?CHAPTER 6
Dallas
The sidewalk out frontis the only semi-quiet area at this party. The bass of the speakers still manages to make it roadside. Huddles of people on the lawn make it difficult to find any solitude for a personal conversation.
Rose’s cry on the other end of the phone is enough to make me pause and wonder if I truly want to know the answer to my parents’ fighting. With a deep breath, I brace myself for impact. “Okay, lay it on me.”
She doesn’t answer right away as she takes a moment to gather herself enough to recite the sentence she’s probably rehearsed over and over in her head since she found out only a few minutes ago. She said Mom had sat her down alone to explain what the dilemma has been for the last few weeks. “Okay,” she sighs. I hear her heavy breath through the phone. “So, I guess Dad has been cheating ...” she trails off, the sobbing taking over again.
It takes me a minute to process her words. Cheating? He cheated? I swallow past the knot in my throat. “The fuck? With who?” I snap. The anger seems to touch every bone in my body. My nails dig into the palm of my hand as my fist tightens at my side.
“I’m not sure. Mom doesn’t know her, but she said it’s someone he works with.”
Trying to keep myself in check so I don’t freak out in public, I turn my attention toward the one who is probably hurting the most through all of this. “How is Mom taking it?” I ask as calmly as I can muster.
“I mean, she’s pissed. That much is obvious, but she’s also been processing this for a month now, so it’s not as fresh for her as it is for us. But she’s hurt. I can still read her like a map.”
“I just ... I don’t even know what to say, what to think. I want to wring his God damn neck,” I growl. My jaw hurts from clenching it so hard, but it’s the only thing that keeps me from screaming. “So, what now? Is he moving out? He’s the one who fucked up. He should be the one moving out.”
“Yeah, I guess he moved out the day he told Mom. He’s renting an apartment close to campus.”
“I swear to God if he’s living anywhere near me, he’s going to wish he weren’t.”
“Dallas, come on. I’m mad, too, but take some time to clear your head.” She pauses. “Can I come over for the weekend? I feel like I need to get out of this house.”
I take a deep breath, stretching my fingers out from their balled fists. “Of course,” I breathe, willing the anger to go with it.
“Okay.” I hear her sigh as if the relief of getting out of there is the best gift she’s ever received. “We can talk more when I get there. It’ll probably be late, like one or two in the morning.”
“That’s okay. I’m at a party right now anyway.” However, due to what I’ve now learned, I wish I were anywhere but here. “I’ll talk to you later. If you beat me there, just give me a call. It’s a quick drive home from here. Drive safe.” My phone almost flies from my hands when the desperate cry of a girl’s voice cuts through the cool midnight air.
I spin around to see the commotion. A girl struggles to stay upright as a blonde guy drags her down the stairs, a firm grip on her arm. The guy's face is a portrait of rage.
“Stop, Sam! Stop, please,” she begs.Abbybegs. The painful plea burns my ears. Her tight grip on the handrail screams in fear of what might come next.
A sharp noise pierces the air. The back of Sam’s hand meets its mark as Abby falls to the ground, clinging to her cheek.
I cross the lawn quickly, shoving Sam backward. He stumbles but keeps himself upright. I turn to check on Abby. She looks up at me. Only fear stares back. Pain washes over the side of my head as Sam’s fist meets my temple. I stumble sideways a few feet but regain my balance.
“This is not your fight, man. Back off,” Sam asserts far too calmly for the situation at hand.
I hold my hand up in surrender to take a breath. I need to figure out what the hell is going on. I chance a glance at Sam to make sure he’s honoring my retreat. When he doesn’t make a move toward me, I look back at Abby. Her hair is dripping wet. A shiny glaze of salty tears and black makeup cover her cheeks. She’s holding her shirt shut as if the tie came undone. A perfectly formed red handprint mars her cheek.
