Two
I decided to drive myself to school the next day, so I left almost twenty minutes before Dustin normally came. I still wasn't sure what to do about yesterday. There was a small cut on my bottom lip but it didn't hurt anymore. But I still couldn't believe he would touch me in this way. Dustin had always been a little controlling and a little too opinionated about what I did and wore. I ignored it most of the time, especially in the beginning, because I had liked him enough to put up with him.
But things were different now and our relationship wasn't where it was before. I wasn't the same person that I was when I first started high school. After this summer, and maybe even before it, I wasn't interested in being with someone anymore. If I had my parents' relationship to look forward to, then I didn't want a relationship at all.
I mean, my dad was always great to my mom. He was one of the good guys, and now he's alone and heartbroken while my mom is probably screwing her boss in any position she can imagine. If this means I stay far away from whatever love is, then I have no problem with that.
I wasn't sure if I loved Dustin, but it didn't matter because I knew I couldn't be with him anymore. Him putting his hands on me finally gave me the chance to say it.
I pulled into the school lot and took a deep breath. I didn't want to see Dustin yet because I wasn't sure how to say it, so I stayed in my car for fifteen minutes hoping that he wouldn't be in the halls when I got out.
I turned the hall and saw Cassie waiting for me by the locker. I walked up to her and she grinned.
"How was your detention?" She asked.
"Nothing special. Did I mention my dad has known him since he was a little kid? Oh, and he had dinner with us yesterday," I said as I took my books out for class. She slammed my locker shut and looked at me with wide eyes.
"No, you failed to mention!"
"Cas! You could have just broken my hand. You're freaking crazy."
"Sorry, Dee. I can't help myself when it comes to that man. God, he is so fine I just want one night, one night."
I put my hand over my eyes and shook my head, fighting back my smile She would have left me with one hand all because she wants to bang my Biology teacher. Maybe I should reconsider my friends. The warning bell for first period rang and I groaned.
"Are we ever going to make it to homeroom on time?" I asked.
"You're the one that took forever to get here. Why'd you take so long anyway?"
"Oh right, well, I'm probably breaking up with Dustin," I said and watched as her eyes went wide.
"What? You're serious?"
I nodded and avoided eye contact.
"Is it because of your hot teacher?" she asked and I snapped my head in her direction.
"No! I just don't want to be in a relationship anymore. Dustin is a good guy, but I don't want to risk getting hurt." Okay so maybe I'm not mentioning that he was getting more and more possessive, and it was actually scaring me, but she didn't need to know that.
"There will always be hurt, Dee. If it isn't from a relationship, it will come from somewhere else."
"Well, at least it won't be from a relationship then." The final bell for first period rang and I cursed under my breath.
"Now I'm late for class, too." Out of all the classes it had to be AP Biology. I groaned internally as I walked in and all eyes were on me.
"Nice of you to join us, Ms. Reynolds." Mr. Livingston motioned for me to take my seat. I sighed as I sat down and he looked at me before continuing what he was saying.
"Alright, we'll be doing a lab today." Almost everybody in the class groaned but I didn't mind it because It made the time pass by quicker.
"I know, I know. It's only the third day but we need to start the lab hours you need to have done by the end of the year. It'll be easy," he said as he passed out the papers.
The lab was only a safety rules one. We had to answer questions on clothing requirements and go around the room looking for all the utensils to make sure we knew where they were. I had done this lab so many times that I was already done with the first page as he was finishing the instructions. I turned to the back and smiled when all it asked was to name the instruments. I finished that page in a couple of minutes, too.
I already knew where everything was in the room since it was the same room I had for Chemistry last year. I walked up to him ten minutes into class and handed him the sheet.
"Finished already?" He took the paper and read through my answers.
"I've done this lab before."
He nodded and placed it in the folder. "Why were you late?"
"Uh, I got lost?"
"Diem," he said sternly.
"Okay, I got a little carried away with my friend at my locker and lost track of time."
"Well, don't let it happen again."
"Seriously? No detention?" He gave me detention yesterday for no reason but is okay with me coming late?
"Do you want detention?" he asked.
"No, no! I just thought you would," I said quickly.
"Diem, did you come in late because you were hoping to stay after with me again?" He leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Does someone have a crush?" I felt my face get hot and my mouth dropped open. I definitely did not have a crush. Did he really think I did?
"I thought I made it pretty clear yesterday what I thought about you."
Mr. Livingston smiled and leaned back in his chair. "Go sit down before I change my mind and keep you after school." I rolled my eyes and went back to my desk. Most of my friends were still working on the lab so I pulled out my homework for tomorrow to work on it.
Once the bell rang, I grabbed all my stuff and headed for the door. "Ms. Reynolds, can you stay behind for a moment?" he asked and I sighed. Did he change his mind about the detention?
"Yes?"
"Are you going to tell me?"
"Tell you what?"
"Who did that to you?" he nodded toward my lip and I frowned.
"I told you. I got it from soccer." He stood up and walked around the desk until he was right in front of me. He was taller than me; my forehead was almost level with his chin.
"No, you didn't."
"Yes, I did."
"Diem."
I sighed. "Look, you don't know whether I did or not. Just leave it alone," I said.
"You didn't have a busted lip when you came in for detention, so it must have happened after." Shit, no one ever caught me in a lie before. I looked away from him and ignored his sigh.
"Diem, I get it. You barely know me, but next time that you get injured from 'soccer' you come and tell me, okay?" I grabbed my books and headed for the door.
"Just leave it alone Mr. Livingston."
I was sweating like crazy by lunch. I was waiting for Dustin to show up so I could finally call it quits. I was worried he'd hit me again when I finally did it, but I can't stay with him. I've watched too many Lifetime movies where the girl stays and nearly gets killed. Even if it was just an accident and he never did it again, it still wouldn't change the fact that I didn't want to be with him anymore.
I was with Cassie when he came up and asked to talk alone. We decided to go outside and sit on one of the benches near the baseball field.
"Please give me another chance, Dee. I promise I will never do it again. Don't you love me?" When I didn't respond, he continued again. "I don't think I'll be able to live without you, Diem."
"What do you mean you won't be able to live? I'm not the only girl out there, you know. Life doesn't end just because a relationship does. I'm sorry, but I don't want this anymore."
"Diem, I'll seriously kill myself. I'll have nothing left without you."
"Dustin quit talking like that."
"I'm crazy about you, Dee. I'm not joking, I'll do it." I could see in his eyes that he was telling the truth. He would really kill himself, and I could never cope knowing he took his life because of me.
"I'm not going to break up with you, just please stop saying that." I hated that I was staying with him. He reached out for my hand but I pulled it away, not wanting to be touched by him.
"I love you so much." He gave me a quick kiss and I looked away. I didn't know what to do anymore. It's not like I had a mom to go to and ask for relationship advice, and I definitely couldn't tell my Dad because he'd kill Dustin for sure. I didn't even want to tell Cassie or anyone at the school because everyone talked too much and I didn't want my business spreading.
The day finally ended and I was glad I didn't have practice after school. I came to my car and Cassie was already waiting for me. Cassie was coming over today to hang out.
"So how was the breakup?" she asked. I sighed as I pulled out of the school lot.
"I didn't break up with him."
"Why?"
"Don't know, guess I changed my mind." She snorted.
"You never change your mind."
"I just figured out you were right. I can't avoid being hurt so I decided to stay." I hate lying to Cassie but I couldn't tell her about the hitting and him guilt tripping me into staying. Cassie was the type of person who didn't care who you were, she would hunt you down if you hurt someone close to her.
"I'm glad I could help."
We pulled up into my driveway and I fiddled with my keys, laughing as I unlocked the door. Cassie was telling me how she fell down the stairs today and knocked down two people along the way. I let out a scream as I saw a guy grabbing hold of the flat screen in my living room. The man turned around and then ran out the back door. I reached for Cassie's hand and ran to my neighbors next door, afraid that the man might come back or that there was more than one of them.
The cops showed up in ten minutes and my dad came five minutes after. We were sitting by the steps and giving one of the police officers our statement. My dad rushed over to us and dropped his bag on the floor.
"Diem, are you okay?" He kneeled down and squeezed my shoulders.
"We're okay. We came home and some guy was in the house." Cassie left with one of the officers to try and give more details so they could put out a search for the guy.
I walked inside and noticed that our TV was smashed on the floor. My dad went over to it and lightly set it on the dining room table. After the cops left, Cassie went home and my dad and I talked for the rest of the night. I made us both a cup of coffee as we sat at the kitchen table. He winced as he remembered something and looked like he didn't want to mention it right now.
"What?"
He sighed. "I have to tell you something, and you're not going to like it. I don't even like it after today," he said.
"Geez, that sounds appealing."
"Okay, just listen first."
"Okay, now you're scaring me."
"I have to leave town Friday evening." This was what he had to tell me? He left town often for work and it never mattered. I mean, after the break in I'm a little afraid to stay alone, but I could just spend the weekend at Cas's house.
"That's it?" I waved my hand dismissively.
"Diem, I'm going to be gone for a couple of months." My heart sank. What did he mean months?
"How long?"
"I'm not sure. I've been asked to lead a case down in Pennsylvania. The guy we had on it had a family emergency, so Mark and I are taking over the case and have to familiarize ourselves with the investigation before the trial starts in a couple of weeks. I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you before but I wanted to find someone first."
"What do you mean find someone?"
"For you to stay with."
"I'm old enough to stay home alone."
"And I would maybe agree with you if someone didn't try to rob us today. I just can't allow it, now."
"Okay, so I'm staying with Cassie, right?"
"I spoke to Cassie's mother and her parents are coming to visit for the next month. She said they could find some space, but I didn't want to trouble her."
"Where then?"
"This is where you're going to hate me."