Looking In The Eyes Of Love
A "Higher Ground" Fan Fic
By MissKate
A/N..I GOT ANOTHER CHAPTER DONE!! Thanks to the few people that have reviewed my last chapter, and I hope that some more people take a look at this one. I love reviews, as I get so few. Please make my day by taking a minute out of your time to give me one!! PLEASE!!! THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!
Chapter 13: Truth Comes Slowly
Carefully, Daisy slid the book into her hand and placed it under her pillow so the others would not see. She looked around and noticed that nobody was paying any attention to her, and were busy cleaning up the mess. Heedlessly, she looked over at Riley. How could I not have noticed? Daisy thought. All the clues were there, it was just that nobody had bothered to put them together.
"Maybe we should get out of these dresses before they get all wrinkled and dirty. Wouldn't want to spoil to marvelous morp with soiled gowns!" Shelby said in a cutesy voice.
Juliette nodded her head. "Uh, yeah. We should change. Then we can tell Sophie that we are ready and help her bring these others to the rest of the girls here." She headed for the bathroom, followed by Riley, leaving Daisy and Shelby alone in the room.
Shelby gave a little twirl, prompting Daisy to let out a small chuckle. "What do you think?"
Daisy let out a sigh. "I think...that Scott will be the luckiest and proudest of all the 'troubled' guys up here." The two of them smiled, and Shelby knew she was lucky to have a friend like Daisy. She was always there when she needed advice, to be consoled, or just to talk to. She only hoped that she was as helpful to her friend as she had always been for her.
"You think?" she replied with a silly tone in her voice. "Anything up, Dais? You seem kind of...distant."
Knowing she could not give away Riley's secret, she quickly covered up for her level of distractedness. "Oh, no. Just thinking about the morp," Daisy said with a grin, as Shelby smiled back at her.
Soon, the door to the bathroom and the girls switched places, Shelby and Daisy inside, the other two cautiously putting their dresses away. Juliette walked over to Riley and sat on her bed. "Are you excited?" she asked, hoping that she was just as anxious as she was.
"I'm not sure. I don't really know anybody here, so it will be kind of awkward, you know?" Juliette nodded as she continued. "This place is...so much different from home. I think it will just take a while to get...adjusted."
Understandingly, Juliette smiled, sat up and gave her a quick hug, before heading to her own bed to wait for the others to finish changing. She knew what it was like to be the new kid. All the people asking questions about what brought them there, the endlessness of being watched over the Peter and Sophie...It was all very different for anyone to get used to.
After a few minutes, Shelby and Daisy rejoined the group and as the other two had done before them, they hung their gowns up. "Okay, want to go take these dresses to Sophie now?" Juliette questioned as they finished.
"Yeah, okay. Let's get going. Then we can watch the guys show off their oh-so-excellent basketball skills," Shelby replied while throwing a large bag over her shoulder.
Riley moved to get up, but Daisy swiftly caught her. "Uh, we'll catch up with you guys. I just need to tell Riley something real quick." The others gave their affirmation and headed out the door, while the confused girl turned around to face Daisy.
Closing her eyes, Daisy thought for a moment, as Riley continued to watch her. Slowly, she said, "I know."
The comment took Riley aback and she did not know what she meant. No, there's no way she could know that, she thought to herself, as Daisy watched her, feeling uneasy.
"What...what do you know?" she managed to get out.
"About your father."
Riley nearly fell backwards, and Daisy reached for her hand, leading her to her bed and motioning to sit beside her. She saw the tears starting to form in her eyes and the worried look on her face. The fear she saw looked as bad as Shelby's every time she had confided in her. "How?" she asked in a weak voice.
Daisy reached under her pillow and pulled out the black book. "This."
"How could you?!" Riley managed to shout. "You went through my things?"
Expecting the reaction she received, Daisy tried to calm her down. "I found it when we were picking up the dresses." The look of anger was still visible on her face. "I saw it under your bed when I was getting one of the dresses that had fallen under there. I am sorry. I am truly sorry, but don't you think it is better that someone knows?"
Riley nodded, knowing that she was right. "I am."
"You can talk you know. There's nothing to hide, and I won't tell anyone. Promise." Daisy saw how petrified Riley seemed to be, of someone knowing her truth, and of telling her secrets. She allowed her eyes to show that she could trust her, and hoped that would be enough. She knew that secrets...deep, dark secrets...would eat away at someone; eventually causing her to hurt herself or someone she loved.
Looking to the ceiling, Riley slowly began. "Every night...I was so scared. I was scared to hear the door open and close, to hear footsteps pounding away at the floor, to hear his voice. During the day, he was usually fine. He would laugh with my brother and they would go fishing or something. But it was the nights I was scared of. I made sure I was in my room, every night, by eight...no later than eight. We would get home around anywhere from nine to one in the morning, and as much as I tried to sleep, I never could. As each minute ticked by, I would start imagining the footsteps coming closer and closer to my door. It wouldn't take much to set him off. Maybe the cat was by the door, or one of our shoes got left out by mistake. He made my mom stay up and wait for him to get home, and I was always scared for her. She would sit there on the couch doing nothing, because if he came home and saw her reading, he wouldn't think she sat up for him. I can still hear the sounds...the slaps, the punches, the kicks. In my room, I would sit there, my eyes clenched, holding my hands to my ears trying to cover the noise. I wanted to run out there and just hit him, but I knew that if I ever tried to act against him, I wouldn't live. Alcohol...is just evil." Daisy thought for a second, knowing all too well what she meant. "When he would hit me, the bruises would last for days. I had countless excuses for my friends at school. I didn't want them to find out, tell someone, and make him even angrier. I kept it all bottled up inside until I could write it in that book. I wanted to find someone to tell, but could never bring myself to do it. I loved my dad, I really did. I just didn't love what he did or how he acted. My brother would try to protect me when he came after me, even though he was so young...7," she said, with tears falling down her face. Daisy watched her the whole time very intently; hoping she knew it was okay to cry.
"One night, he barged into my room and I shot up in bed. I saw his face and that…vein popping out of his head. He looked so angry and I didn't know what I had done to make him act like that. My brother, Josh, came in and saw what was going on. He started yelling at him to stop it until finally, my dad swung around and punched him in the head…lots of times. He fell down, and he wasn't moving. I was crying and I just wanted to get to him to see if he was all right. A neighbor heard the yells and called the police, but I ran away before they got there. My dad was too scared about getting caught that he didn't even notice. When I came back, my brother was in the hospital. My mom told me that my dad was gone, but I kept getting the nightmares, so I would go to one of my friends' houses, telling them my parents had gone out of town and I needed a place to stay. That was when I got into the drugs and stealing. Eventually, my mom thought I should go here, but she never told them any of the problems at home, only the innocent things," Riley said finishing her story.
Tears poured down her cheeks, and Daisy simply held onto her, telling her she would not tell anyone and that everything would be fine. She, herself, was crying as well at the story she had just heard. She did not know what she was going to do. She said she would not tell anyone, but she felt as if Peter and Sophie had to find out somehow.
"Listen to me," Daisy said softly, as Riley turned to face her. "You cannot live like that never happened. They have to know. Peter and Sophie have to know."
Riley shot up. "You said you wouldn't say anything."
"And I won't. I am one of the trustworthiest people here, and I am keeping my word. What I meant was that you need to tell them. Not today, and probably not tomorrow, but someday, before it eats you up inside. Like I told Shelby once, 'It's poison...all of it. It eats you up inside.'" Daisy looked at her, trying with all her heart to look reassuring, her face forming a small smile.
Trying to understand the statement, Riley knew she was right. She nodded slowly as they rose. Daisy pulled her into a hug, and Riley felt as if the world had been lifted off her shoulders. Someone knew, and she was no longer alone in the world.
A "Higher Ground" Fan Fic
By MissKate
A/N..I GOT ANOTHER CHAPTER DONE!! Thanks to the few people that have reviewed my last chapter, and I hope that some more people take a look at this one. I love reviews, as I get so few. Please make my day by taking a minute out of your time to give me one!! PLEASE!!! THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!
Chapter 13: Truth Comes Slowly
Carefully, Daisy slid the book into her hand and placed it under her pillow so the others would not see. She looked around and noticed that nobody was paying any attention to her, and were busy cleaning up the mess. Heedlessly, she looked over at Riley. How could I not have noticed? Daisy thought. All the clues were there, it was just that nobody had bothered to put them together.
"Maybe we should get out of these dresses before they get all wrinkled and dirty. Wouldn't want to spoil to marvelous morp with soiled gowns!" Shelby said in a cutesy voice.
Juliette nodded her head. "Uh, yeah. We should change. Then we can tell Sophie that we are ready and help her bring these others to the rest of the girls here." She headed for the bathroom, followed by Riley, leaving Daisy and Shelby alone in the room.
Shelby gave a little twirl, prompting Daisy to let out a small chuckle. "What do you think?"
Daisy let out a sigh. "I think...that Scott will be the luckiest and proudest of all the 'troubled' guys up here." The two of them smiled, and Shelby knew she was lucky to have a friend like Daisy. She was always there when she needed advice, to be consoled, or just to talk to. She only hoped that she was as helpful to her friend as she had always been for her.
"You think?" she replied with a silly tone in her voice. "Anything up, Dais? You seem kind of...distant."
Knowing she could not give away Riley's secret, she quickly covered up for her level of distractedness. "Oh, no. Just thinking about the morp," Daisy said with a grin, as Shelby smiled back at her.
Soon, the door to the bathroom and the girls switched places, Shelby and Daisy inside, the other two cautiously putting their dresses away. Juliette walked over to Riley and sat on her bed. "Are you excited?" she asked, hoping that she was just as anxious as she was.
"I'm not sure. I don't really know anybody here, so it will be kind of awkward, you know?" Juliette nodded as she continued. "This place is...so much different from home. I think it will just take a while to get...adjusted."
Understandingly, Juliette smiled, sat up and gave her a quick hug, before heading to her own bed to wait for the others to finish changing. She knew what it was like to be the new kid. All the people asking questions about what brought them there, the endlessness of being watched over the Peter and Sophie...It was all very different for anyone to get used to.
After a few minutes, Shelby and Daisy rejoined the group and as the other two had done before them, they hung their gowns up. "Okay, want to go take these dresses to Sophie now?" Juliette questioned as they finished.
"Yeah, okay. Let's get going. Then we can watch the guys show off their oh-so-excellent basketball skills," Shelby replied while throwing a large bag over her shoulder.
Riley moved to get up, but Daisy swiftly caught her. "Uh, we'll catch up with you guys. I just need to tell Riley something real quick." The others gave their affirmation and headed out the door, while the confused girl turned around to face Daisy.
Closing her eyes, Daisy thought for a moment, as Riley continued to watch her. Slowly, she said, "I know."
The comment took Riley aback and she did not know what she meant. No, there's no way she could know that, she thought to herself, as Daisy watched her, feeling uneasy.
"What...what do you know?" she managed to get out.
"About your father."
Riley nearly fell backwards, and Daisy reached for her hand, leading her to her bed and motioning to sit beside her. She saw the tears starting to form in her eyes and the worried look on her face. The fear she saw looked as bad as Shelby's every time she had confided in her. "How?" she asked in a weak voice.
Daisy reached under her pillow and pulled out the black book. "This."
"How could you?!" Riley managed to shout. "You went through my things?"
Expecting the reaction she received, Daisy tried to calm her down. "I found it when we were picking up the dresses." The look of anger was still visible on her face. "I saw it under your bed when I was getting one of the dresses that had fallen under there. I am sorry. I am truly sorry, but don't you think it is better that someone knows?"
Riley nodded, knowing that she was right. "I am."
"You can talk you know. There's nothing to hide, and I won't tell anyone. Promise." Daisy saw how petrified Riley seemed to be, of someone knowing her truth, and of telling her secrets. She allowed her eyes to show that she could trust her, and hoped that would be enough. She knew that secrets...deep, dark secrets...would eat away at someone; eventually causing her to hurt herself or someone she loved.
Looking to the ceiling, Riley slowly began. "Every night...I was so scared. I was scared to hear the door open and close, to hear footsteps pounding away at the floor, to hear his voice. During the day, he was usually fine. He would laugh with my brother and they would go fishing or something. But it was the nights I was scared of. I made sure I was in my room, every night, by eight...no later than eight. We would get home around anywhere from nine to one in the morning, and as much as I tried to sleep, I never could. As each minute ticked by, I would start imagining the footsteps coming closer and closer to my door. It wouldn't take much to set him off. Maybe the cat was by the door, or one of our shoes got left out by mistake. He made my mom stay up and wait for him to get home, and I was always scared for her. She would sit there on the couch doing nothing, because if he came home and saw her reading, he wouldn't think she sat up for him. I can still hear the sounds...the slaps, the punches, the kicks. In my room, I would sit there, my eyes clenched, holding my hands to my ears trying to cover the noise. I wanted to run out there and just hit him, but I knew that if I ever tried to act against him, I wouldn't live. Alcohol...is just evil." Daisy thought for a second, knowing all too well what she meant. "When he would hit me, the bruises would last for days. I had countless excuses for my friends at school. I didn't want them to find out, tell someone, and make him even angrier. I kept it all bottled up inside until I could write it in that book. I wanted to find someone to tell, but could never bring myself to do it. I loved my dad, I really did. I just didn't love what he did or how he acted. My brother would try to protect me when he came after me, even though he was so young...7," she said, with tears falling down her face. Daisy watched her the whole time very intently; hoping she knew it was okay to cry.
"One night, he barged into my room and I shot up in bed. I saw his face and that…vein popping out of his head. He looked so angry and I didn't know what I had done to make him act like that. My brother, Josh, came in and saw what was going on. He started yelling at him to stop it until finally, my dad swung around and punched him in the head…lots of times. He fell down, and he wasn't moving. I was crying and I just wanted to get to him to see if he was all right. A neighbor heard the yells and called the police, but I ran away before they got there. My dad was too scared about getting caught that he didn't even notice. When I came back, my brother was in the hospital. My mom told me that my dad was gone, but I kept getting the nightmares, so I would go to one of my friends' houses, telling them my parents had gone out of town and I needed a place to stay. That was when I got into the drugs and stealing. Eventually, my mom thought I should go here, but she never told them any of the problems at home, only the innocent things," Riley said finishing her story.
Tears poured down her cheeks, and Daisy simply held onto her, telling her she would not tell anyone and that everything would be fine. She, herself, was crying as well at the story she had just heard. She did not know what she was going to do. She said she would not tell anyone, but she felt as if Peter and Sophie had to find out somehow.
"Listen to me," Daisy said softly, as Riley turned to face her. "You cannot live like that never happened. They have to know. Peter and Sophie have to know."
Riley shot up. "You said you wouldn't say anything."
"And I won't. I am one of the trustworthiest people here, and I am keeping my word. What I meant was that you need to tell them. Not today, and probably not tomorrow, but someday, before it eats you up inside. Like I told Shelby once, 'It's poison...all of it. It eats you up inside.'" Daisy looked at her, trying with all her heart to look reassuring, her face forming a small smile.
Trying to understand the statement, Riley knew she was right. She nodded slowly as they rose. Daisy pulled her into a hug, and Riley felt as if the world had been lifted off her shoulders. Someone knew, and she was no longer alone in the world.
