SUNGLASSES

Chapter Four

Because Emma went shopping with her little cheerleader friends, I had to walk home. It wasn't too bad, though, because I had plenty of time to think of Daniel.

Yes, he was hot.

Yes, he was annoying.

No, I didn't like him in any way.

But I may or may not be a little excited to see him at school on Monday.

Unfortunately, I was going to see him a lot sooner than that.

I trudged up the driveway, around Joe's car, and started to open the--

Wait.

Joe's car was never in the driveway this early.

Oh balls.

I slowly opened the door and crept into the house, hoping Joe wasn't actually there. But what really threw me off guard was the fact that there was nothing in the house.

It was empty.

The whole place was vacant--no furniture, the shelves were wiped clean, there was nothing in the refrigerator. I ran up the stairs and looked in my room.

Nothing but a bed.

"What's happening?" I whispered to myself, turning back and walking down the steps. Suddenly, I heard an all-too-familiar bark.

"THERE YOU ARE!"

I stopped dead in my tracks as Joe came bounding down the steps after me. He grabbed me by my throat and slammed me against the wall.

"WHERE IS EVERYTHING?! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH IT?!"

"I didn't do anything with it!" I started to shake violently in his grasp.

"YES YOU DID! WHERE IS IT?"

"I had nothing to do with this, I swear to God! I'm just as confused as you are!"

He threw me onto the ground and kicked me multiple times. He then got down and punched me so many times I lost count. Every now and then he would yell for information, but I didn't have any, so he would punch and kick me more. At one point, he stood up, and I thought he was done.

I was wrong.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pocket-knife.

"I've been waiting to use this on you, and now I have nothing to lose."

He brought it down to my face and cut an intricate gash down the side of my head. I started to scream, but he put his hand over my mouth. He did the same to the other side of my head, then to my stomach and around my wrists.

"That'll teach you to take my stuff, won't it, baby girl?" I shuddered at the new nickname.
"Don't move--I'm gonna get more beer from my hidden stash. Betcha didn't find any as you robbed me, huh?" He walked away chuckling, and I knew I had to make a run for it. I slowly began to sit up, feeling my whole body ache and burst with pain, and when Joe was out of sight, I launched myself off the floor and ran out the door.

I was down the street when I heard barreling footsteps after me. "HEY--GET BACK HERE!"

I ran around the corner and down the next street, already feeling out of breath. I heard the footsteps getting closer, and I tried to run faster. I sped down towards a back alley, where a tall, slim figure stood smoking.

Oh balls AGAIN.

"Hey, sunglasses, what are you doing here this late a--"

"Out of my way!" I pushed past him, and he hit the brick wall.

"Where you going?"

He got his answer as Joe raced right after me, shouting obscenities and spitting everywhere.

I reached the end of the alleyway, but it was too late. Joe tackled me and pinned me to the ground, throwing punches anywhere he could see. I tried to push him off, but he punched me square between the eyes, and my head slammed against the hard pavement.

I gave up then, just lying limp as he continually punched and kicked me. I just let the air wash over my body, and--

Where was Joe?

I soon realized that Joe was no longer on top of me, and that silence filled the air. I opened my eyes slightly and saw that Joe was on the ground, bloody and unconscious, and that someone was repeatedly punching him.

"Daniel?"

He stopped abruptly and looked over at me.

"Oh my God." He ran over and kneeled down to look at me. "What the hell just happened?"

"Uncle gone crazy."

I tried to sit up, but saw stars everywhere, and pain was surging through my entire body. I fell back into the ground, moaning.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't move, sunglasses. I'll get you out of this, it'll be okay."

I felt his arms under my knees and shoulders as he lifted me off the ground. He carried me away from the alley and away from my unconscious uncle. The rhythm of Daniel's footsteps across the ground relaxed me, and I fell asleep in the arms of Daniel Weiss.