Scars & Secrets.

"Don't be a doofus!" [06]

Daniel gaped at me for a few seconds, unable to comprehend me saying such a thing. “Did you just say-?” His mouth was slightly agape in shock, and his eyes were widened in astonishment.

“I did.”

His mouth fell open just that little bit more, and I couldn’t help but snort at how cute it made him look. And when I realised I snorted, my face went bright red in humiliation.

“That was cute!”

Daniel exclaimed with a perplexed smirk, and if possible my face grew even redder.

“Anyway...”

He easily strayed away from the ongoing subject, and back onto the matter at hand. “Um, right. Well I guess the best way to tackle this is for you to ask questions?” I replied, twiddling a piece of my golden-blonde hair between my fingers feeling quite nervous.

“Don’t be nervous ok?” Daniel grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly. “Getting it off your chest will help you...” He said comfortingly, and I smiled half-heartedly. “Ok, well fire away.” I sighed, taking a deep breath in.

“Did he start abusing you the moment you started going out?” He asked, and I shook my head.

“It started about 6 months in... By then I was too in love with him to leave him. He needed my help; something had clearly been bothering him to act in such a way.” I said seriously.

“What does he... Do to you? Is it sexual abuse or just domestic...?” He asked awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck clearly feeling weird for asking such a thing.

“Um... Mainly domestic. He sexually abused me at the beginning... But he err; he stopped when I had to go to the doctors. They told me I um, had cystitis from abnormally forceful sex; and they looked pretty suspicious.” I told him, and he raised an eyebrow.

“What does he usually do?” He asked.

“Punches, pulling hair, smashes me into walls and doors and whatever he can find, kicking, and scratching. But he only does it in places where people won’t see; so I guess he’s considerate.”

Daniel looked appalled at the last sentence.

“Considerate?” His voice was lacing with venom.

“Considerate?!” He repeated angrier; and my heart started to race fearfully.

“How is that son of a bitch considerate?! He beats you when you’re nothing but nice to him. You think he’s considerate?! Are you blind?!” He shouted blindly, and I whimpered away from him. Suddenly realising my fear, guilt swarmed his features.

“I’m sorry Ebony. I didn’t mean to lose my temper; I seldom do. It’s just when I see pigs like him hurting amazing girls like you; it makes me wonder what’s happened to civilisation.” He sighed. I scooted closer to him again.

“Amazing?” I smirked, and he chuckled dryly.

“Don’t let it get to your head.” He patted my head patronizingly, and I groaned in response before rolling my eyes. “So...” I stated awkwardly; and he cleared his throat.

“Do you... Do you love him?”

My breath caught in my throat at his question. Shaun... I’d been with him for 2 years. I’d been nothing but faithful and kind to him even though at some points he had treated me atrociously. I had stopped talking to people for him.

I gave up the majority of my social life.

Was that love? Or was that in fear? I can’t remember feeling a difference between those two emotions; which wasn’t good. Fear and love were not something to be mixed. I always assumed I loved him because I know I did... Once. I remember when we first told each other we loved each other; things gradually went downhill from there.

“Eb?” Daniel’s voice snapped me out of my inner-mind monologue; and he looked at me expectantly. I opened my mouth to answer, but the word ‘yes’ just wouldn’t leave. I closed my mouth again and felt my cheeks tinged pink. I settled for a nod, and he frowned.

“You couldn’t just say yes?” He asked raising an eyebrow suspiciously.

“N-no.”

“No you don’t love him?”

I gasped.

“I meant I couldn’t just say yes!”

“And why’s that?” He asked smirking slightly at my discomfort.

“Don’t be a doofus!”

Daniel stared at me for a minute; before bursting into loud hoots of laughter; which he made sound so damn sexy I could’ve gobbled him up at that moment.

Wait... No. Not gobble him up. I meant be awed.

“D-did y-you just c-call me a d-doofus?!” He stammered from laughing so hard, and tears seeped down his face which was now tinting red from lack of oxygen. I quickly pulled out my phone and snapped a picture; and he immediately stopped laughing.

“Did you just take a picture of me?” He asked. I nodded with a sly grin. “Show me.” My eyes widened and I jumped up. “You’ll delete it!” I exclaimed childishly.

“I will use force if you don’t give it to me.” I stared at him for a moment, before suddenly sprinting out of the room as if my life depended on it. I started to laugh wildly as I heard his footsteps behind me. “Eb... Let me see that picture!”

I quite like it when he calls me Eb.

“Never!” I shouted back, before jumping in to the closest room. I stopped immediately as I noticed it. It was a nursery... Daniel’s breath caught in his throat when he realised which room we were in, and I turned to face him.

“Daniel?” I asked gently; curiosity eating me up inside.

“Do you have a family?” I asked, guilt swarming me. His eyes held pain, and I had my answer.

“Oh God you do.” I clasped a hand over my mouth and dashed to his bedroom once more; rummaging through my things for a dress.

I remembered I’d chucked it off in the bathroom. Before I had a chance to get in there; Daniel had grabbed my wrist and spun me round, facing me. “You weren’t meant to see that.” His voice was strained; he obviously knew he’d been caught. “What so you can sleep with me then never see me again?!” I shouted angrily; trying to wiggle out of his grip.

“Here me out Ebony-”

“Shut up.” I hissed, but he pulled me into him.

“Stop making assumptions.” He replied agitatedly.

“Oh I’m sorry, did I not just walk into a nursery?” I replied sarcastically.

“JUST LISTEN!” He boomed, and I immediately shut my mouth. The sadness in his eyes was overwhelming; it made me feel guilty. He sat on his bed, and indicated for me to sit too. I reluctantly did so.

“I won’t lie Eb... That nursery isn’t just for show. It was made for a baby in mind.” I grew angry. “And that nursery homed a baby; my baby, which my wife bore.” Then, he bowed his head.

“But I don’t have a family now.” He told me abruptly; his voice cracking; and I watched as his heart broke and his coolness shattered. The first tear rolled down his cheek.

“Daniel... What happened?”

“They were on the bus home from the doctors... I told them to let my driver come and pick them up but Lindsay- that was my wife; disagreed and said she wasn’t one for fancy travel. So her and my 1 year old son boarded the bus.” He gulped, and I grasped his hand for comfort.

“But a drunk driver... He- he crashed into the side; right beside where they were standing. The doctors said they both died instantaneously. They were the only two to die in the whole crash...”

My breath caught in my throat; realising the agony he must have been through. He’d had a child, a wife, he was happy and in love with a glorious house.

But it was so ruthlessly taken away from him.

“You see now Ebony? I am a single man. I did have a family... But I was widowed; and my son was taken too.”