Shattered

Chapter 005

"Fuck, it healed" I yelled as Warren pulled into the hospital parking lot. "Language" Carter said from beside me while I sent him a glare. "Well...we have to break it again. Right" Issac asked. Everyone in the car turned to him while I groaned. "Great. Now Carter has to punch me in the face. What a fantastic birthday this was."
"Come on, it won't be that bad" Warren said getting out of the car. I groaned as I followed everyone out. Oh yeah, Carter has super strength, so that's why he's going to re-break my nose.
"Ok. Ok, ok, ok, let's do this" I said bouncing on the balls of my feet. "I'm sorry sis" Carter said with a tear in his eye. "Oh Car-" I was cut off by a small fist making contact with my nose.

"Motherfucker" I screamed from my bed in the emergency room. "Language" said the nurse who was standing next to the doctor. "No she's fine. I know how much this hurts. Now, one more time and we're done" the doctor said as he put his hands back on my nose. "Deep breath. One, two, three-"
"Son of a bitch" I yelled. The doctor stepped back and laughed. "I don't think I've heard that kind of language from a 17 year old. Here have a look" he said handing me a mirror. "Yep. I look exactly the same. Thanks doc" I said brushing my fingers over my nose. "Now, there will be some bruising, but nothing to bad. It'll be sore, obviously, and I would advise you to stay away from things that upset your allergies."
"She'll be fine doc. Now, can we take her home" Warren asked the doctor. "Well, I would, but neither of you is 18, so I need an adult to sign her out. Sorry" he said shrugging. "What? But I'm basically an adult. I'm seventeen" pleaded. I really did not want my parents to come here. They would be so mad. "Please" I said again, on the verge of tears. The doctor gave me a look of sympathy. "Sorry kiddo, I wish I could, but rules are rules."
I flipped back down onto my bed holding back tears. I knew my parents would blame me for this, just like they do with everything else. "It'll be okay Har" Carter said laying next to me. I looked over at him and wrapped my arms around him, holding his smaller body close to mine. "No it won't, but thanks anyways" I said kissing the top of his head. I looked up and saw Isaac looking around awkwardly. "You can leave Isaac. Just ask Will to take you home."
"Sure, I can drop you off. It's no big deal" Will said from beside Layla. "O-ok" he stuttered as he walked out. "I hope you feel better Har" Layla said. Now it was just me, Warren, and Carter.  Warren sat down in the chair next to the bed. "Everything's going to be fine" he said rubbing my arm.

About five minutes later, you could hear yelling coming from the front of the emergency room. "Where're my kids! Why won't you tell me where they are" the voice shouted. I immediately knew it was my dad. "Right this way sir" a voice said out side of our room. The curtain was pulled back and my eyes immediately went to my dad's face. He was red and a vein was popping out on the side of his neck. "Hey dad" I said nervously. He only glared at me and turned to Carter. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"Yeah I'm fine, but Harley didn't hurt me dad. I hurt Harley. I accidentally threw a bowling ball into her face" he said guiltily. "What" my mother said, "are you okay? My little baby" she said rushing over to me to hold me. "I'm fine mom" I said melting into her embrace. I do t get to many hugs from my parents, so when I do I have to savor them. "It's ok. Everything's ok. Tan pronto como llegamos a casa que van directamente a la cama. ¿Me escuchas?"
(As soon as we get home you are going straight to bed. Do you hear me?) I looked up at my mom's tear streaked face. "Vale, mamá. Lo siento por hacerte preocuparte tanto por mí." (Ok mom. I'm sorry for making you worry about me so much) "It's ok sweetie."
"No it is not okay" my dad said pulling me away from my mom. "You always start some kind of trouble when we're not around. And then you go and make your little brother cover for you? That's disgusting! Why can't you take responsibility for your actions for once? Why couldn't you have been like your brother" he yelled at me. Warren grabbed my hand and squeezed it as my mom tried to calm my dad down. "Oh, I know why. Maybe it's because we found you on our doorstep! You're a mistake we didn't want, and now with stuck with you! I should have taken you to an orphanage when I had the chance" he screamed in my face, emphasizing the "mistake" part. I felt my breathe hitch in my throat. "What" I managed to get out. "You heard me. We didn't want you. And neither did your original family."
"Ricardo" my mom yelled as she slapped the back of his head. "He doesn't mean that dear" my mom said turning to me. I didn't say anything as I sat there in shock. "I think I should go" I said as I stood up and walked past my family, and out of the emergency room.

"Harley wait" I heard someone yell behind me. I didn't turn around and kept walking. Then, Warren caught up to me. "Harley, it's ok. Your dad is just being a dick. Everything will be fi-"
"No it won't" I yelled cutting him off, "nothing will ever be fine again! Stop pretending like you know what is happening to me right now! You have no idea what is going on in my head and how hurt I am, so stop saying everything is going to be fine. Nothing was ever fine before, so it sure as hell won't be now."
I finished yelling at him and ran away, and I didn't hear any footsteps following me.

I had no idea where I was going. I definitely wasn't going back home, but I had no where to stay. "Layla always said I could stop by whenever I wanted, guess now is the time to use that free pass" I said to myself. I turned around and walked in the direction her house was in.

Ding dong the doorbell sang as I stood waiting for someone to open it. "Can I help y-...Harley? What are you doing here" Layla's mom asked. "Is Layla home" I asked as my voice cracked. Layla's mom could read minds, so I knew she knew what I was thinking. "Okay dear. I trust you know the way" she said as I stepped into the house. I nodded as I headed up the stairs to Layla's room. The door was locked, so I put my ear to it to hear what if she was showering. Instead, I heard music and Will's voice. I giggled a little, forgetting my problem, and quickly picked the lock. I slowly opened it to peek through, and saw Will and Layla sucking each others faces off. I let out a large laugh and the two separated. "Harley! What are you doing here" Will asked me with wide eyes. "Well, I came here to talk to Layla, but it looks like I'm getting a show instead" I said walking into the room. "But the door was locked" Layla said. "Please. After all of these years, you should know I am capable of picking a lock" I said with an eye roll.

"So I'm guessing everything went well with your parents" Will said. As soon as the words left his mouth I remembered what my father had said to me.  "Yeah, everything was just peachy" I said finally breaking down. I sat against the wall as I pulled my leafs to my chest. I put my head in between my legs and cried. "Will you need to leave now" Layla said as I heard the bed creak and the window close. I looked up, surely with mascara running down my face, and saw that Will was gone and Layla had sat down in front of me. "What happened" she asked. "Well, in the short version, my dad basically yelled at me that everything that ever happens to our family was my fault, and that they found me in their doorstep when I was a baby. So, guess who's adopted" I said in fake cheeriness. "Harley I'm so sorry" she said hugging me. "You have nothing to be sorry for Layla. It's my dad's fault. If I can even call him that now."
"Come on, you just need some sleep. You're spending the night, no objections. Now go change clothes" she said as she grabbed some pajamas out of her drawer. She handed them to me and motioned for me to go to the bathroom.

I closed the door behind me and turned away from the mirror. I don't think I could handle looking at myself. I took my clothes on and slipped on the ones Layla gave me. I turned around, with my eyes closed, and slowly opened them to see myself. My mascara was everywhere and my eyes were puffy. "What would Carter say if he saw you like this" I asked myself. At Carter's name I broke down crying again. He's always looked up to me, and now I can't be strong for him and handle this maturely. No, I had to run away, and now he's stuck there with his crazy dad. I heard Layla's footsteps, so I locked the bathroom door. I hunched over the toilet as my sobs became more strained and I could barely breathe. "Harley, please open the door" Layla begged. This was the first time I heard her voice. My ears were ringing and my vision was getting blurry. I squeezed my eyes shut and put my head in my hands, and then I threw up. I hadn't eaten very much that day, so there wasn't that much to throw up. Before I felt myself pass out, I saw Layla's dad break through the door and come towards me.