Tattered Beauty (Watty Awards 2011)

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

            That fucking bastard! Who the hell did he think he was, cheating on me with some plastic whore? I was a hundred times better and not one part of my body was fake. Stupid New York City playboys; they thought they could get away with everything. Daniel thought he could screw me over just because he had all the money in the world—well he was dead wrong.

            On my way home I stopped at the gas station to buy a case of donuts and a case of beer. The cashier didn’t even try to make pleasant small talk with me. Judging by the makeup running down my face and the things I was buying I was not having a goodnight, and he didn’t want to get involved. I was digging through my purse for a ten and couldn’t find one. I was getting extremely frustrated; why did I carry around such a big ass purse all the time?! It was impossible to find anything. The cashier spoke up, “Hey, it’s on me.”

            “Are you sure?” I sniffled. “I’m sorry…it’s just been a really rough night and—”

            He had big brown eyes and he looked so sympathetic, “Whoever made such a pretty girl like you cry deserves to have his ass kicked. Ten bucks is no skin off my nose. Now, I want you to go home, eat your donuts and drink your beer. Feel better.”

            Sometimes people were so kind it was heart wrenching. “Thank you, sir. You’re too nice to me, but thank you very much.” I wanted to reach over the counter and hug him, but I had a reservation for one at my house slash bar. Time to party.

            When I arrived home I sat down and cried for awhile. I stuffed donuts into my mouth which mixed with my tears making for a very salty treat. Once my gut wrenching sobs had been replaced with silent tears falling down my cheeks, I popped the bottle cap off of my first beer. Before I knew it, I was popping the cap off of the sixth and last beer in the case.

            I turned on the stereo in the living room to a popular radio station. I snatched a bottle of wine from Lily’s private stash—something I might get scolded for later—and sang along between gulps. I’m sure it was a hilarious sight: me dancing around in my pajamas, chugging wine, empty bottles of beer scattered on the floor, singing along to the radio. The one rap song I tried to sing along to didn’t work out; the wine was slurring my words together until it sounded like one big mess. I was one big hot mess.

            MC Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This” started up. The song was at least fifteen years old, but my friend’s parent’s had an obsession with eighties songs and I learned all about rock n’ roll while staying at their house. My parents were more into the Christian rock era. Anyway, I knew every word. I played air guitar on my nearly-empty bottle of wine when I happened to look over at the open window—there was a guy standing there.

            I stumbled over to the front door and threw it open. “Who’s there?” I called out.

            Daniel, his shirt badly stained with red wine, lumbered up the steps to the door. “Hey,” He moved to hug me.

            I swung at him, missing. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I slurred badly. “You said you didn’t want me anymore…”

            “Well…I thought about what you said. You were right. Angel was a gold digging airhead. I didn’t know what I was—Woah, there! Are you okay?”

            I barfed all over his Italian leather shoes. “Don’t…feel…so good.” I was so dizzy, the room was spinning.

            “Let me help you…” He wrapped his arms around me into a big hug meant to steady me. I shouted at him, punching him in the chest and arms until I ran out of steam, accepted him, and cried my eyes out into his shirt. “Hailey?” was the last thing I heard, when my legs buckled beneath me and the world went black.

***

I woke up slightly conscious on the bathroom floor, where Daniel was leaning against the porcelain bathtub, holding me against him. He jerked awake as I unattractively vomited into the toilet a foot away. Daniel brushed the hair away from my face and rubbed my back as vomit was rushed out of my body with such force it hurt my face. “It’s okay. I’m here, darling.” He whispered in a soft, velvet voice.

            I fell back against him with a thud. I was able to see the world a little more clearly now that I had sobered up a little. “Daniel, why did you do that to me?”

            “She was one of my ex girlfriends; we dated for a month—if that. I don’t know, I just felt sort of rejected by you, from your behavior last night and the next morning. I thought you were maybe going off to meet another guy. And I guess I was kind of trying to make you jealous.” He explained. “Angel and I were never very serious anyway. It was more of a sex thing.”

            “How come you refused me last night?” I asked him quietly.

            Daniel yawned loudly. “I really like you, Hailey. Like, really like you. I don’t want to make any mistakes and move to fast with you. I promise I’ll never do anything like that again—I just need to know that you’re here with me for however long this thing we have lasts.”

            “I am, I am.” I promised. “Never lie to me again, okay?”

            “Cross my heart on my grandmother’s grave. Don’t you go lying to me either, alright?”

            “Okay.” I nodded. “Daniel…wait. I need to tell you something.” It was time to tell him my secret. This wasn’t my real house and I wasn’t really all-that. I belonged on the streets and was only here on the good graces of my Aunt.

            “Right, right. In the morning…”

            “No, now. It can’t wait!”

            But his head had already slumped down into a deep slumber. I had no choice but to snuggle under his arm and put myself back to bed as well. Maybe tomorrow would be the day to tell the truth.