Save Me From Myself

To Tell or Not To Tell: Part 2

 Author warning! This chapter contains touchy subjects such as; mentions of suicide, drug/alcohol abuse, death, and multiple forms of assault.

Reader discretion advised. Do not read if the subjects listed above are triggers or make you uncomfortable.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  I walk past the bathroom stalls to the showers in the back. Finn and Taylor follow close behind me. All three of us silent. Bearly even breathing.

  I step into the shower, they sit on the ground right out side. Backs against the tile separaters. I close the curtain. Strip off my pajamas and hand them out the curtain. Leaving my bra and underwear on. Who cares if they get wet.

  Turning the hot water on I let it wash over my face and back for a minute. Clearing my mind, easing away my nerves. Finally when I'm ready, I take my place on the floor next to the curtain. Letting the water hit me and the floor around me.

  "Can you hear me ok?" I ask them in my normal volume voice.

  "Yup. Can hear you just fine." Finn
  "Crystal" Taylor

  "If you have any questions or want me to clarify a point feel free to ask." No response but I think they've got the idea.

  "I guess I should start by saying my name is really Daniella. But no one around here, besides you guys now, knows this. I'd like to keep it that way please. I go by Dani because it helps distance myself from my past and lets me take back some control."

  "I'm originally from Southern Florida. Like a tiny town all the way at the bottom border. I came to Wooddrey because it was the farthest away I could be. Only one person from back home knows I'm here. My cousin Cole. He's been my best friend since we were babies. He's the only reason I'm still alive to tell you this story."

  "Um question. What if someone gets the information out of Cole that you're here?" Taylor asks.

  "I trust he won't give up where I am. He'd rather die than tell anyone from back home where I am."

"Oh so it's that bad." Finn states out loud.

  "It is. When I was 9 my father died. He was a police officer. Killed on duty. My mother became very depressed after that. Turned to drugs and alcohol to cope. She eventually od'ed on heroine, in an alley, somewhere in Dallas. My grandpa took me in after that. Hes a sweet man. Cared for me unconditionally. After moving in with my grandpa, life was good. I got past my parents deaths and was able to live normally."

  "We moved from Dallas to Florida my 5th grade year. He wanted to give me a fresh start. That's when Coles mother died of breast cancer. His dad was never around so my grandpa took him in too. Cared for him unconditionally. We're the same age so we were in the same grades together. Helped having him around in a new place."

  "Freshman year of high school I met Dylan. He was sweet. Didn't judge my past or Coles. Helped my grandpa with things around the house. Celebrated birthdays, thanksgiving, and christmas with us every year. Told me he loved me."

  "Things started to change Junior year. He started gaining popularity and attention from everyone. Slowly he became not so nice. It was little things at first. Random bouts of anger, yelling because I put things in the wrong spots, but always apologized with an 'I love you'"

  "Then it escalated. Slapping me accross the face for talking to another guy, even just a simple hello-" I heard someone punch the ground but didn't know who "-pulling me by the hair to get me to follow him, yanking on my face to make me look at him. But again there was always the apology and I love yous."