, can I come in?" They spluttered a hint of awkwardness in their usual confident nature.

"Uh, my nan's home." Cash rubbed the back of his neck, trying to hide the blush that had spread across his skin.

"I'm great with nans. They love to pinch my cheek and tell me how they once met a Black person." Darren looked past Cash again although the teen didn't budge.

"Yeah, it's just not great timing." Cash was interrupted with a clutter of pots and pans, the culprit Daisy as she searched through the kitchen.

"Cash!" Daisy called out from the lounge peeking her head in hallway spotting Darren. "Hello Darren." She greeted only in a pair of jeans and her bra as she searched for her work shirt. Cash shot Daisy an annoyed glance the girl taking the hint as she continued to search alone.

Soon after Cash returned, Daisy flashing him a guilty smile as he hurried to put his shoes on, the girl shrugging her work shirt over her head. "Have fun Cashy." She kissed his cheek moving past him to the bathroom.

A while after Cash left suddenly a knock sounded at the door, Nan moving past Daisy to open it. Daisy's grew wide when she realised who was at the door, police officers questioning Nan.

"Did Douglas happen to mention a robbery at a sporting goods store?" The officer muttered Daisy rushing to the front door.

"Doug hasn't done anything wrong officers, I've been with him all week." Daisy approached the door standing beside Nan, her hands clutched together stressfully.

"That's right! So piss off!" She barked back at the officers, Daisy hiding her smirk slyly with her hand.

"Mrs. Piggott, we...

"I said you're not coming in without a warrant and he's not home. What are you going to do, strip-search me? Go ahead. Might even enjoy myself." Nan wiggled her hips playfully, the officer letting out a defeated sigh.

"Always a pleasure." The officer fare welled the pair Daisy rushing back inside to ready herself for her shift.

"Give him hell for me Nan." Daisy squeezed her arm as she fled out the door rushing to work thankfully her coworker giving her a lift. When Daisy returned to Cash's she knew Nan was yelling for a good reason.

"Ones who won't drag you down the shitter!" She stormed past Daisy who had walked into the bathroom.

"Fuck Daisy not you too." Cash covered himself as the equally as irritated girl leant against the bathroom door.

"You have to stop hanging with Chook, Cash he's going to get you locked up." She spat sourly following after Nan mumbling a small goodbye as she left the house. It was only a short walk between Cash and Daisy's house her hands hesitantly opening the door.

"Hey Dad." Daisy greeted closing the fly screen door as she entered her house, "How was work?" She questioned pulling the fridge door open as she inspected the contents.

"Not bad Daisy, Daryl wants me to work 3 weeks on, one week off as of next week." Daisy's father sat on the lounge watching the footy.

"Who's winning Dad?" Daisy sat beside him sipping on a popper she had found in the fridge.

"Swans." He mumbled standing up to make his way to the door. "I'm going out don't wait up." The fly screen door slammed shut, his footsteps leaving her ears.

Daisy tried so hard to bond with her Dad but she could never say the right things.
It didn't take long for him to return home in a worse state then he left.

Daisy could smell the stench of bourbon as she shot up from the couch watching the scene unfold. Her father stumbled through the door clutching the kitchen counter as he gripped an half empty beer bottle.

"You killed her kid, you can deny it all you want but it was you that sent her over the edge." His eyes locked into hers as he begun to pace over.

"Dad stop it wasn't my fault." Daisy backed into the corner of her room, "Daniel stop please! Daniel." She cursed her father smashing a bottle towards her feet glass littering her hands as she dropped to the ground.

"Fucking slut." Daisy held her face as his hand made contact with her cheek. "Good for nothing child, you killed her." He left to cracking open another beer bottle. Daisy scrambled up to lock her bedroom door, brushing as much glass from her hands as she could.

"Lock me out! In my own house!" Daisy held back her tears as she slid her bedroom window open lifting herself out of the room. Her feet picked up pace as she ran down the street wiping the loose tears staining her face.

Her bloody hands fiddled around on the front door as she found the key to Cash's house unlocking the door quietly. Her soft footsteps sounded as she peeked into Cash's room the boy nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly the kitchen light switched on, Nan strolling down the hallway in her nightie. "Daisy?" She questioned opening her arms for the sobbing girl, Daisy falling into her grasp.

"There, there my girl, you're safe." She rubbed Daisy's back as she calmed the teen down. "Here, here we will get you fixed up Dais." Nan pat the kitchen bench as Daisy pulled herself onto the bench wiping her tears with her arm.

Daisy held her palms out as she sniffled her nose, a bruise forming on her cheek. "I don't know why I'm crying." Daisy's voice broke pathetically, "It wasn't that bad this time Nan." She shrugged as the old woman retrieved a pair of tweezers.

"I'm going to get you out of that hell Daisy, old fucker has yet to face me." Daisy let out a small laugh before wincing as Nan begin extracting the small glass pieces.

"He can't go back to jail Nan, they'll lock him up for life." Daisy sighed softly as the door to the house flung open.

"Nan what are you still doing up." Cash's voice called out as he strolled in his face slackened at the sight of Daisy. "Daisy what's happened." He rushed over grabbing her hands gently as his eyes scanned over her face.

"Fuckin gronk" Cash's face hardened as he moved past Nan heading to the door, Daisy rushing to get off the counter.

"Doug stop!" He paused for a moment watching her pained expression, "Karma will get him Doug, don't worry."

Author's note
- Hi!! I'm so sorry for not updating for so long I just graduated highschool :)) So you could say I've been a little busy, I promise to update as soon as I can hopefully have a chapter out tomorrow night! Thank you for reading up to here so far <3