A Brand New Day

Chapter 25

River's POV
I know it's shady and manipulative, but all I need is 5 minutes. 5! So, I sent a text to the one person who would set everyone over the edge, shamelessly, Dallas.
Here's the thing: Mom's mad at me. Meadow is mad at me. Dad's mad at me. Maddie's most likely mad at me. Corrbin's going to be mad at me. Julia's going to be mad at me. Dad's mad at Mom.
So... why not stir the pot just a bit and throw Dallas in the mix.
Here's one thing that I know, Dallas and I are tight. I can get her on my side.
However, the more I think about the less like I am to get to go to the after party. But at this point, I need my box of "treats" more.
Dallas: serious?
Me: yes I need you at the house in 15. Family meeting from hell. 😞
Dallas: are you in trouble?
Me: yep.
Dallas: okay, I'll be there.
As soon as we pull in to the drive way I dash inside quickly I want my box but just as I pass the living room. I see the black metal box sitting on the living room coffee table.
"Fuck!" I scream and stomp up the stairs. I slam the door shut and fling myself onto bed. I scream into a pillow until I hear  a knock. "Go away!"
"Open the door or I will." Nick says sternly.
This is a perfect time for me show them that I'm not losing my entire mind.  I sit up and take a deep breath, "okay."
I go over to the door and dads standing there with a screw driver and a hammer, "what are you doing with those?" I ask.
"The doors and locks are a privilege. They're coming off. Don't worry, you can earn them back."
Max and dad ignore my cries as the take the doors (bathroom, closet and room) off the hinges. I thought about fighting for my privacy but shit even I know I don't deserve it. So I just sit in the bed scratch at my arms and cry. The door bell rings, "Who the fuck is that?" Dad mumbles to himself.
Before, I can answer, Demi does it for me, "what the fuck are you doing here?" I know Dallas says something and then Demi growls, "RIVER! Get the fuck down here."
Dad turns to me as I get up, "damn it who is that?"
I shrug, "Dallas."
"Why- go down there before chaos erupts."
"Okay."
I'm falling and I didn't even release until I had to go down and face the issue head on, when I walk in to the living room and I see Dallas poking around the my treasure with her finger looking extremely disappointed.
"We'll, you wanted her here. So explain that to her. What's in the box?"
I sigh, " it's my box of stuff." I whisper.
"Why do you need this stuff?" Dallas asks with tears in her eyes as she looks at the contents of the box.
"Because...." I whisper, but until now I didn't realize I couldn't but the reason into words.
"Why didn't you call me or text me sooner?" Dallas asks.
"Why didn't I call you sooner?" I repeat, "think about that." I chuckle. My calmness is even scaring me. "Because you left me alone." I hear dad come downstairs, "you all left me alone. To be a mom. I did my best and now it's thrown in my face. I'm just so sick of all of you looking at me like I haven't been doing my best. I'm getting A's and B's. Im captain of the cross country team, I'm a fucking pop star, I'm Meadow's mom."
"You're not my mom." Meadow whispers.
"Fuck you! I've been your mom for years. You think these people fucking care about you? They only let you stay here for me. And now your fucked in the head just like the rest of us. Because I couldn't keep you safe. That's my fault but you're not going to look at me, none of you are going to look at me and tell me that I'm not doing the best I can."
"Cutting, drinking, and putting yourself in dangerous situations is your best?" Dad asks.
"Right now yes, and you're not going to take that away from me."
"River, we are taking that away. I don't think you understand what is happening right now. Although you are completely calm right now, your spiraling." Dad says.
"I'm spiraling?" I laugh, "look at your wife! I'm not stupid. I'm going through shit but she's on the brink of falling of the fucking cliff."
"No, I'm not." She gasps as her face goes pale.
"One second your happy, running around like a lunatic. The next your telling me that I'm a failure. Come on family, let's get everything out. Sit down, let's talk." I sit in the armchair while everyone looks at me. "So, mommy are you taking your meds?"
"I can't right now." She says blankly looking at dad.
"Oh, we'll since you can't. I can't. Daddy, did you know she's not taking her meds?" He looks at me, mom gags audibly.
"Demi?" He says.
"FOCUS!" I shout. They all freeze and look at me. "Meadow, your turn."
"I'm not doing this." She says terrified turning away.
"Sit down, now."
"Or what?"
"I'll make you."
"River!" Dallas shouts at me as I stand up.
"Shut the fuck up. Meadow, sit down."
"No."
I pounce. I grab he and throw her on the couch by her arm. Mom screams and sit back down. "Meadow, I had my room searched. They found my treasure box, where's yours?"
"I- I don't have one."
"Bullshit. If I can't have one neither can you. And neither can mom."
"Me?" Mom gasps. Dad turns to mom.
"Demi?"
"I don't have one."
I look at max who's just watching. "Mom's room, green box on the top shelf in the closet. Go get it." Max looks at dad nervously. Dad nods. He comes back as we all stare at each other and sets it on the table. I put my hand on top. "Mommy, what's in the box?" I ask smiling. She shakes her head as tears slowly fall from her eyes. She stands and I snatch the box. "Mom, answer me."
"Nothing. Pictures I think."
"Liar." I rip it open and pull out the bag of white powder, "what's this?" Dallas gasps.
"Demi! What the fuck is that?" Dad asks.
"Yes, what the fuck is this mommy?" I ask.
" it's not what it looks like. It's it's... I haven't even - I forgot I had that box. Nick." Dad looks at her disgusted. " I haven't used that! Damnit Nick Stop looking at me like that. Jesus! Im fucking pregnant you think I'm that selfish that I would use while I have a miracle growing inside me?"
I gasp, " what!"
" I'm Fucking pregnant you ungrateful fucking brat. God damn it. You thought you were really on to something. Wanted to air out everyone's business. Here's they deal. Im in charge. So here's what's going to happen." She steps closer to me. " your grounded. With a capital G! You want to play little girl. I was you. You are my daughter not the other way around." She steps closer so we're face to face. Almost nose to nose. Her eyes are on fire.
"You are my daughter. You are not my mom. I will not allow you to be the boss obviously you can't handle it."
"Obviously." I laugh.
"Shut up!" She grabs my arms. "Don't talk back. Listen!"
"Let go of me." I'm starting to get scared.
"You don't get to tell me what to do."
"Fuck you!" I scream at her as loud as she can. She digs her nails into my arm, I whimper, "ow! Fucking stop!"
"Your not going to homecoming, in fact your not going to anything."
"Ow fuck! Stop! You fucking psycho!"
She laughs sinisterly, "psycho? You haven't even seen my psycho yet."
She rest her head on my forehead and laughs again. "From now on, it you and me. We can be psycho together."
"Get the fuck off of me. Dad!" I begin to cry, she's squeezing my arms so tight.
"Demi, that's enough."
"No, no it not I'm just getting started. No homecoming, no cross country, no dance."
"Fuck you! You can't do that! I'm - your fucking crazy. Let go of me." I scream balling my fist. "Fucking bitch let go!"
Nick continues to try and pull me away, I can feel my fight or flight instincts kicking in. "Demi! Let go of me now!" I say pushing her away.
"Make me." She challenges. "Are you going to throw a pregnant woman around? Come on little girl. You want to try and bully someone bigger than you." She whispers growling
I freeze. "Mommy?" Meadow whispers scared.
"Demi, stop. Your scaring me. You made your point." Dallas says coming closer.
"Back the fuck up Demi!" I say. I weighing my options.
"Make me! River girl." ThAts when I black out. I hear screaming but I don't have any control of my body. When I come to Meadow's on the couch in a ball, bawling. Dad's pulling Demi away and Max has me pinned to a wall.
Max loosens his grip as I fall back into reality, "River! What the fuck is wrong with you!" Dallas screams.
I look at her confused, "what?"
"What do you mean, what? You just pulled a razor on your mom! What the fuck!"
I begin to panic, "what?" I gasp, "I didn't- I didn't. I - I don't remember."
" you don't remember." Dallas looks petrified. "What do you mean?"
"I - don't know what happened."
Dallas stares at me like I have four heads, " max, take meadow to her room. River stay here, I'm going to get Nick."
"Don't." I whisper. "Dallas, don't leave me here alone." I beg quietly. I don't know what just happened. I don't want to be left alone. Dallas freezes and looks at me.