I would have done it better

last day of school

The sun was shining bright that day. It was our last day of Senior year before we would be free from school forever.. We all had huge plans. I was going to start a job working construction starting Monday the following week. Casey was headed to a big ibeleague school where she got a full ride due to her academic achievements. Melisa was starting her first full time job the following week as well.

We had planned a giant party to celebrate our new found freedom and eagerly awaited the bell to ring. We sat in silence staring over at our friend Danny. He was drawing his usual macabre drawings of cartoon deaths. We laughed as he showed us his newest skit of Mickey house bashing Donald duck's head in with a hammer. We all  thought it was funny. Danny was a bit of an odd ball to say the least. It wasn't unlike him to blurt out weird things randomly. Or even to crack jokes about death or suicide. Or to even draw a picture of death on a daily basis. Still we liked him.

The bell rang loudly; and with that all of the seniors were free. We packed our things and bolted out of the classroom. I watched the girls leave first. I then walked out after them. Danny stopped me in the doorway.

"We made it man" Danny said happily holding his sketchbook. It was all he ever brought to last period. What was supposed to be a study hall served as more of a art class for him. 

"Yeah, I guess we did" I agreed smiling at him.

I didn't know what his plans were but I decided to be nice today. I remembered we were having a party that night. And being that Danny was one of our friends, I figured I'd invite him.

"So we're having a party tonight, you wanna swing by" I offered. He stared at me for a second before responding

"Nah man" Danny began. "I'll probably just chill at home tonight but thanks for the offer. I accepted his answer, and went on with my day.

I walked outside to find Melisa and Casey already waiting in the car. They must have been more eager to get out then I was. I didn't hate school particularly, I didn't like it much either. Just as we were about to peel out of the parking lot Danny stopped by our car and leaned on the window.

"Could I talk to Melisa for a moment?" Danny asked as he stared at her in the back seat. Melisa agreed and stepped out of the car. She smiled at Danny who was holding a piece of paper in his hand.

"What's up Danny?" Melisa said as she stood outside the door of the vehicle. Leaning her body against it

"I drew this for you" Danny explained as he handed her the picture. She paused for a moment but happily accepted his gift. She opened it up and made a weird face at Danny. He could tell she didn't like the gift

The drawing was of him and her standing as Queen and King on top of a mountain of bloody body's. Around the two figures in the drawing was a bloody heart underneath was Danny's phone number.

"Is something wrong?" Danny asked as he stared at Melisa's displeased expression. 

Melisa handed Danny back the peice of paper. She stared at him for a moment before speaking to him.

"I don't like you Danny" Melisa began. "I merely tolerate you because my friends like you." Melisa barked

Danny looked like he was a combination of both sad and angry. He glared at Melisa with a hateful grin. She began to make her way back inside the car before Danny shut the door stopping her from doing so.

"Why?" Danny asked angrily. "You'll fuck every other guy at the school but you won't give me a chance!?" Danny shouted angrily. I could hear him from inside the car so I stepped out to see what was going on. Melisa wore a angry expression as she began to yell and point at Danny.

"Your're a fucking freak!" Melisa began. "You draw your fucked up little drawings about death, you make jokes about killing people... Honestly you give me serial killer vibes" Melisa shouted.

"Fuck you!" Danny shouted back at her enraged by her words. Danny then grabbed Melisa's wrist. I saw this and immediately sprung into action.

"Get your fucking hands off of her!" I shouted at him as I walked up to them. I could tell this situation was going to get out of hand quickly, and if I didn't do something Danny may try to hurt Melisa.

"Stay out of this man!" Danny shouted as he gripped Melisa's wrist tighter.

I could feel the tension building with every passing seconds. Both Danny and Melisa becoming more infuriated every moment.

"So your just a faceless snooty whore!" Danny roared squeezing her tighter.

Melissa used her free hand to pop Danny right in the nose releasing his grip sending him flying backwards. He stood back up with a twisted smile on his face.

"So you wanna play?" Danny snickered as he pulled out a pocket knife and began charging Melisa. I saw this and immediately popped Danny on the side of the head. He hit the ground with a thud dropping the pocket knife. I jumped on top of him and proceeded to punch him in the face. I popped Danny in the nose busting it open. Blood oozed out of his now broken nose. He screamed for me to stop but anger overtook me in that moment. I proceeded to pound viciously at Danny's face busting his head open. Blood began to pool beneath him. I kept beating him even after I had knocked him out. Melisa tried to pull me off of him as she cried.

"Stop!" She shouted. Tears flowing down her face. "Your going to kill him!" She begged as I continued to beat him. I only stopped when I could see one of our teachers making her way down the parking lot. I jumped off of Danny and ran for the car. I urged Casey to step on it and we peeled out of the parking lot within seconds.

We left Danny there beaten nearly to death in the School parking lot. Melisa stared at me in silence. I knew I had scared her. But I was only trying to protect her. Who knows what Danny might have done if I hadnt stopped him. He may have injured her or even worse.

"You didn't have to do that!" Melisa said sadly still horrified from what had just happened.  "Why... Why did you do that?" Melisa whined.

I knew she was upset but in that moment I didn't care. That situation escalated quickly and I did what I had to do.

"Look I'm sorry!" I began to shout angrily. "He fucking attacked you, and he pulled out a knife." I explained trying desperately to justify what I did.

She simply ignored me. And turned up the radio.

It had been almost a year since that day and I had done my fair share of drinking to forget about it. But now it was all coming back. My friends were all dead and the worst part is

It's all my fault.