Trying to Fix You

Chapter 25 {Cheer-Placement}

Shayla walks into school and sluggishly walks over to her locker. She still wasn't quite awake yet but was soon brought out of her daze when she hears an annoying voice taking over her thoughts.

"Shay!" Suzy, a girl from Shayla's cheer team, shouts from a few feet away before walking up to her and giving her a light fake hug from the side.

She stands there motionless, making a disgusted look as Slutty Suzy hugs her awkwardly. Suzy pulls away without taking notice to her expression and turns to her with a smile. "You're still bringing the music to cheer practice today, right?"

"Yeah, I've got it covered."

"Great!" She responds with a bit too much enthusiasm, causing Shayla to cringe. Suzy was the type of person who was nice to your face but you better watch you back because she was bound to stick a knife in it sooner or later. She was nice to her team mates and the football team but anyone else was fresh meat for Slutty Suzy. She turns and begins walking away but glances over her shoulder. "See you at practice, Shay."

She gives her a fake smile but once she's out of sight she immediately rolls her eyes with irritation. What gave her the right to call her 'Shay'? That was a nickname for best friends only and Slutty Suzy was far from anything resembling a best friend. She grabs some books out of her locker before closing it and heading to class. She starts walking down the hall but is suddenly stopped by the vice principal, Mr. Henderson.

"Ms. Andrews? Could I have a word with you?

~~~

Noah pulls up to Dena's house and turns off the car before turning to look at her her. "Do you want me to come in with you?"

She turns her attention away from her house to give him a small smile. "No, it's okay." 

She reaches for the door handle before taking a deep breath and walking up the short path to her house. She grabs the hide a key from under a nearby flower pot and step into her house, examining the mess her brother has created. He had obviously become too accustomed to her going around and picking up after him. She walks over to the couch and picks up a few of the beer bottles, taking them to the kitchen garbage. 

She walks into the kitchen and shakes her head at the disgusting mess. There were dishes stacked at least three feet above the sink, wrappers and empty cartons covered the counter along with numerous insects. Dena covers her mouth, shocked by how bad things had gotten. She shook her head, realizing that she wouldn't be able to come back here. Things were too out of control, her brother wasn't making an effort to quit drinking and life here wasn't going to get any better. Their parents died in a car wreck when Dena was ten years old, Jake had just turned twenty one and was legally old enough to take full custody of her. He wasn't into drugs or drinking before their parents died but when he had to become a parent at the age of twenty one, he lost control. He didn't know what to do so he began taking any job he could get, even ones that were illegal. He got in with the wrong crowd and soon became the type of person that would do anything for a couple bucks. 

Dena tried to cope with it the best she could when she was younger and even took the abuse he would dish out. He stopped for a while and actually tried to make something out of his life. He got a legit job and worked there for about two years before he got fired. After he got fired, he lost control of everything once again, he went right back to his old ways...and abuse. 

Dena comes back to her present reality and drops the beer bottles in her hands, making them fall to the ground and shatter into a million pieces. She stands there starring off in thought before gaining all of the strength inside her and turning to walk out of the kitchen. She was a strong girl, she knew she was better than the circumstances she was put in. She was not going to let this destroy her future, she was not going to spend her life paying for her brother's mistakes. This was the life he chose but this was not going to be the life she chose.