*Picture of Dani*
Last night may have easily been the worst night of my life. As I wrap the bed's thin white sheets tightly around my body, his words continue to swirl round my head "you know what you are" ... those words were the reason I threw up as soon as I got home. I press my fists against my eyelids, trying to reverse the images that torture my brain but they stay as if they've been stuck with superglue.
*10 hours earlier*
I freeze halfway down the front door steps as I take in the horror before me. I can hardly believe it. He's joking right. What the fuck! It takes Cara an extra moment to notice but she freezes as soon as she does.
"Oh my God ..." She trails off. Yeah my thoughts exactly.
However, her actions do not mirror mine at all. It's like something possesses her and she storms down the steps, heading straight towards her brother. Nicki glances at her and even her thick skull realises that she's in shit as she springs away from him. From Eli.
"What the -?" Eli gasps in confusion as Cara whacks him across the back of his head. He turns to look at her in surprise, his face is lost in confusion and he opens his mouth to yell at her when his eyes catch mine.
"Oh shit," Josh whispers next to me as we wait for the explosion.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Cara yells "Dani was just in there ending things with Alex for you and she was fucking traumatised enough without having to come outside and see you with this tramp."
"Hey! Who the fuck do you think you're talking about," Nicki challenges, squaring up to Cara. Bad idea.
"Do not push me bitch," she says giving her a glare that could easily stop someone's heart just out of pure fear.
"Oh yeah and why not," she challenges again stepping towards Cara in attempted intimidation.
"Because otherwise the next Red Sea everyone's gonna be talking about will be the one coming from your nose."
I see a flicker of shock flash through Nicki's eyes that admit defeat. I carry on standing helplessly and as still as a statue, trying to process the last few events of tonight.
"Dani ..." Eli starts, his eyes have a look of devastation. "I swear to God, it isn't what it looks like, I went to kiss her cheek and then -"
"Oh go fuck yourself Eli!" I spit out suddenly and Cara turns from her potential cat-fight to me in surprise.
"Josh, do you mind giving us a lift home?" I ask, begging him with my eyes, trying to hold back the tears and ignore Eli's pleas.
"Yeah ... of course," he says softly, looking extremely out of depth "Cara you coming?"
"... Yeah," she finally answers before turning back to Eli "make sure that you get her home before sunlight, incase she melts." With that, she struts off in our direction and wraps her arm around me.
"Dani, what's happened?" Eli comes running up behind us, his face overcome with concern. He can read me like a book, he knows something has happened.
"As if you care -"
"Of course I do," he says desperately, ignoring everyone else around us "of course I care, you need to let me explain! Do you think if I was going to kiss her I'd do it right in fro -"
"What he's trying to say," Nicki interrupts, coming up behind him with a smug grin on her face "is that it's just not going to work out between you two."
Above Eli's protests, I reach my limit. Releasing myself from Cara's comforting grip, I stalk forward and before anyone knows what's happened; my palm connects firmly with her cheek. The hit was so fierce, her whole head involuntarily flies to the side and her cheek flushes a bright red.
"Dani!" Eli exclaims, I've never seen him so shocked before.
"Let's go," I whisper, turning around and power walking towards Josh's blue car. I don't look back.
***
"Here," Cara interrupts my torturing train of thought by coming back into her room and placing a glass of water, some toast and one of her mum's cupcakes next to me.
I'm sat on my mattress, on my knees, staring at the blank wall in front of me. I shake my head lightly. I can't cry anymore, I feel too dried up inside.
"Dani ... you should eat something, at least have a drink," she says gently, crouching down next to me "in case you're sick again. You need something in your system."
I shake my head again, giving her a small, grateful smile. She sighs, looking towards the door.
"He's still not back yet," she whispers sadly.
"We both know why."
"Dani -"
"What?" I snap suddenly "you saw it didn't you, I don't see how there could be any other explanation."
"Yeah ... I mean it looked bad but you know what Nicki's like, she's a manipulative bitch," she says intently "all I'm saying is that there could be an explanation."
"Or just more excuses." I can't dare to shut my eyes anymore, even to blink, whenever I do I just see Alex's face. I can feel his hand ... there.
"What? You going to be sick again?" I must have gagged or something because Cara jumps up in preparation.
"I'm fine, sorry."
"Don't you dare apologise. Look Dani, I think we should tell your mum -"
"What? No! I never told yours about the drug incident."
"Yeah but only because nothing happened and I was perfectly fine in the end!"
"Yeah and nothing happened to me Cara!" I insist in desperation.
"Dani, he nearly forced himself on you and you only managed to get out by yourself, I had Jeremy," she argues. I can see her point but I can't stress my mum out right now.
"I'll think about it," I give in, closing my eyes "but not until tomorrow."
She nods her head reluctantly and gives me a supportive smile.
"I can't believe you actually slapped her," she laughs, her eyes lighting up remembering the incident.
"It did feel pretty good," I say with a slight smile trying to cheer myself up at the thought of Nicki's stunned face.
Our laughter doesn't last much longer when we hear the door slam from downstairs. We both stare at each other helplessly.
"You need to talk to him -"
"I don't need to do anything," I sigh "look Cara, I'm going to go and sleep next door if that's ok. I just need to be alone."
"Of course, if that's what you want."
"Yeah," I say with a smile and quickly kiss her on the cheek before I take my drink next door.
I've just reached the spare room when I hear the stairs creak from behind me. I don't bother to turn around, I know who it is already.
"Dani," he whispers and I can hear the desperation in his voice. Is Cara right? Should I let him explain? Maybe. Just not right now.
"I can't do this right now -"
"Dani," he reaches out and grabs my arm to stop me. He does it gently but I pull away at the shock of being touched.
"Please don't -"
"Why didn't you tell me?" His face is serious now and I know he really wants an answer.
"Because I came outside to find you playing tonsil-tennis with Nicki."
"Dani if you would just let me explain it wasn't what it looked like; she kissed me -"
"And you really looked like you hated it didn't you."
"Ok I admit, I kissed her back but I was so shocked that she did that in the first place -"
"Bullshit!"
"I know how it looks and how it sounds but Dani I want you, not her," he exclaims in anguish, taking a step towards me. I have to admit, looking in his eyes, I want to believe him.
"Then why the hell were you going to a party with her? A party that I was at!"
"Exactly, a party that I knew you were at and would see you at! I was just going by myself to pick you up and she said that she was meant to be going too -"
"And you believed her?" I shout, I don't even care if I'm being loud at the moment.
I put my face in my hands, fighting back the tears that are now threatening to fall. I feel so confused right now. However, looking down I see something else that catches my attention.
"What's that on your knuckles?" He ignores me glancing down and covering his hand. "Eli how did you even find out what happened with me and Alex?"
"Josh texted me," he mutters under his breath.
"Eli, answer me. How did you get those marks on your knuckles?" He pauses for a second.
"Dani what was I supposed to do, just let him get away with," he pulls a disgusted face "that."
"No Eli, you were supposed to try and not get arrested! What did you do?"
"Nothing that a doctor won't fix," he says solemnly, putting his hands into his pockets.
"That's not funny."
"Please, Dani," he pleads, his face suddenly changing to desperation "I promise nothing more is happening between me and Nicki. I'm so sorry for what happened, please just trust me."
"I'm sorry Eli but I'm just not in a very trusting mood right now," I whisper, opening the door and disappearing inside.
Once inside, I press my back to the wall and let the emotions and drama of the night fall away from me.
Thank you everyone for reading! You guys have been asking for updates so I wrote this as quickly as I could 😉 please don't forget to vote, comment and share it!