A Ship Without Sails

Chapter 28

In fifteen minutes, Shayna was at the field. She didn't see Kurt or Blake.

"Shaye! There you are!" Blake's voice said from behind her. She turned and smiled. "Sorry, it takes forever to get around on these things!"

A frown crossed Blake's face. "I'm so sorry, I should have thought of that."

"Don't worry. It's Kurt who called me out, anyway." Shayna looked around. "Where is he, anyway?"

"I'm right here," Kurt panted. "I had to talk to the coach about pitching. Can we... talk alone?"

Shayna looked at Blake, who nodded. She walked with Kurt to the parking lot. "What's so important that we need to talk?" she asked. Kurt dragged his fingers through his hair and said roughly, "You're with Blake now."

"I am. So? It's not like you care," Shayna said bitterly.

"Do you even like him?" Kurt continued, ignoring her. Without giving Shayna a chance to reply, he said, "Would you cry in front of him? Would you defend him in court? Would you always have feelings for him, no matter what? That's what we have, Shayna. I can't let that go."

Shayna stood in silence. After a while, she said, "Of course I still have feelings for you."

"Are you serious? That's so pathetic!"

Shayna whipped around to face who had spoken. "Daisy!" she gasped.

Her older sister was flanked by a pack of her friends. They towered over Shayna. Daisy's green eyes had fire in them. "You broke up with him! Get over it already."

"You didn't let me finish," Shayna protested. "I'm dating Blake again!"

"Oh?" Daisy smirked. "How would he feel if he knew you were cheating on him?"

Then something inside of Shayna told her Daisy was not kidding around. She wanted Kurt so badly, she would ruin her own sister's life for him. No matter what, she would come out on top.

"If you mess with my life, I'll seriously kill you!" Shayna exploded. Daisy took a step back, almost bumping into one of her friends. "Chill out," she retorted, though she seemed unnerved. "Kids shouldn't stay out too late. It's dark out."

"You're like a year older. Besides, Blake and Kurt are with me. Why don't you go home? Since Mom and Dad are babying you so much." Shayna felt her cheeks, pale from the cold, growing warmer. Kurt put his hand on her shoulder and said, "Shayna, let's go. I'll walk you home."

"Blake's walking me home," Shayna argued. "Because he's my boyfriend. Not you." She dared to look him straight in the eye, then spun around to meet Blake.

"Why is Daisy hanging out with them? Like, half of them are suspended from school or graduated already," Blake asked. Shayna didn't reply; she was too fired up about the way Daisy treated her and Kurt questioning her decisions. Why can't he see that I'm confused about all this, too?

"Let's beat her home," Blake said. Shayna nodded stiffly and leaned on her one crutch. As they walked to Shayna's house, she wondered if she had been too hard on Daisy. Then she thought how her relationship with Blake would be destroyed again if Daisy hadn't gotten the message. She knew it was a selfish, childish outburst. With each step, guilt weighed on Shayna's feet. By the time she was home, she was ready to break down.

"Shayna, you're home! You haven't seen Daisy, have you?" Mrs. Blackburn greeted Shayna as she stepped in. Shayna murmured, "Not really," and hobbled up to her room. "Be down for dinner soon!" Mr. Blackburn called after her.

Shayna tossed her crutch to the floor and sat down in her desk chair, feeling utterly defeated. Her life was currently a mess, and she wondered if it would ever be fixed. I have just less than two years till college, she thought, and what happens after that? Can I just leave Mom and Dad like that?

Downstairs, the front door slammed shut. A horn honked twice, then there was the vibrating sounds of a sports car going too fast down the small side street.

"Daisy! You're late." Shayna could imagine her parents standing together at the doorstep, arms crossed. She shuffled out of her room, hoping her cast wouldn't make too much noise. She poked her head down the stairs in time to see Daisy walk towards their parents. It was a shock to see her.

Daisy's wavy blonde hair was greasy, and tangled into small curls at the bottom. Her usually spotless clothes were filthy, covered in dirt and grime. She smelled of cigarettes.

"Young lady, where have you been? And look at yourself, you're disgusting!" Mr. Blackburn exclaimed.

"Why do you even care? You can't just suddenly act like parents now, not after being such babies after Kerry died. God, I swear, if it was me who died, you would have been fine."

Shayna's parents were stunned into silence.

Shayna wanted to jump to their defense, but couldn't. Daisy was right-- they hadn't taken care of the sisters while they were buried in grief. Stretching her neck out a little further, she saw that the shutters were reopened and all of the lights were on. It was as if her parents had finally snapped out of being sad and could resume their normal lives again.

"Daisy, don't be silly. Go wash up. Be down for dinner in fifteen minutes," Mr. Blackburn ordered. Daisy, who was almost as tall as him, held his glare for a few seconds longer, then turned to walk up the stairs. Shayna flew back to her room and closed the door halfway. Daisy stomped past, then slammed her own bedroom door. Shayna slunk out of her room and went downstairs. Her parents were standing at the doorway like statues.

"Mom, Dad? Need any help with dinner?" Shayna asked softly.

Mrs. Blackburn turned and seemed surprised to see her there. "Oh? No, we're fine. We'll be eating in fifteen minutes, hang out until then."

"Alright," Shayna replied, easing her way back up the stairs. She cast one glance over her shoulder and was relieved to see her parents going back into the kitchen to finish cooking and continuing their evening activities. They were alright. And after a while, Daisy and I will be, too, Shayna promised herself.