WARNING: Danny gets kinda dark and violent in this chapter. He never hits anyone, but he does think about it. If mentions of violence bother you than skip from *** to ***. Also a vague mention of child abuse and swearing.


"Soooooo, you have a good time Lacey?" Danny tried to keep his eyes averted as Lacey and Archie conversed next to him. He really didn't want to hear this conversation, but he'd already gone to the bathroom once so he had no choice.

" I really did Archie. That movie was a little scary, but its not so bad with friends there".

Danny smiled to himself and flipped through his text. Yeap, Lacey enjoyed this date, but only as friends. Archie was a cool guy, but he didn't get Lacey like Danny did. Archie didn't know what her favorite flavor ice cream was, or what kind of books she liked to read, or that she hated scary movies.

Yeap. He was glad he didn't bother to mention that last part to Archie before they bought the tickets.

"Oh" Archie says as his voice falters a bit. Danny looks over expecting to see Archie picking his heart off the ground but instead he finds Lacey has wrapped her fingers through Archie's. They were holding hands.

Danny felt the rush of heat in his chest and the agitation building up in his body. He hated when he got like this, especially in front of Lacey or Jo.

He needed some air.

"Im going to sit outside for a bit. My heads starting to bother me. Probably the burnt popcorn smell." Danny tried to look anywhere but at Lacey as he excused himself. He didn't need her calling him out on his lies in front of these people.

"Why don't you guys go find us a table at the restaurant? I'll find you when I'm feeling better".

That's when Danny felt a tap on his shoulder, and he turned to his right to see Sunny's slight smile and beautiful face. "Do you want me to sit with you? Just to make sure you don't pass out or something?"

Immediately Danny felt guilty. He had really enjoyed his date with Sunny, but he wanted Lacey. He'd wanted Lacey for so long, and no woman was going to be able to compete with that. Even with Archie and Lacey holding hands right next to him.

Falling out of love wasn't always easy. Not even when it was necessary.

"No thanks Sunny. Sorry about this. I just need a minuet." To Danny's surprise Lacey droped Archie's hand and grabed Sunny's. Immediately after the two started chattering about something and Lacey is pulling the slightly shorter girl toward the restaurant. Archie gives Danny a second glance before trailing behind both girls.


Danny eventually finds himself leaning against the one of the stone walls of Green Grove Cinema, watching the cars and families pass by.

He was really starting to scare himself sometimes. If only he could stop it. Cut it off when it got to be too much. Pull back when feeling too hard.

God knows he never wanted to scare Lacey and Jo.

"What is wrong with you Danny? Please talk to me. Did someone hurt you son?" Danny walked swiftly past the slender woman, not sparing her any sort of confirmation.

He was so angry he could hurt someone. He wanted to. He knew exactly who wanted to hurt.

Aaron Heart.

The 14 year old soccer player who ended up embarrassing Danny at his game. Danny felt his pressure raise again, and he slammed his fist into the wall so hard his hand goes through the plaster. His mom is screaming at him but he doesn't really hear or see her.

He's just angry.

Aaron had blocked three of Danny's passes. It seemed like whenever Danny was in control of the ball, Aaron would take it away from him. Five practices a week for months and some kid made him look like a chump?

He nearly knocks over a chair in his pacing, and he shoves the offensive object out of his way. It flies right into the table and knocks another chair over before toppling back itself.

It was an accident. He'd just pick it up later. Why was she still fucking screaming? Maybe if she wasn't always screaming he wouldn't have lost the game for his team!

"What mom! What do you want? Why are you screaming at me!? Why wont you just leave me alone, and let me think for two seconds? That's all I want is two seconds. Is it the chair? Do you want me to pick it up!?" Danny grabs both chairs and pushes them back into place, he doesn't notice Karen flinching each time one of them bangs against the legs of the table.

He's never been so mad in his life. Not even his drag outs with aunt Tara could get him this heated. He feels like he's losing it, and the air around him is getting thinner.

He just wanted to try again. To meet Aaron on the field tomorrow.

No he never wanted to play Aaron again. He wants to fight the older boy. Even if he lost, one good punch would be worth it. He'd do worse if he could… He could practically feel his fingers wrapping around Aaron's throat. The other boy would try to pry Danny's long fingers off his neck, probably shove his legs at Danny's stomach, but he wouldn't let go.

No, Aaron deserved it. That's why he was so mad.

Ughhh, why was his mother still fucking screaming? Dis she ever shut up? Why couldn't she go blow money on worthless shit for her face and hair? Didn't she have friends to gossip with?

"Just shut up!"

Danny hadn't meant to say that last part out loud. It just slipped out. It just happened.

Why was she crying?

"Danny please honey. You're scaring me". Karen practically sobbed the sentence out in bits and fragments. Her face was red and blotchy. Tears were racing down her cheeks and she shirked back against the far wall. Slowly she reached out, she was much too far away to touch him but she gestured towards his fist.

His heart almost dropped. As mad as he could get with his mother, he had never balled his fist up at her.

Not until now.

He thinks about running towards her. About hugging her and apologizing but he can't even look up from his closed hands.

He'd never been so ashamed in his life. ***

That night was the only night Danny could recall Vikram becoming violent with him. Yet, he didn't lay one hand on the boy.

It was an understanding communicated between them. Vikram didn't have to even imply it with his words, but Danny got the message loud and clear. He was never to do that again, or the consequences would be severe.

One slip up had ruined the relationships he had with both his parents. Not even a week later and he was losing Lacey too. How much longer before Jo found a better friend than him?

That night he apologized to his mother and promised to pay her for the damage. She brushed him off as if she wasn't sobbing on the floor hours ago. More than anything she was just glad to have him back to normal. The relief on her face made Danny fall deeper into his own personal hell.

As of late he just couldn't control his temper. He just got so angry. It was always at his back. Licking and nipping at his arms and legs. It was a darkness he was becoming too familiar with. That night proved it once and for all.

Danny was loosing himself, and everyone he'd ever cared about.


" So you feeling better Danny? Lacey and I were just about to check up on ya. We went a head and ordered for ya, Lacey said you love the cheese burger bites from here. We got you that and a strawberry soda." Danny smiled at Sunny as she tried to welcome him back into the fold.

She really was a nice girl. Just not the right nice girl.

Danny nearly dropped his fork when he felt a swift kick to his shin. He looked at his three companions and they all looked otherwise preoccupied, except Lacey.

She nodded slightly to confirms his suspicions and it was then that he noticed her eyes were kinda puffy. She actually looked a little like she'd been crying.

Did something happen while he was gone? He fought the urge to pull Lacey away and demand and answers from Archie. What had he done to Lacey?

Lacey smiled as if understanding his concern and waved him off. She raised her eyebrows at him and he nodded to let her know he was ok as well.

Neither of them were ok.


A/N: So Ive pissed a few of you off? Understandable. I knew it was going to be jarring at its best, and plain bad writing at its worse. I wanted to give Lacey the reaction she was robbed of in Twisted. A real reaction to the boy you're in love with having feelings for your "friend". Not this BS where she goes from upset/confused to…mildly irritated and then over it. I swear, Twisted was going to have Lacey trying to get Jo to date Danny . After all, she needs something to do since they axed her "confusing relationship" with Whitney. Ridiculous.

Lacey has been pushing her feelings for Danny so far back she really thought she was over them. They came quick, and she thought they left just as fast. So no, she did not lie in the previous chapter. She became aware of them because of Sunny. Unlike canon Danny who pushed two relationship for Jo with two different men, but out of nowhere she's the one? Puh-lease