RYDER'S POV
It's Tuesday. The second day neither Dawn or Jesse have been in school.
What was in that doughnut?
I sit at my table with my lunch, and get halfway done eating before the rest came.
"Dude, did you do something to that doughnut?" I laugh as I ask Beau.
"Don't even ask, man, I feel awful," he puts his forehead on his hands and shakes his head. I snicker some more.
"Hey, I never asked," Becca says to me, "did you give her back her snow-globe?"
"Yeah, I did."
"You didn't go all asshole on her did you?" She raises her eyebrow. I roll my eyes.
"No, her dad answered the door."
Everyone let's out an "ooo" in unison, making me roll my eyes again.
"You met the parents, how'd it go?" Beau asks humorously.
"It went fine," I roll my eyes, "he's.. weird though."
"Who is?"
"Her dad," I scratch my neck, feeling a little guilty for talking about Dawn's dad like that.
"Weird how?" Jenny asks, getting in on the conversation.
"I don't know, he just give me a weird feeling," I shrug. We drop the subject after that.
*****
I work on some homework
during music while everyone else socializes.
Our teacher has been busy with helping the drama club get ready for a musical at the end of the semester, so we don't really do much.
When the final bell rings, I leave school and head to work. I'm supposed to finish up on Mr. Falls' truck today.
I had my work clothes in my car, so I change in the bathroom, then finish up. About an hour later, his truck done. I go to the phone at the front desk and look for his number. When I find it, I call him to tell him he cam come pick up his truck. It rings four times before he answers.
"Falls," he answers, sounding very professional.
"Hello, Mr. Falls, I just wanted to inform you that your vehicle is done. You can pick it up."
"Right, thank you, sir. I will be there as soon as I can," he says. Then the line goes dead.
I sit at the desk and wait for him.
Since I worked on his truck, I have to give him back his keys. After thirty minutes, he walks through the door. I stand up and walk up to him, ignoring the weird feeling I starting getting.
He's wearing a suit and tie. Looks like he just got out of work.
His eyes widen when he sees me, but he quickly covers it. I hold out my hand, and he takes it in a firm grip that I return.
"Hello, sir," I say, "right this way."
I reach my hand out, going to hand him his keys, and my eyes catch a glimpse of his knuckles. They're heavily bruised, a few cuts were also scattered on them.
"Your hand alright, sir?"
He gives me a questionable gaze before dropping his eyes to his hand.
Giving a shaky chuckle, he says, "Yeah, uh.. just had a misunderstanding with a friend is all."
Judging by the size of those bruises and the lack of any other injuries on him, I'd hate to be the friend he got into it with. Can't imagine what he must look like.
Shrugging it off, I lead him to his truck.
"Thanks," he says gruffly before getting in and speeding off. I walk out of the building and get in my car.
When I get home, I'm engulfed in a bear hug by my little sister.
"I missed you, bubby!" She says.
I smile and say, "I missed you more, kiddo!"
"Can we get ice cream?" She asks.
I laugh and tell her yes.
As we go to the ice cream parlor, we sing and dance with the radio. When we get there and have our ice creams, she tells me knock knock jokes. They're the lamest things I've ever heard, but I laugh anyways to make her smile.
"Knock knock."
"Who's there?"
"Banana."
"Banana who?"
"Knock knock."
"Who's there?"
"Banana."
"Banana who?"
"Knock knock."
"Who's there?"
"Orange ya glad I didn't say banana?" She finally says.
She erupts into fits of laughter, and I laugh with her. When she calms down, she looks at me with a serious look.
"What?" I question.
"When will Dawn and Jesse come back over? I miss them," she says as she shovels ice cream into her mouth.
I sigh. I'm still avoiding her, I can't invite her over.
"I don't know, kiddo," I say.
When we finish our ice cream, we head home.
I sit in my bed and contemplate on texting Dawn. I haven't talked to her in forever, and I can't deny that I miss her.
I laugh a little as I think about her prehistoric phone.
Deciding against it, I lay in bed and ignore the ache in my chest. God I would like a middle school girl after a break up.
What have you done to me, Dawn Falls?
YOU ARE READING
The Bad and The Broken
Teen FictionDawn Rayne Falls and her brother, Jesse Falls, are abused by her father, Jim. He is an alcoholic and abusive and has been ever since his wife, Dawn and Jesse's mom, died. That was 8 years ago. The abuse started when Dawn was 9. She has never let her...
