Misunderstood

Chapter Nine

Three Weeks Ago

“Bye babe,” I whisper for at least the fifth time in the last two minutes. Every time I try to leave she just seems to get sicker and sicker, this had to be more than the common flu. 

“You can go, I’m fine. I’m probably just going to fall asleep,” she whispers, more a mixture of mumbles rather than coherent words and I can’t help but chuckle as she waves her hand for me to leave before rolling over in her bed. I give her another light kiss on her burning forehead and bring the covers up over her body before quietly backing out of the room, her soft breathing evidence that she is already asleep.  

As I walk down the steps I see her parents sitting in the living room, as if they hear me I see both her mother and father turn worriedly towards the stairs. I know they’re worried about their daughter, but she refuses to go to the doctor, it’s been a fear of hers ever since she was little and she had to go get stitches. 

“She’s fine, just sleeping. I’ll be back tomorrow if that’s okay,” I speak quietly even though I know there is no way she can hear me from the second floor. They both nod their head and give me a warm smile and wave as I open the door. 

As I get in behind the steering wheel of my car I think back to that day so long ago that made her fear the doctor more even more than her illogical fear of spiders. Our group of four and Andy, the boy that lived in the same neighborhood as Ashton were all playing out in the streets. Who even knows what we were playing, some game that we invented that seemed to be a cross between baseball and dodgeball. I feel a small smile arise on my face as I think back to those days when Harper and Sahara didn’t mind getting dirty, in fact they loved making mud pies and dancing in the rain. 

Anyways, we were all playing that game we made up and Harper’s mom had just told us to go inside and wash up since our play date was almost over. 

“One more round, mommy,” I remember Harper squealing since it was her turn to try and hit the ball. With a loving smile her mom chuckled but allowed us to continue playing, if only for a few more minutes. I remember playing short stop as Ashton pitched the ball, but something happened. It slipped out of his hand and instead of going towards the plastic bat the hard, little ball went towards the small blonde girl in her ragged denim shorts and black t-shirt. 

I feel as if it happened in slow motion, but of course it didn’t or she would have gotten out of the way in time. I just remember seeing the ball hit her, and her squeal of pain as she fell back onto the grass. All of us seemed to be in shock for a second before running towards her. I dropped to my knees and cradled her face in my lap as I saw the large gash above her head, waiting for her mother to come out and help. I shake my head as I remember that we went to the hospital and Harper needed seven stitches above her eye that day, and I wouldn’t leave. Her mom made her dad take the rest of us home, but I wasn’t leaving her and the grip she had on my hand the entire car ride and procedure made it impossible for me to leave anyways. 

‘Don’t Wanna Be An American Idiot’….my phone quickly brings me out of my thoughts and I look down to see that it is Ashton calling. 

“Hey Ash, what’s up?” I ask into the phone, starting my car and pulling out of Harper’s driveway. 

“Hey dude, party tonight and I’m not taking no for an answer. It’s at Olivia’s house, her parents are out of town,” he answers, and I can hear the grin he probably has plastered on his face. Olivia has a huge house, an outdoor pool with a waterfall, a hot tub, pretty much all the makings of a Project X party. 

I sigh as I pull out of the neighborhood thinking about my options, but already knowing I will end up at this party if only for a few hours. “Yeah okay, I’ll meet you there in like two hours,” I answer looking at my radio and seeing that it is already seven. I’ll just head home and change really quickly and then head over there.