Chapter Twelve

It's been a shitty week.

I worked double shifts all weekend, was given homework out the ass, Tia was pissy because I wouldn't go to Francisco's last Friday night so she couldn't flirt with Junior, and to top it off, I have my fucking period.

It's been one week since the incident with Dad. Thank God for Elena showing up when she did. If she hadn't, who knows what would've happened. The cops came, but Mom refused to file a restraining order or charges against Dad.

No surprise there.

I walked away with minor bruises and a massive headache, but Mom wasn't so lucky. She suffered a concussion, a cracked tooth, multiple cuts, and bruises all over her body.

Mom slept in my room once she was released from the hospital. Our bruises faded to a yellow, purplish color, which meant they were healing. The physical scars would heal; I just wish the mental scars would do the same.

I haven't seen or spoken with Doni for the past two weeks. I miss him and regret not asking for his phone number. I wonder if he's thinking of me or if he ever wants to see me again.

On my way out of Spanish class, I sprint down the hall and out the front door to the parking lot.

I keep my head down while looking through my Instagram page. The guys posted a picture of their project car. They are halfway done. I'm excited to see the final reveal of their 1960 Chevy Camaro. They've been working on it for a few years. Seb started the project with his uncle, but after he passed

away two years ago, Seb had difficulty starting it back up, but recently, something changed. He even got the guys to help.

"You shouldn't walk and text."

I stop in my tracks. Slowly raising my head, a set of deep blue ocean eyes are staring right at me. His smile flickers across his face.

My mouth begins to water, taking in the scrumptious sight in front of me. Doni leans back against his Porsche with both hands tucked into his dark jean pockets. His defined, well-built muscles strain against his navy-blue Oakley hoodie at his forearms, biceps, and chest. Even his hat makes him look sexier. This guy screams significant sex appeal. My stomach tightens.

"Hey," he says with a tender smile.

I take slow short steps toward him, trying to avoid eye contact but failing miserably. "What are you doing here? How did you know what school I go to?"

He pushes off from his car and strides toward me until we're chest to chest. I close my eyes, breathing him in. He lifts my chin with his index finger upwards to face him. He tips his head down to look at me. "I wanted to see you. And I figured this was the school closest to your home, so I took a guess."

He removes his finger from my chin and takes a step backward, watching me.

"Good guess." I smile, impressed.

"I haven't heard or seen you in the last two weeks. Everything ok?" There's sadness in my voice.

"I know." He lowers his head and lifts it back up.

"Ash and I confronted Mom, you know, about you. It was too much for us to handle, so we took off and spent some time processing everything." Sadness skims across his beautiful face.

I know how much he's hurting, and it kills me knowing he suffered as much as I have. No child should ever have to go through what we did. We were too young to comprehend what was happening. We were supposed to play with toys, swing on the swing set, break our legs on the monkey bars, eat candy late at night without brushing our teeth, watch stupid movies, and ride our bikes all throughout the night. We were supposed to just be kids.

"Oh," is all I can say. I ask the one question that has been gnawing at my brain. "Why?"

"Why did she do it?" he asks.

I nod.

Rubbing his hands behind his neck, he responds, "Because your mom asked her to convince Ash and me that you were…dead. She said because you were acting out, it pushed your dad to make things worse for you."

"Acting out?" I ask with confusion. I don't remember acting out. The last thing I wanted to do was piss off my dad.

"After we moved away," he quickly explains.

" I don't understand."

"She said once your mom made you believe that you were the reason for your dad acting out…." He chokes the words out, rubbing his hands over his face. A wave of fury burns inside of me.

Oh my God. It's all coming back to me now.

It was a week before Halloween. I sat on my bedroom floor playing with my Barbie dolls when Mom walked in and sat on my bed. "Hi, mija." I can hear sadness in her voice. She pats the spot next to her on the bed. I obey and sit next to her. She holds my hand and rubs it with a soothing motion. We sit like this for a few minutes without either one of us saying a word. I'm getting anxious, wondering what she wants to talk to me about. Did I do something wrong?

"Is this about Doni's birthday party, Mom? Is Jaquie still going to pick me up?"

She takes both of my hands and held them in hers. "No, baby. You have to let Doni go. He lives too far away to visit you. I'm sorry, mija."

I shake my head as tears pool in my eyes. "No. No, no. Please don't say that Mom. I need him. I need Doni." She wipes my tears away while holding one of my hands in hers.

"You don't need him, baby. Sometimes these things happen. Your friends grow up and move away. It's normal. You can make new friends."

What is she saying? Why is she hurting me like this? I don't want new friends. I want Doni. I want him back. I need him to come back to me.

Pulling my hands away from her, I jump off the bed to stand in front of her. "NO! Mom, NO! I want him back!"

"Please. Bring him back to me. I need him, Mom." I cry furiously.

"ENOUGH!" Her scream makes me cringe, and I take a step back. "He is a boy, just another boy. You are acting ridiculous.." Her tone is quieter this time.

"That's not true." Hiccup. "Josiah told me it's not my fault when Dad gets angry," I say in a whisper while keeping my eyes glued to my feet.

"Josiah lied to you, baby."

"That's not true," I whisper to myself.

Josiah never lies to me. She pulls me closer to her and brushes my hair back off my shoulder. She tips my chin up to face her. "You remember that when your daddy hurts you again. It will be your fault because you are crying over a silly boy. Don't make this worse, mija. No more crying over this boy, and I don't want to hear his name again.?Entiende o quiere que sea lo explique de nuevo?"

Doni is not a silly boy. He's my best friend. He makes me laugh and treats me like a little princess. He always makes me smile even when Dad hurts me. Mom doesn't make me feel good anymore. Instead of using her hands like Dad, she uses her words to hurt me.

I nod without saying anything, letting her know I understand.

I hate you, Mom. I hate you, Dad.

"Shorty? Are you ok?" Doni's compassionate tone brings me back to the present. "You checked out. Where did you go just now?" His face is full of worry.

"I remember." I didn't even realize I was crying. "I remember the day Mom told me it was my fault that Dad hurt us and demanded I forget about you."

Our parents are fuckin' crazy.

"I'm so sorry, Shorty." Doni steps forward until there is no space left between us. The heat from his body makes my insides melt.

God, he smells so good.

His blue eyes soften when he lifts my chin up so I face him. "I'm so sorry for…fuck!" He looks away like he's in pain. "For everything." He turns back to me, his blue eyes full of sadness. "I'm so sorry for not doing more when I first knew he hurt you. I'm so sorry for not being with you all these years. Not a day went by that I didn't think about you or wish you were with me." He pauses as he stares into my eyes, his own full of regret and love. God, I love this boy. If only he knew how much I adore him.

"It's not your fault, Doni." It breaks my heart knowing he carried this burden for years.

"Did it get better after that day? What the fuck am I asking. Of course it didn't get better." He scrubs one hand down his face.

"Josiah was there for the most part. But it has gotten worse since ..." I try to turn away from him, but he isn't having that.

"What do you mean?" He grinds out the words between his clenched teeth.

Riiight. I forgot he thinks Dad is dead.

I clear my throat. "After Josiah was arrested." It's the one thing Doni and I promised each other—to never lie no matter how bad it could be.

I'm so done with all the bullshit. The anger and frustration are ready to explode out of my body.

Without thinking, I pull away from Doni and stalk toward my car without saying anything. These memories are no longer mine. They belong to the nine-year-old girl who died inside the day she lost her best friend. I don't get very far when he reaches for my elbow.

"Wait. Please. We don't have to talk about that. How about we get out of here and just catch up?" I can feel the desperation in his voice.

And the desperation in his eyes is like a hunger, a physical craving he can't contain. The feelings are mutual. He's back in my life and I can't lose him again. The genie granted me one wish—a second chance to be with the boy who stole my heart all those years ago. What will we talk about? So much time has passed. Where should I begin? Am I ready to expose my darkest secrets? Will he still want to be with me once he finds out the truth?

"Ok. What did you have in mind?"

He beams with happiness.

"You hungry?" Still smiling wide, he exposes the cute dimples in his cheeks.