SUCKERS ;; DANIEL ATLAS (NYSM)

[10] HAPPY

third person perspective

Lula was more frustrated than she had ever been before. Angel wanted to stay away from the house, preventing Lula from seeing her as often. Jack would barely even talk to her, and when he did speak to her he would make up a excuse to leave. Merritt didn't seem to care and neither did Dylan. It seemed as if she had no one. Angel was the only person who loved Lula (or at least that's what Lula assumed) and she felt as if she couldn't live without Angel. So one morning, while Danny was sitting on the couch and reading the news paper, she walked up to him. She knew deep down in her heart that she said the words, she meant them.

"I quit." he looked up at her and tilted his head.

"What?"

"I. Quit."

"...You quit what?"

"...I quit being a Horsemen. I'm leaving the group." his eyes widened. He put the paper aside before standing.

"You can't just leave like that."

"Yeah. Well. I'm going to. I want to be with Angel more than anything and clearly while I'm in this group I can't do that. Not to mention I'm tired of your bullshit and you don't need me. It's not worth it anymore..." they both stayed silent as she began to tear up. "And everything's...Everything's gonna go back to how it was before. Because that's what you want right? Before I was a Horsemen." she started to slowly shake her head. "I just wanted to let you know before I go." he tilted his head.

"Seriously?"

"Yes. Seriously. I'm seriously leaving. Right now actually."

"And what do you know what is gonna happen? Don't you know you're just going to come right back crying and saying how I was right?"

"You know what? Yes. Yes I do know what's going to happen. I'm gonna go back to being alone and struggling to make money and I'm gonna go back to being heartbroken because you know what? It's way less stressful...Than dealing with you--"

"You won't be heartbroken." he interrupted, his eyes closed as he folded his arms. "You'll have Angel...You'll never feel heart broken as long as you have Angel." Lula started to shake as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Yeah well, you know what? I really don't know what's going to happen with Angel and I. With all this pressure that's being put on her I feel like she's just gonna walk away all together. Thanks to you...You just couldn't let her be happy with someone else. Could you?" he shook his head.

"...No. No I couldn't."

"...And why is that hmm? Would you...Would you care to explain?" she laughed in disgust again. "Because you're a selfish son-of-a-bitch who has to have everything he wants." he shook his head.

"No. No I couldn't let her be happy with someone else, because she's not supposed to be happy with someone else. She's supposed to be happy with me."

"Danny that's not love that's obsession."

"And...A-and who are you to judge me? Hmm? You're the one who stole her from me. Not to mention you're the one who hit her."

"I didn't steal Angel away from you. And that was a accident, a-accident you can't use against me. That's not fair."

"What's not fair is that you still think you can have her. After all of this, you still think you deserve her. You went after her only because you knew I wanted her. If anything you should leave her to me."

"Danny I went after her because I love her." she kept shaking her head. "And I know I really, really messed up the other day but if leaving this group and forgetting that you exist will let me be with her, don't think I won't do it." Danny stayed silent. He wasn't sure of what to say or do, how he could make her feel better or if he should even make her feel better at all. He knew that the better thing to do was to talk her into staying. Danny knew that Jack loved Lula. Yet as he didn't say anything at all, Lula kept shaking her head. "I hope your happy. Now that you've finally gotten rid of me..." he looked at her, revolted by how guilty she made him feel. Yet he still couldn't say anything.

"I'll be back later to go get my stuff." she turned and started to walk towards the door. At this moment, he finally spoke up.

"You have three days to change your mind. If not, you won't ever be allowed back in this house." Lula looked back at him slowly. She nodded. As she walked away, Danny stared to think more deeply into the situation.

She could've said all of this to any of them. If not, she could've done it in front of all of them at once. So why did she only say it to Danny? Why did she only announce that she was leaving to Danny and why didn't she tell anyone else? Danny's eyes widened.

Lula didn't try to punch Danny because she was upset. It was because Angel still had feelings for him. And Lula knew.