HEARTBREAK HIGH; •Spencer White•

twenty - still ill

DAISY KNEW SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE COME HOME, the tv on full volume as she slid the fly screen open hesitantly. "Hi, Dad." She greeted softly, slinging her school bag off her shoulder and onto the kitchen bench. The kitchen was a mess again, bottles stacked along the countertops, dirtied dishes filling the sink.

"I just wanted to see if it was okay if I went out tonight?" Her father remained silent, making Daisy even more nervous as she begun unpacking her belongings, the tremble in her hands returning. It had been just under a week since Daisy had received her first low grade of the year. It had been the lowest grade she had received in many years.

She knew it was school policy to email parents, and she had no doubt her father had received one.
Since leaving Spider's house she hadn't spoken to him, too distracted with her desperate studying to bump her grade back up. She knew he had messaged her a few times but Daisy had forced herself not to open the texts, shoving Spider to the back of her mind.

"That's fine." Her father's voice came out gruffly, a small breath of relief leaving her lips as she collected the stuff for her room fleeing down the hallway. Getting ready for the party was the next thing on her list, carefully choosing an outfit from her small wardrobe. She was grateful for her part time job, being able to afford her own clothes was something she cherished.

She knew Amerie's part was a costume party and thankfully she had enough in her wardrobe to make part of a mummy costume. She'd just have to pick up some accessories on the way. "Daisy!" She tensed, her fingers dropping her mascara wand to the floor in a panic, quickly retrieving it before it stained the floor.

Clicking her bedroom door open, she padded down the hall, the sound of another bottle cap hitting the ground a clear indication she should've left. "Make yourself useful would you?" He was in the kitchen, swaying slightly on his feet as he shoved past her, returning to his armchair.

Her father's terms of useful had usually meant a few things. Today it meant making him something with whatever groceries he had picked up for the week. With limited ingredients Daisy did the best she could making him a toasted sandwich something he often requested. Her hands shook as handed him the plate, returning to the kitchen to clean up after herself.

Once she started she couldn't stop and soon she found herself scrubbing the counters, narrowly missing dropping a glass bottle to the floor. Then one did hit the floor, the glass shattered into a million pieces, sending glass all over the floor as she covered her ears. The sound was loud and caused her father to jolt from his chair, muttering a curse.

"What have you done now, you stupid girl." Daisy removed her hands from her ears, examining the floor for just a second before she hastily went to clear the glass. Her father seemed to have a different idea stumbling across the room to clamp a hand on her shoulder, stopping her from moving.

"Get on the floor." Daisy looked into her father's eyes hesitantly, the man she once knew wasted away, "You want to make a mess, clean it." He slurred, pushing down with enough pressure that Daisy's knees buckled and she was forced to the kitchen floor.

She cried when her shins hit the tiles and glass embedded into her skin. Thankfully she had remained on her knees, her hands unmarked. "Dad, stop. I'll clean it. I - I promise." She pleaded, thankfully his grip loosening as he stumbled back, blinking rapidly as he had realised what he had done.

With a mumbled curse, he turned sauntering back down the hall, slamming his bedroom door shut with a bang. Daisy remained motionless for a moment before she dragged herself to her feet assessing the damage. Little pieces of glass had cut into her skin, some even embedded in her leg.

Exhaling sharply Daisy forced herself to fetch the first aid kit, spending the next ten minutes meticulously picking glass from her shin, tears ruining her makeup as she moved. She laughed a teary laugh, something that sounded like a sob as she wrapped a bandage around her leg, first her left, then her right.

Dressing up as a mummy had never been easy. Daisy figured perhaps this was supposed to happen, blaming herself had always been easier than blaming him. It had always been that way.

[ Amerie's House, Spencer White ]

"DAISY?" Spider had spent the night in the corner of the party, avoiding the attention his best friend Ant gathered with ease. It wasn't like Spider to hide from attention but he was conflicted, distracted. Something about Daisy Coopers had changed him, she invaded his thoughts whenever she could. He found himself checking his phone obsessively, waiting for a reply that never came.

When he watched her stalk into the lounge room, with a drunken smile on her face, he had been furious. How could she act so normal when her absence was eating him alive. Narrowing his eyes, he quickly held a grip on her waist when she stumbled into him. "What are you.." He trialled off, admiring the costume she had shown up with. She wore a tight white dress, something he hadn't seen her wear before, bandages across her limbs wrapped nearly. Her makeup was light but seemed to be even lighter when he noticed the tear streaks down her cheeks.

"You've been crying?" Daisy said nothing as she pushed past him, downing the first drink she could get her hands on. Swivelling back to face him, she leaned heavily against the wall, wearing an expression almost like a pout watching as he examined her.

"It's none of your business." Her words were soft and slurred, eyes half lidded as she looked him over once, "Are you enjoying yourself?" Spider's eyes hadn't left her once since she entered and it seemed even in her state she noticed.

"I texted you." He muttered brushing her words aside, he stepped closer watching her sway, "A few times actually." He stated matter of factly, blocking out the party noise around them.

"Really?" She seemed to taunt, tilting her head upward to look at him as a partygoer behind him knocked him forward slightly, "I didn't notice." Daisy crouched to tug open an esky on the floor, searching for a drink in the sea of ice.

"Take mine." Spider helped her to her feet, sliding his own red cup into her hand, "It's still cold." She swirled the cup in her fingertips before bringing it to her lips. Taking a small sip she grimacing shoving the cup back into her hand as she pulled away from him.

"Trying to sober me up, Spencer." Something about his name on her lips made him smile as he dropped his cup onto a nearby bench. "You're pathetic." She hissed finally retrieving a cruiser from the bench, twisting it open with her palm.

"I didn't know you were a mean drunk, Coopers."
He grinned, moving back in front of her, her back pressing against the wall, "It doesn't suit you." His hand brushed over her cheek before his fingers ran over her lips and her cheeks heated.

"Anything suits me." She whispered, as his fingers rested on her bottom lip a second longer. Daisy leaned up enough to brush her lips against his before the action sent a jolt of pain across her skin and she winced falling back against the wall.

"Did I hurt you?" Spider's eyes widened as he held her waist tenderly, examining her face before moving on the rest of her frame. Her eyes watered when he got to her legs and he paused, one hand still clamped on her waist as he examined the bandages, "Daisy." He whispered, his frame taunt, "This isn't real blood, is it?" He questioned, rather horrified as he lifted the bandages slightly.

"Spencer I want to go home." His eyes returned to her face in time she watch her lip quiver then her mask to crack and tears begun slipping from her eyes, "But I can't," She hiccuped, "I'm scared— scared." More warm tears streamed down her face until Spider was leading her out of the party, his hand flush against her back.

"Daisy, what are you talking about?" He cupped her cheeks, the sobs only worsening until he was practically holding her up, a hand on her waist as he continued to lead her away from Amerie's, "What's wrong baby." He could hardly get a word out of her as she clung to him like her life depended on it, allowing him to lead her to his car and into the passenger seat.

"Just keeping breathing." He coaxed from the drivers side, the car roaring to life, "Deep breathes Daisy, in and out." He gestured and slowly she had calmed down enough to speak, desperately wiping tears from her cheeks.

"I don't want to be a burden but I can't go home tonight." She whispered softly, Spider's fingers crossing over the gear stick to interlock with hers, "Can you take me to Cash's, please." Her lip quivered again and he squeezed her hand before replying.

"My mum isn't home, I can take you to mine." He hesitated, "If that's what you want," She nodded as Spider slid the car into gear leaning the party behind them.