Little Red

FORTY EIGHT

"That's super convenient. Really," Dani muttered to herself as she watched the pill she had dropped swim down the drain.

With a huff, she grabbed another one and popped it into her mouth before closing the bottle to place it back into the cabinet. A small frown formed on her lips as her eyebrows furrowed at the sound of her window opening before she let out a breathless laugh as she walked into her bedroom.

"I completely forgot that I can keep it unlocked for you-"

Dani's words were cut off by a sharp gasp as she looked up to see her boyfriend's face covered in cuts and bruises.

"Hey, babe," Mikey said while rubbing the back of his neck before he smirked while examining her body. "I see you're wearing my favorite shorts. Were you waiting for me?"

"Mikey...what the hell?!" Dani exclaimed as she walked over to him. "What did he do?! What did that bastard do to you?! I'm going to strangle him!!"

"Hey, no. No. I'm not letting you anywhere near him," Mikey said with a shake of his head as he pulled her into his arms. "My mom took me to Dr.S, okay? I'm fine."

"Bullshit Mikey look at you!! How is that fine?!" Dani said as she pushed out of his arms.

"You know what," she then said while pacing. "I knew his ass was going to try something. I just knew it. God, I should've just stuck with my gut and told John."

"Dani-"

"And we all know what your little fake ass family members are going to do," she continued to say and clicked her tongue. "Man, forget it. Greta and I'll just go get him our damn selves."

"Hey, Dani, stop," Mikey said before Dani huffed as he quickly grabbed her waist to stop her from walking to the door.

"Why should I, huh?!" she asked while turning around to face him. "Have you not seen your face?! I'm not letting this go so easily. Not this time."

"Dani-"

"Damn it, Mikey, I am not the same little Dani who would just stand back in the shadows and not try to do anything to help her best friend. Do you hear me?!" she cut him off as she pushed herself out of his arms again. "That girl is long gone, and it's about damn time someone has tried to do something to help you because Lord knows you've needed it."

Mikey frowned as he noticed the tears in her eyes and took a step forward as he said, "Babe-"

"They aren't for me, they're for you," Dani cut him off again. "You're hurting, and you won't even let me try to fix it."

"Because you can't fix it, Dans," he said while shaking his head.

A look of hurt flashed across her features, which Mikey immediately noticed as he shook his head again and said, "Not like that...Never like that, I just..." he sighed, "Nevermind. Forget it."

"Mikey," Dani said as she stepped forward and grabbed his hand. "Don't hide from me...please? Tell me what happened."

Mikey sighed again as he sat down on the bed and brought her into his lap. "He said something about you..."

"He...He what?" Dani asked in shock before her features fell. "You fought back...didn't you. That's why it's so bad this time."

It wasn't a question, because she already knew that was exactly what he had done. Yes, George had a notorious streak for being especially horrible to his youngest son, but never to that degree...and now it had all made sense.

"I couldn't just let him get away with what he said, Dans...Not this time. Not about you," Mikey said as he tightened his grip on her waist.

"He blames me, doesn't he?" Dani questioned and shrugged. "Not like I can say that I disagree with him. You wouldn't have gone anywhere in the first place if I had just been honest to you about the letter."