Chapter 9

                                    

                                          
I wake up to soft kisses being planted along my neck, but when I try to stretch, I feel pressure on my abdomen. When I crack open my eyes, I see Daniel sitting on my stomach, looking at me devilishly. I groan at him and cover my face, but he lays his body on top of mine and I can't stop myself from laughing.
                          
"Good morning!" He sings, giving me a kiss. I make a face at him, covering his mouth.
                          
"Your face is cute but your morning breath is not," I tell him. He waggles his eyebrows and pokes his tongue out to lick my hand. I wipe my now wet palm across his face and laugh at his priceless reaction. "Serves you right," I chuckle and he decides to wipe his face against mine. We're such a fun time. Today is the day his family comes home and I have an extra long shift at work, so we make the most out of our last bit of alone time. After another 20 minutes of nuzzling and being dweebs, I decide it's time to take a shower. He brushes his teeth and tries to peek around the curtain while I'm in there, but eventually disappears from the bathroom. When I'm done showering and getting dressed, I meander into the kitchen, greeted by the sight of bagels and juice. Daniel looks at me happily and pats the chair next to him. When I plunk down, he pulls one of my legs over his and lets his hand linger on my thigh while we talk. When it's time for me to head off to work, he tries valiantly to get me to stay, but I eventually leave, needing to pedal extra fast to get there on time. The entire time I'm biking, I'm thinking about how much my life has changed. A little voice in the back of my head is telling me that something is bound to go wrong, but I shove it aside and focus on how happy I am.
                          
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I coast up to the house, drumming my fingers to the beat of my music on the handlebars of my bike. I've just spent a 9 hour shift at the shelter, and I'm ready to shower and eat a hot meal. I glide to a stop and sluggishly haul my bike into the garage, tired from the ride and my day at work. As I step up on the porch and tug the earphones out of my ears, I hear shouting from inside. I quickly push open the door and am greeted but the sight of Beau and Luke wrestling over what looks like a spoon, and after looking at the table where Daniel and his sisters are egging on the fight, I realize they're playing my all-time favorite card game: spoons. Without taking my eyes of the ruckus, I kick of my shoes and set down the leopard backpack I carry. Daniel finally sees me and comes to say hello, having to dodge flailing limbs to make it to the door. He wraps his arms around my waist and squeezes, giving my cheek a quick kiss.
                          
"So, what made you want to play spoons?" I smile, pulling back so I can look at him clearly, keeping my arms held loosely around his neck. His hands rest on my hips while he answers. Daniel texted me while I was on break and told me his parents have a charity dinner thing, so he's going to be babysitting the girls tonight while his brothers are off with their friends.
                          
"Well," he cocks his head, "the girls kept buggin' us, so we thought this would make them happy," I look around his head and can't help but laugh, Beau is sitting on Luke, spoon held high in the air, while the girls clap for him. It's easy to see that Luke is frustrated, but the girls are getting a kick out of it.
                          
"Would it be alright if I joined?" I call over to the girls. They nod enthusiastically, so I let go of Daniel, giving him a peck, and run to change before taking Luke's place at the table. Luke gives me a thank-you thumbs up and goes into the living room, probably to play in his phone. Before long, the game has gotten intense and it's become a danger zone, cards and limbs flying everywhere. When it's down to the final round, one spoon left, it's me against Beau. Luke has come back to record the competitive fight that's sure to go down, and I'm cracking my knuckles in anticipation. Before Beau has a chance to deal, the doorbell rings.
                          
"I'll get it," Daniel jumps up, "but don't start without me," he runs to the door while Beau and I have a stare down.
                          
"Aren't you guys taking this a little too seriously?" Luke asks, his tone suggesting that we're idiots. Just as Beau is opening his mouth to reply, he is cut off by yelling. The blood drains from my face - I recognize that voice. Immediately, I shoot out of my chair.
                          
"Keep the girls in here," I call behind me. My whole body is trembling. I round the corner to the front hall and stop dead. Daniel is shoving at someone, trying to get the menacing figure away from the door. That someone is my father. I watch in slow motion as his meaty hand knocks into Daniel's face, causing him to stumble. That knocks me out of my frozen state, and before I realize where I'm going, my body is blocking Daniel from my father.
                          
"Don't touch him," I spit out, my voice venomous. Up close, I have the chance to see that my father's eyes are rimmed red, his face pale and fleshy - he's drunk. His thin, cracked lips pull into a lazy smirk, his beady eyes squinting.
                          
"How cute," he slurs, lilting to the side. When he leans heavily against the doorway, his jacket slides open just enough to show the grip of a gun protruding out the waistband of his pants. I straighten, an eerie calm washing over me.
                          
"Daniel," I push him back, making sure to keep my eyes on the disgusting man in front of me, "go in the other room, get the girls and Beau and Luke, get in the car, and call the police," I breathe the last part quietly into his ear. He begins to protest but I cut him off. "Daniel, do not argue with me. Get in the car and call the police," he pulls back and looks at me, nodding slowly. I let out the breath I didn't know I'd been holding, turning back to face my father head on.
                          
"What do you want, Dad?" I ask calmly. His eyes roll around in his skull and he tries to right himself, pushing off of the frame. He tries to lurch forward, but I step in front of him. I refuse to let him in the house. With drooping eyelids and an incredulous look, he looks at me. My expression hardens and he sneers, reaching for the gun.
                          
"You think you're such a tough guy, running away from home like you're ready to be on your own," he dramatically pulls the gun out of his waistband, using it to gesture. "But you need me," he shakes the gun at my face, making a point. My insides have gone cold, but I don't move. "And your mother, what would your mother think?" His expression is pained, but his words make my blood boil.
                          
"How d-"
                          
"Annabelle?" I whip around. Beau is standing in the hall, his face a ghostly white, eyes focused on the gun in my father's hand. I turn back to look at my father, whose expression has hardened.
                          
"You better get outta here," he points the gun at Beau, threatening. With his arm outstretched, I see an opportunity, and before I can comprehend what has happened, a shot explodes out of the barrel. For a moment I'm not sure if anyone is injured. I release the grip I have on my father's arm and turn to Beau, ears still ringing with the sound of the bullet firing from the gun.
                          
"Are you alright?" I ask Beau. His expression is absolutely horrified, eyes wide and mouth in an "o" shape. His gaze isn't on my face, however, it's on my stomach. I slowly lower my eyes, a blooming red stain right in the middle of my abdomen filling my view. Shaking, my hands press against the dark spot. I expect to feel pain, but my I am numb. I can't feel my legs collapse under me, or my body hit the floor. I see Beau kneeling above me, I see him press his sweatshirt against my stomach, but I can't feel it. I can see his mouth moving, but the only sound I hear is the emptiness of my head. Then, there is nothing.
                          
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:O