HEARTBREAK HIGH; •Spencer White•

-12-

Daisy sat silently in the passenger seat of Cash's car, immersed in her headphones as they navigated through deliveries for Cash's job. After Daisy's brief three-hour post-school shift, Cash eagerly picked her up, always determined to ease any tension after their disagreements.

"Dais, I need to talk to Chook for a bit." Cash grabbed her attention, and an earbud slipped into her hand. "Stay in the car, please." Daisy nodded, fingers delicately placing her headphones back on as they pulled up to the restaurant.

Cash shot her one more concerned glance before closing the door and striding toward the group. Daisy largely ignored the unfolding conversation, gazing out the window, her ears filled with music.

Her attention wavered, and her heart sank as Chook seized Cash by the neck, their eyes locking. Daisy removed her headphones, sitting upright as the older teen released Cash and headed toward the car.

Daisy's fingers fumbled with the lock, but she was too slow. Chook opened the door, and her knees met the ground. "What do we have here, Cash's little missus, hey?" Chook pulled her out of the car, his grip on the back of her neck tight.

"Chook, brah, leave her alone." Cash spat; another unfamiliar teen held a shank to his throat.

"What's your name, pretty girl?" Daisy maintained a composed face, occasional quivers in her lip as Chook's grip tightened. "I asked you a question." Chook's hand snaked around Daisy's back under her jumper.

"Leave me alone, please." Daisy's words were soft, guilt gnawing at Cash as he observed. Another few seconds passed his hand moving up further.

"Hey, clear off! I told you to get out of here, bloody hooligans." The shop owner emerged, and in the background, Darren, watching a hand to their mouth. Chook released Daisy quickly, the other boy releasing Cash. "I'll call the cops on you if I have to!" she threatened again, the others dispersing as Daisy shakily made her way back into the passenger seat.

She slid her headphones back in, watching Cash talk with Darren for a moment before storming back to the car and restarting the engine.

"Daisy, I'm—"

"It's fine, just drive, Doug." Daisy mumbled, turning the volume up and squeezing her eyes shut. It wasn't long before she drifted asleep, hardly waking even when Cash carried her to his room.

Later that night, Daisy heard a familiar sound coming from Cash's bathroom. She slowly made her way to the bathroom the door creaking open with her hand.

"Doug." His pale hands clutched his hair as he sat beside the toilet, his eyes cast downward. "Doug, are you alright?" She knelt beside him brushing his hair back her hand.

"I shouldn't have let him touch you Dais, I shouldn't have let him touch Harper." Cash's voice was broke refusing to look at his best friend his eyes scanning the floor. "It's my fault, it's all my fault." His body trembled in Daisy's arms, the girl rubbing in his arm comfortably.

"It is your fault Cash." The boy pulled away from her grasp for a moment, shock evident in his expression. "Unless you do something about it. Chook is a horrible person he needs to be locked up." Daisy stated Cash throwing his head back to stop his tears.

"I kno- know." He exhaled shakily pulling at his hair stressfully, "Please just go back to sleep Daisy, I'll talk to you in the morning", he kissed her head as he stood up moving towards the living room clearly not planning to go back to sleep.

Daisy remained back a moment longer her phone lighting up as a notification sounded.

I miss you Coopers

Daisy pulled her feet up moving out of the room and into Cash's bedroom. With a quick scan she found her car keys sneaking towards the door. Thankfully she could hear the hum of Cash's playstation knowing he would be gaming for the rest of the night.

Her car was parked down the road in front of her house. It didn't take long for her to get herself into the car and through the neighbourhood. She arrived at the same nice house she'd visited previously.

She knew which bedroom his was sneaking through the gardens to his window. She thought about knocking but was afraid she'd alert the rest of the house.

His message was already on her screen as she hit the call, the click of an answer filling her ears. "Open the window Blondie." Followed by silence the window moved open, the messy blonde squinting his eyes to view her.

"Daisy?" She pulled herself through the window before he could argue, the window shutting from his fingers. "What are you doing here."

"I wanted to apologise." She whispered, her tone soft and saddened. "I'm sorry about Cash, he shouldn't have hit you, he's just protective." Her eyes scanned his relieved as his face was forgiving.

"I'm sorry Daisy." Daisy's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, as she moved apart for a moment eyeing him.

"What for." She spoke quietly cautious of Spider's asleep family. His eyes moved downwards slightly at the darkness across her ribs. Daisy's lip quivered slightly as she rubbed her fingers together. "It's not your fault, no one was supposed to know."

"Who did that to you?" Spider cautioned one hand interwined with hers, her fingers tensing. "We don't have to talk about it, not until you're ready Daisy." A tear rolled down her face as her hands wrapped around his waist, small sobs escaping her lips.

"Can I stay here for the night.. please." She didn't need to ask twice Spider's hand around her waist rubbing small circles along her hip.

"Yeah, yeah of course." Spider mumbled pulling her closer, only dressed in his boxers.

"I think I'm falling in love you."