Different

17

ABUSE WARNING!
      James and I turned as we heard someone yell hey. It was Billy's fucking friends. I rolled my eyes and told James he could get in the car he nodded and sat in his car. I walked over to Billy and his friends. Billy leaned against his car, smoking a cigarette, looking at the ground.
   "What do you want?" I said coldly with my arms crossed. Matt got closer to me.
  "Ya know your one to talk about Billy using you. You already have a new boyfriend. Wow." Matt snickered.
     "Fuck you Matt. You don't know anything about me." I said and started to walk away.
  "You should feel lucky Billy even wanted to fuck you!" Matt called after me.
    I whipped my head back to them and strutted my way over. When I was in Matt's face, close enough to see his sprouting bruise from Jonathan, I punched him. As his head flew to the side from the impact I heard his friends gasp in awe. Billy and all of his friends were now looking at me. Matt turned back to me laughing enraged. He quickly gripped my shirt by the collar and lift me pushing me against a car. I didn't cower or whimper I kept a straight face and looked him in the eye.
   "Do it." I said through gritted teeth. "I fucking dare you!" I said.  Matt seemed to contemplate hitting me and then Billy spoke up.
  "Matt! Put her down. Let's go." Billy said throwing his cigarette and walking to open his car door.
  Matt put me down and whispered to me.
"Your a lucky bitch. Next time no one will be here to save you." Matt winked and walked away.
   I flipped him off as he got into the car. I walked over to James's car and got in. I sighed and tossed my bag in the back. He starred at me for a moment.
  "Are you okay?" He asked worried.
      "Yeah I'm fine." I smiled to him. He smiled back and started up the car.
   He drove me to my house at a normal speed which I wasn't used to after driving with Billy so often. We had pleasant conversation while he drove. He was funny and very polite. As we pulled up to my house I reached in the back of the car to get my bag.
   "Thank you so much." I said opening my door.
       "Could I drive you tomorrow?" He asked with his adorable smile. I blushed slightly.
   "That'd be great. Thank you so much. I'll see you tomorrow." I smiled and walked to my door.
   He waited for me to get inside before driving away. I smiled to myself. After I closed the front door and turned around I was embraced by my father. It caught me off guard and I took a second to react. He didn't smell like alcohol, so I hugged him back.
   "Oh my god Dani. I'm so fucking sorry." He said into my hair as he squeezed me.
        "For what?" I said.
"For assuming the worse when you were in your room with that boy, and breaking your mirror. I'm so so sorry." He said holding me by my shoulders and looking in my eyes. I gave him a fake pity smile.
    "Dad, I..I.. my car got stolen." I blurted out.
"What! Are you hurt! Who was it?" He asked frantically.
   "It was at school and I already called the police and they said they'd take care of it." I said calmly.
   "At least your not hurt." He said stroking my hair.
   He smiled at me and I told him I had to go do my homework. I went into my room and found a new mirror on the back of my door. I sat on my bed and ran my hands through my hair. I then realized that most of my clothes were in Billy's car still. I sighed and took out my Romeo and Juliet script. I highlighted all of my lines. I read over them and my mind started to drift off. I thought about James and how sweet he was. Then I thought about Billy and how he was such a douche. He used me and made me feel so vulnerable. I hated it. Soon enough my dad knocked on my door and told me dinner was ready. We sat at our kitchen table and ate silently. My dad drink three beers and I stayed quiet and observed. When we finished eating I did the dishes as my dad sat in his recliner and drank 5 more beers. Soon enough he had downed 16 beers. I tried to quietly make my way back to my room but my dad saw me in the hallway and called me over. My body stiffened as he slurred my name.
"Dan*ugh*Danie*burp*lla!" He called for me.
I turned on my heel and walked to him.
"Yes?" I said politely.
"Why the fuck do you always have to cause so much trouble? Huh? Getting your goddamn car stolen?! What the fuck! You don't deserve to be able to drive." My dad roared as he got up from his chair. I took a step back.
"It wasn't my fault-" I said.
"To hell it wasn't your fault! You stupid bitch!" He yelled stalking towards me. I backed up and tripped over my own feet nervously.
"You were never this much trouble when your mother was around!" He said towering over me.
"Well I was 9 when she died, I didn't do much." I said nervously.
"And now that she's gone I have to deal with your shit!" He yelled. I was still on the ground.
"You don't have to deal with me I don't want to make your life a burde-" I said.
"What the fuck does that mean?! You think you can make it seem like I don't care about you?! You really are a fucking slutty bitch!" He slurred.
"No I swear I don't do anything wrong!" I said raising my voice out of fear.
"Who do you think your talking to like that! Fuck!" My dad yelled over me stomping his foot, which still had a boot on, onto my foot twisting it the wrong way.
I screamed in pain. I cried out and gripped my leg. My dad seemed to sober up instantly.
"Oh my god Daniella! It's okay Daddy's got you." He said pick up my screaming crying body.
He walked me out the front door and put me into his car. He drove us to the hospital and carried me through the emergency room waiting room. Thanks to Hawkins for being such a sleepy little town because we were taken back instantly. I clutched my leg and cried in pain. They took my X-rays and told us my ankle was broken. They put a cast on it and gave me medicine for the pain. We left the hospital and the whole way home my father apologized and told me about how he was done with drinking. When we got home I limped into my room and took the pain medication. My dad said good night and I laid there thinking. If only my dad was really sorry. If only I had run away with Billy when I had the chance. If only my mom never had to go to work.
If only...
If only...