The Delinquent's Haven

Chapter 12

          "Aww, come on . . .  What's bothering you?"  He asked, sitting down on her bed and patting his hand on the comforter.  She sighed, moving to sit down next to him, "Tell me what's bothering you, baby doll." 

          "What you said last night . . . "  She mumbled slowly, her eyes falling to her feet on the floor, "Was that . . . everything?" 

          "About my sister?"  He asked, causing her to nod, "Well, most of it . . .  I just can't say the details to anything, yet.  You're actually only the second person I told." 

          "Who was the other?"  She asked, thinking it was Yolanda. 

          "Derek . . . "  He slowly stated. 

          "You opened up to Derek about that?"  She asked, surprised to the point that she had to look up and into his eyes to make sure he wasn't messing with her.  He nodded at her question, his face falling into an expression of frustration and sorry.

          "What is it?"  She asked, still looking into his eyes with worry. 

          "Nothing . . . "

          "You're lying," she said, causing him to look down at his feet.  

          "I am . . . "  He admitted before speaking up, again, "I just . . .  I don't know what to do anymore, Haven.  I don't know whether or not to keep going or to just give up . . .  It's almost like no one cares about me.  It's almost like Derek doesn't mean it when he tells me he's there to talk to or that you don't mean what you say when you look at me the way you do . . . "

          He stayed silent for a moment before anger took over, "Oh, what do you care anyway.  Fuck this . . . "  

          He stormed out of her room and slammed the door at the bottom of the steps, causing her bed to shake from the force.  Haven stayed where she was, wide-eyed and astonished at his reaction.  She felt hurt and lonely, now . . .  She didn't know Darin could snap so easily and go from being the happy, fun, loving Darin she'd come to know to being an angry, hateful and resentful person. 

          "What did I do . . . ?"  She asked herself, standing and going over to the mirror. 

          Suddenly, her own rage took over as she heard Darin slam the door to the garage.  Haven spun herself around and stomped her way down the steps.  With as much force as she could mustar up, she slammed the door as hard as she could behind her, as well. 

          As she made her way down and into the kitchen, everyone that was eating breakfast or chatting in their place.  The only one that didn't was Derek, who stood and blocked Haven's way out the back door. 

          "He doesn't want to see you, Haven . . . "  Derek said under his breath so only she could hear what he was saying ot her, "You're just going to hurt him and you know it.  You're going to be like everyone else and he doesn't need to feel anymore pain." 

          "Get the fuck out of my way, Derek," she snapped, causing his face to go blank.  Surprised at her words and the lack of hurt from his, he moved over and let her out the door.  Then, it shut behind her and she paused, second-guessing herself. 

          Before she knew it, though, Darin's motorcycle was starting up.  With even more anger and frustration, she kicked the door to the garage open and pushed Darin as he started to open the garage door.  He slammed back into the work bench and looked straight at her through astonishment at how much weight she could push around, due to her small stature. 

          "What?"  He suddenly snapped, no longer surprised.

          "You have no idea what to do with yourself, do you?  You keep telling yourself that it is the right thing to do, but it's not.  You're giving up, Darin.  You're giving up on everything and on everyone who loves you.  You keep saying how nobody cares . . . and of course you say that.  You know why?"  She snapped, pushing him back into the wall.