Those Nightmares Gone

Chapter 6

Danny's POV

Two of our youngest teachers were dressed up as Romeo and Juliet and were selling the school’s traditional candy grams for Valentine's. I bought one for Asha, like I did every year, so a week before Valentine’s Day, a package tied with red ribbon containing cinnamon hearts, chocolates, and pink macaroons would arrive at Asha’s desk.

After Romeo and Juliet left, there was a sharp tap on my shoulder. I expected it to be Devin since he did that daily, but it was Ashley. She was Max’s sister.

"I need to talk to you after class," she said, a cold edge to her voice.

Devin, who was listening, asked me, "So, should I wait around?" Others nearby cast us suspicious looks as if we were having a secret relationship behind their backs. Ashley was among the first girls to send me revolting looks.

"No," I said tightly. "You can go to lunch without me."

"But who's supposed to make sure I don't fool around?" Was he a toddler or something? "Should I go home without you, too?" Damn, did this guy have to say everything blatantly?

At the end of class, Ashley pulled me aside and waited until Devin left. Her eyes were callous black pits when she stated, "I know you like Devin."

"Excuse me?" I said.

"He already went out with me, so don't even bother."

I looked at her like she was a complete i***t. "Ashley, you know I don't and won't like anyone. For more than ten years, you know."

"How come he's always with you? You're manipulating him, aren’t you? He’s got so many other girls better for him."

Okay, now I was mad. "Are you deaf? I don’t have the remotest feelings for him."

"You're such a f*****g liar!" she accused.

"You know, Ashley!" My head ached from flashbacks. "You know very well my love for anyone has been long gone since you and your asshole brother came into my life." Before I could crack in half, I stormed out of the room.

In a hurry, I hadn’t realized someone put their mouth next to my ear. "Boo!" I jumped and turned around to see Devin there, laughing. I pressed my hand to my heart and huffed.

"Didn't you go, Devin?" I hissed and walked away. Devin fell in stride with me.

"Asha and Karissa would both kill me if I didn't go with you," he said. What? So, all this time, he was tagging along because Asha and Karissa made him? It stung me for a second. Of course, why would someone like Devin hang around for this long?

"I'll talk to them," I mumbled.

"Forget it, Prinplup. I enjoy seeing you mad and flustered anyways." His grin made my insides tingle, and I walked ahead to avoid looking at him. It was always that grin, wasn’t it? I couldn’t be fooled.

We parted ways inside the cafeteria – he to Max's table, and me to my forever-alone one.

Devin's POV

"What?" I said, laughing. I peeked at Danny. She was writing on some note as usual.

"Come on," Max prodded. "It's the perfect time to play her. It's the month of love! Ask Danny to be your girlfriend and dump her after."

"I'm amused with the idea, but I don't do that anymore. Play anyone, I mean." I laughed again. Sure, I wanted to play Danny before, but I didn’t want to hurt her now. Not after seeing her suffer many nights and conceal her nightmares the next morning.

"Let it go, Max," Ashley muttered. "I don't think Devin should waste his time on that psycho." In code, she didn’t want Danny to be my girlfriend even for the sake of playing her.

I sighed. I hoped Ashley knew I only went out with her out of habit. I didn’t say no for casual dates – I treated them like no-strings hangouts. But what Max wanted? He wanted to rip Danny's heart out and stomp all over it. I couldn’t figure out why, and the secret wasn’t out yet.

In math the next morning, the candy grams were handed out. A dozen packages swarmed my desk, some from girls, some from strangers. I ripped the nametags off and went around the classroom giving people who didn't get a candy gram one of mine.

It wasn’t because I was sappy and generous; there was no way I could eat all that candy. I skipped to Danny at the back of the room once I was done and crashed into my chair.

"Got any candy grams?" I asked, curious to hear her reply.

"Yeah, three. One from Asha and one from this unknown person that goes by the letter 'P', and the third…" She rubbed her thumbs. "I rejected the third one."

"Who was that one from?"

She hesitated before answering. "My former stepbrother. He gives me one every year, but I gave it back. No one deserves candy given with hatred." She had a stepbrother before?

"What's his name?" I asked.

"Well, aren't you nosy?" she snapped. I grinned and shrugged my shoulders. I stared at the two candy grams sticking out of her desk.

"So, did you give out any candy grams?" I said.

"I did for Asha." She tilted back on her chair and looked at me. "I bet you sent a candy gram to your girlfriend." She had no idea what a coincidence that was.

"Maybe," I said.

She took out her anonymous candy gram and opened it, popping one of those cinnamon hearts into her mouth. She stared at the package. "Hello unknown giver." I propped my elbow on the table and listened to her. "I don't know what 'P' stands for, so I don't know who you are. I hope you're not my secret admirer, or you don’t have a crush on me, because I’d reject you." Harsh as ever, huh Prinplup? "Anyways, thank you," she concluded.

"That's a nice speech," I told her.

"Yeah. Thanks."

"I mean it. I didn't think you would even care," I told her honestly. She gazed at me thoughtfully, as if I’d given her a hint

She cleared her throat. "Well, I think it was sweet of you to share your candy grams with the less fortunate." My eyebrows shot up and she smiled. A real smile.

She had a nice smile.

"Well, someone’s been staring at me lately," I teased. She scrunched her nose at me and stuffed a macaroon in her mouth. I chuckled. How adorable.

At lunch, Max invited me to his house; it was the day he’d tell me Danny’s secret. At the lockers, I told Dany I’d be going somewhere else after school and to go on without me.

"I'll trash your car, remember?" she joked. I tugged her hair and she snatched it back.

"By the way, I thought you didn't swear at school," I said. She looked at me in confusion. "I heard you and Ashley talking yesterday."

Her eyes went frigid. "Forget about that conversation."

"Why do you hate Max so much?"

"I said forget about it." Her voice suddenly became quiet. Oh, I knew what that meant. Whenever she grew extremely quiet, she was battling a war of emotions. From the corner of my eye, I saw Max and Ashley turn into our hallway.

"Are you going to cry?" I asked Danny.

Danny slammed her locker shut and turned to leave. In front of Max and Ashley, I pulled Danny towards me and hugged her tightly. She froze. When I lifted my head to look over, Max was storming towards me. His entire face was contorted. Danny pushed me and ran out the exit doors. She’d felt so small and soft in my arms – I almost wished I held onto her for longer.

"Why are you still hanging out with her?" Max hissed. I raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you angry? What's wrong with her?" I said. Ashley came up to me and crossed her arms across her chest.

"You're cheating on me," she said.

I laughed coldly. "Ashley, you're not my girlfriend." Max took me outside before she could say anything, and the car ride to his house was eerily silent.

"Devin, I can't handle it anymore. That b***h shouldn't be living happily," Max said once we reached his house.

"Such a pathetic and mental b***h. She doesn't deserve to have friends, especially friends like you, Devin," Ashley rambled crassly as we entered the living room. A huge waft of cigarette smell hit me in the face.

"Stay out of this Ashley," Max told her. "You went to summer school the entire time that year and you have no idea what happened. Besides, you just want to suck Devin's d**k, so stay out of this mess."

Ashley’s mouth fell ajar at her brother’s cruel words, and tears filled her eyes before she ran up the stairs. What the hell was going on and why was I at the centre of it?

A woman stepped down from the stairs after seeing Ashley pass her. She gripped the railing to balance herself, her other hand holding a cigarette as she looked at Max.

"What’s wrong with, Ashely?" she slurred. Her eyes slipped to me. "Who’s this?"

"Mom, why are you out of your room? You should be sleeping," Max said. I waited on the couch as he took the gaunt woman back up. When he returned, he sat across from me.

"Is that...?" I asked, staring blankly at the stairs.

"My mom," he said. He shook his head. "That dumbass girl was the reason why my mom turned out this way. Her life is ruined, and that b***h is still happy." He muttered swear words to himself and closed his eyes.

"Wait. Danny?"

"Her dad, but it makes no f*****g difference." A muscle popped in his jaw. "Don't think about any of that. Just don't hang out with her anymore."

"What?" I said in surprise.

"She doesn't deserve it, dammit!" Max said, hitting the table with his fist. "Okay, look. After hearing this secret, you would understand."

I moved to the edge of the couch to listen carefully. "Okay. Tell me then."

Max closed his eyes, waiting for his anger to subside. "For a couple of years, Danny went to therapy and treatment because of depression." My jaw dropped. Danny was in depression before? "While in depression, she would act crazily, stutter nonsense, and even threaten to hurt someone if they didn't leave her alone."

"Is that actually true? Is she still fighting it?" I was unable to wrap my head around it.

"Who knows. Good thing for her, she didn't do drugs and went to counselling. Since she's doing well in school, I guess it’s gone. She probably took treatment through the summer break."

"What got her depressed? When did it start?" My questions started pouring in. I didn't know why. All things Danny I was obsessively curious about.

"I could never forget the day she screamed at me to leave her room," Max said, his eyes glazed over. "She was twelve when she was taken to the doctor." I couldn’t believe it. The Danny I knew was just full of stubbornness, snappiness and well, herself. Maybe it explained her nightmares. And her stuttering. I could never forget the way she stuttered.

"Wait, what caused her depression then?" I asked him. He laughed loudly, and I winced.

"You’re asking me? Maybe you should ask her dad!" He punched the couch cushions. "He's also the reason why my mom is in depression, and she chose drugs instead of therapy and treatment." He sudden rage burst. "I know all about him and his jackass games. Stupid worthless piece of shit."

I tried to process everything, but I still found a missing puzzle piece I couldn't find. Danny didn't have those nightmares because of Max? It was her dad?

"I hope you get your f*****g mind off her and leave her," Max said. "She doesn't need love, not now, not ever." He stood up, gave the couch a mad kick, and stormed away.

I was befuddled, but one thing was clear to me. I stepped into some serious s**t today, but I didn’t know how deep it was.