Disconnected

Chapter Twenty-Two

Daniella

Rapid, yet alarmingly vivid, images of a very angry man with a large knife flash through my head, causing me to sit up with fear.

A tiny squeak of a noise exits my mouth as I attempt to scream after waking from the apparent nightmare.

I have only been awake moments, yet my head pounds as if it is being smashed by a large hammer repeatedly.

"Daniella, lay back down." Michael presses lightly on my shoulders until I am on my back again. "It's okay."

I look over at the others. The three of them sit across from me, starting at me as if I am an animal at the zoo about to perform a trick for them.

I try to sit myself up so I can see them better but Michael stops me. "Daniella, please. Lay back down."

"My whole body hurts." I admit as I try to move my arm and squeak out in pain.

Something is wrong with my voice. I can hardly speak without sounding like I have a cold or pain shooting through my throat. I sound like a mouse.

"I know." Michael replies, playing with my hair. "You are safe now."

Those words are very familiar. He has said them to me recently. I have this weird sense of deja vu as he speaks.

I open my eyes and look over at the boys sitting across from me. "Why is everyone looking at me?" They cringe as I speak.

My voice.

"Well- we- um-" Ashton stutters, in search of words.

"Um, I'm" Calum plays with his hair.

"I broke up with Abby." Luke admits, being the first one to be able to fully form a sentence.

"What? Why?" I sit up in confusion. Michael pulls me back down softly. He does not want me to sit up for some reason.

"Because she- well, she did this to you." Luke shrugs. "Plus, I'm pretty sure she cheated. I was avoiding the reality. But it all kind of blew up last night."

"Ow." I hold my head. My head really hurts. When Luke spoke, I could feel it pounding harder.

"Maybe I should call the doctor. Just to be safe." Ashton stands out of his seat.

"No. I said no doctors. No police. No doctors. No anybody. That is final." Michael demands.

I attempt to sit up again but everyone lunges towards me shouting, "Daniella no!"

"You really don't have to break up with her just because I don't like her." I sigh, realizing I am not going to be able to sit up. "I've dealt with more than my fair share of catty women in my life."

"No that's not-" they all exchange looks, wondering what to do next.

"Daniella- you were attacked last night. Do you remember that? Anything?" Michael asks, point blank, upsetting the others. They shout at him.

"Guys." I hold my head to signal the headache. They quiet down and look at me.

"Well, do you?" Michael asks after everyone has settled.

I look around at all of them. "By who?" I ask.

Please don't let it be Michael. Don't let it be any of them. The way they are yelling and looking at each other, I can tell this was serious.

"She doesn't remember. She is blocking it out." Ashton sighs, smacking his hand on his knee. "I took a semester of psychology. It's something the brain does to avoid emotional damage."

"Blocking- what is everyone looking at?!" I shake my head at them as they struggle to take their eyes off of me.

Calum pulls out his phone and hands it to me. The front camera is opened on my face.

I stare at a large gash in my cheek, from one end to the other. Dry, crusted blood sits around the edges of the cut. I trace my finger along it, being careful not to touch it hard enough for it to hurt. What could have made a cut this big on my face, yet I did not know it was there until now?

I move the camera on to my neck and nearly gasp in shock. Bruises cover just about every inch of my neck. A small red circle, resembling a hickey, sits on my right collarbone. What happened to me? I look like I was on the losing side of a gang fight.

I touch the ends of the bruises. He had his fingers here. I can feel them on my neck. His hand around me. I can feel it.

"Oh," Is the only thing I can manage to say after finally seeing what it is they are all staring at. I hand his phone back and wonder what to do next. I need to clean myself. I feel disgusting. I lean myself up on my elbows and watch as they all rush to keep me laying down.

"Please- just let me go take a shower. I just want to take a shower." I beg. I can not just lay here forever. I am going to have to get up off this couch at some point.

The three of them look at Michael. I glance over at him to see his reaction.

He nods and reaches his hand up to help me stand. I grab on to both of his hands and push my legs off of the couch one at a time. They hurt. I am in a lot of pain.

I wobble once on my feet and stare at his whole he tries to help me steady myself.

"I'm good." I pull my hands away from his and walk towards the stairs.

I stub my toe on the first step and fall on to my hands up the stairs.

The four of them raise their voices and rush over towards me.

"I'm fine." I push myself up, my arms shaking underneath me as I place all of my weight on them. "I'm fine." I whisper to myself, as if to prove a point.