"Here. What's all this for?" He questioned handing me the bag. I ignored him and briskly started walking back to my car. He was the last person I felt like seeing, nonetheless talk to. He followed quickly at my heels. "Hey Tara, what's wrong?" I turned around and went off. "
"You! Go away! I have things to do and your slowing me down. Thank you for your help with the bag and the door but I have to get home."
He raised his eyebrows and took a step back. "Damn. Remind me never to help you again." He put his hands in his pockets. I unlocked my car door and put the bags in the backseat expecting him to walk away. No such luck.
"So where are you living? I would have thought you'd be at college or something by now."
I stood up and sighed angrily. "Yes well things change. Though it's really none of your business, I'm living with Daniel in his..."
"Daniel?" He interrupted crossing his arms.
"Wha...yes Daniel. Long story, but yes. We uh...ugh, it doesn't matter. Listen are we done? I really have to get home, I'm beat."
He sighed and uncrossed his arms. I moved to open the driver's door. "One more question though." He said behind me. I looked up. "What's that on your wrist?"
I looked down. "My watch. Any more intelligent questions?"
He moved towards me and took my arms, bringing them under the light of the street lamp. What is with people grabbing my arms? "What happened?" He whispered.
I pulled them away. "Would you let go. Nothing happened." I brought them up to my chest and held them there. He looked away and sniffed. "Thought so."
I shook my head and looked at him clearly for the first that night. He was quiet and smelled of smoke. Apparently he had taken up smoking. His hair had grown longer since 9th grade. I was tempted to reach up and put it behind his ear. My hand itched to move. But his did first, to the side of my neck. He looked down at me and opened his mouth. I held my breath and waited, but he closed it and brought his lips down to meet mine.
My stomach churned. This wasn't how I thought of it in highschool. I expected fireworks, or at least weak knees. My stomach lurched again and I suddenly felt very dizzy. Something was wrong, not only this though. Something at home.
Daniel.
I pulled away from David quickly and got into the car. The key slid into the hole and I peeled out of the parking space. Looking back I saw him standing under the street lamp, forlorn and lost. Forget him, I said in my head. Forget him like he forgot you. I raced home, speeding blindly past stop signs and lights not caring.
The house was quiet when I pulled up which made me think twice about my feeling. I slowly walked up to the front door and opened it, walking into the dark living room. I heard a crash and, like glass shattering. It came from upstairs, from our room. I quickly ran up the stairs and down the hall. Panting I reached our bedroom. Daniel was writhing on the floor in pain. He was sweating and breathing hard. Finally realizing I was there, he looked up at me through half opened eyes.
"I'm in deep shit."
* * * *
I slowly walked over to thim and fell to my knees. I looked at him lying there trembling, but not from the cold, and having short tremor attacks and my eyes welled up.
He smiled crookedly. I moved closer and picked up his head and cradled it in my lap, brushing the hair out of his eyes. He closed them then and breathed in, shaking uncontrolably, his face all distorted from the pain that was ripping through his body. I sat and watched in horror. "What did you do?" I whispered. He held up his left hand, in it clutched a bottle. I pried it out and held it up to the light.
Medication.
"Tara? Is everything alright?"
It was Mrs. Skiloski from next door. I looked up. "No."
"What?"
"Police..." I said a little louder. "Call the police. "Tell them to send an ambulance quick!" I screamed at her.
She stepped back, shocked at my outburst. I couldn't blame her. I looked back up at her, my tears beginning to fall. "Please hurry." I said quietly. She nodded then turned and hurried away.
"I just wanted all my problems to go away. I wanted to believe you loved me." Daniel gasped below me.
"And you thought this was the way to find out?" I looked down as another spasm shot through his body. I bent down and kissed his forehead. "You better not leave me damn it. You can't, not again. Not a third time."
"Third time's...argh...third time's a charm." He groaned. "Lay beside me, will you? I'm lonely."
Putting his head down on the floor gently, I slid down flat on the floor beside him. My tears were falling rapidly and freely now. I wrapped my arms around him and rested my head on his chest.
"I do love you Tara. More than anything." He whispered. I felt his chest tighten as he shook again and tried to regain his breath afterwards.
My tears were choked sobs now, my face soaked so I couldn't see. Why, why was this happening? Why here, why now?
"Dad..." Daniel mumbled.
I looked up through my tears. He looked at me and smiled, lifting his hand to caress my cheek. He put it down and leaned his head back, sighing he closed his eyes. I put my head down and broke down sobbing.
He never opened them again.
