Scott turned the key in the lock and told Dani to prepare herself. He didn't know what sort of state Kit was in.
As the door opened, he turned left and saw Kit, curled up on the couch, crying her eyes out. She was shaking and looked delighted to see Scott but ashamed of herself when she saw Dani behind him.
Dani was stunned. The house was a mess, Kit was a mess, but she didn't care. She wanted to help out, for Scott's sake.
Kit desperately dried her eyes, not wanting the girl Scott had brought home to see her in such a state.
"Kit, I want you to meet Dani...and Dani, this is my sister, Kit."
Both girls smiled at each other, awkwardly. This was going to be tough, thought Dani.
*****
Kirsty was in Kane's house. She'd decided to hang out there for the day, not wanting to be there when Flynn first approached Dani about the mediation. Kane was cooking for her, and for a moment, it all seemed normal. A young couple, in love, hanging out and trying to do nice things for each other but then it would all hit home. Kirsty longed for them to be like that but she didn't know if it was ever possible.
Kane was trying his best to impress Kirsty. He was making pancakes and tossing them up and down...Kirsty laughed as he dropped yet another.
"You're not too good at this, are you?"
"I bet I'd be better than you!" Kane teased.
"Are you challenging me because you know I'd beat you hands down!"
"You want a bet?"
"Fine then...pass me that pan!!!"
Once again, it all seemed normal...they were having fun, if only it could all be like that.
*****
Kit got up and ran to the toilet. She spewed her guts out for the sixth time. She couldn't keep doing this to herself, it wasn't going to bring her mum back, it wasn't going to bring her murderer to justice.
Whilst she was in the toilet, Scott spoke to Dani.
"Dan, you've seen what she's like, I don't know what to do."
"She just needs someone to confide in, Scott, was she close to your mum?"
"Very. They used to be like best friends, I mean she had her other friends but her and mum were always together."
Scott put his head down, memories of his mother filling his head. He didn't want to forget her but remembering her all the time was hard.
Dani put her arms around Scott, trying to think how she would feel if she lost her mum or dad. She couldn't imagine it, throughout the whole time with Kane and then with Josh, they'd been there for her, losing them would be too much.
"I'm not going to pretend that I know how you and Kit feel, Scott, but I want to try and help."
"Thanks, Dani, it means a lot, considering what you're going through yourself."
"It takes me mind off things, that's never bad."
"You're holding up well though."
"Yeah...anyway...when Kit comes back, let me talk to her, ok?"
"Sure, don't know if it will do any good though, I've tried loads of times."
"Tried what loads of times?" asked Kit, who'd just came back from the toilet.
"Nothing...look, do you mind if I go out for a while, Kit?"
Kit looked disappointed. Scott was always doing this. Whenever she got too much for him to handle, he'd go out for a run and wouldn't return for ages.
"Whatever."
Scott detected that she wanted him to stay but he put some faith in Dani. He got up but Dani remained seated.
"Isn't she leaving aswell?"
"No, I'm not going to be long."
"Well, if you're not going to be long, why doesn't she go with you?"
"Kit, stop being awkward, I'll be back soon."
He left and at first, the silence was deafening. No one spoke, no one knew what to say to the other...
*****
Flynn sat in his house with Sally in his arms. He thanked God that his relationship was so simple. Him and Sally had their problems from time to time but it was nothing as complicated as Kirsty's situation with Kane. He'd thought at first that the young couple were just having a bit of fun with each other but it was now evident to him that they meant more than that to each other. They were serious and he had the hard job of getting Dani to agree to a mediation. How he was going to do it, he didn't know.
"Flynn...you're daydreaming!"
"Sorry, Sal, I'm just thinking."
"What about?"
"Nothing, it's nothing."
"It's obviously not nothing, Flynn, come on, tell me!"
"Ok, well, Kirsty and Kane...they want me to get Dani to have a mediation with them."
"They what?"
"I know."
"What are you going to do?"
"I don't know. They're serious about each other, Sal. I don't want to be the one who breaks them up but then again, I'm Dani's counsellor aswell and I can't let her down."
"Do what you think is right, Flynn. Do you think that Kirsty and Kane can last?"
"Well, it's clear to me that they're in love. Before, I thought they were just messing around, but not now. Why would they go to all the hassle of having a mediation if they weren't serious?"
"That's going to be a hard one to break to Dani."
"I know, tell me about it but I'm going to try my best, for Kirsty and Kane and also for Dani. They all deserve to be happy, if that's possible."
"Good luck!"
"I think I'm going to need it."
*****
Dani was sturggling to get Kit to open up, her answers were cold and vague.
"I know about your mum, Kit, and I'm really sorry, I can't imagine how you're feeling."
"Exactly, so why are you trying to?"
"Because I think you need a friend, someone to talk to and I'm willing to be that person. Shutting people out is one of the worst things you could do."
"Whatever. I don't even know who you are."
"I'm a friend of Scott's."
"Are you his girlfriend?"
"No..."
"Something in that told me that you want to be!"
"You got all that, just from one word?"
Kit smiled at Dani. She realised that she was starting to like this girl.
"How did you meet Scott?"
"Oh....long story."
"Well..."
Kit was forward and to the point, it was just her nature, and she was curious.
"He found me on the beach whilst he was running."
"When?"
"Couple of days ago."
"What do you mean he found you?"
"Emm, well, I'd been there all night...I was way far out and no one knew where I was. My family, they were all looking for me because I'd been gone all day but Scott, he found me real early the next morning."
"You slept there all night?"
"Not exactly slept there, but yeah. Scott took me to the Drop-in Centre then came to the hospital with me."
"Why were you on the beach?"
"That's another long story...let's just say a family fallout, with my sister."
"What did she do?"
"She, em, she's going out with this guy who I'm not exactly best friends with."
"Why not?"
"WHAT'S WITH ALL THE QUESTIONS, KIT?"
"Jeez, I'm sorry, I'm just trying to get to know you a bit better, thought you said you wanted to be my friend?"
"I do...but, I...I just don't want to talk about...about him."
"Fine."
Kit was in a mood. She didn't like being shouted at, especially not by complete strangers. Dani could sense that Kit was off with her, she didn't want Scott to come back to the two of them not speaking to each other, she had to try, for his sake.
"He raped me." Dani said in a quiet voice. Kit heard her, though, because there was no other noise in the room.
"He what?"
"He raped me, ok?"
"Shit, Dani, I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault, can we please just drop this now, please?"
"Sure..."
Kit was stunned. Dani seemed so together and collected...
"Well, you've just told me everything...so it's only fair that I tell you what's messed up in my life, eh?"
"Now we're getting somewhere!"
"I just feel like...I don't know, like I shouldn't be like this anymore. It was a year ago, you know, I should be over it."
"No, don't feel like that, it was almost a year ago that Kane...that he, well, you know, and I'm not over that yet."
"That's different but, that's something that happened to you, personally."
"But without my mum and dad throughout this whole thing, I would be nothing, I would be in even more pieces than I already am."
Kit leaned over to hug Dani, sensing that it was needed. Dani returned the hug, grateful that she had finally made a breakthrough with Kit. At that moment, Scott walked it, utterly shocked to see his sister and Dani hugging.
"Scott!"
"Looks like you two have made friends!"
"We have...we really have."
Both girls smiled, happy that they had made a new friend. Scott smiled also, glad that Kit finally had someone to confide in and glad that Dani would be around more often.
As the door opened, he turned left and saw Kit, curled up on the couch, crying her eyes out. She was shaking and looked delighted to see Scott but ashamed of herself when she saw Dani behind him.
Dani was stunned. The house was a mess, Kit was a mess, but she didn't care. She wanted to help out, for Scott's sake.
Kit desperately dried her eyes, not wanting the girl Scott had brought home to see her in such a state.
"Kit, I want you to meet Dani...and Dani, this is my sister, Kit."
Both girls smiled at each other, awkwardly. This was going to be tough, thought Dani.
*****
Kirsty was in Kane's house. She'd decided to hang out there for the day, not wanting to be there when Flynn first approached Dani about the mediation. Kane was cooking for her, and for a moment, it all seemed normal. A young couple, in love, hanging out and trying to do nice things for each other but then it would all hit home. Kirsty longed for them to be like that but she didn't know if it was ever possible.
Kane was trying his best to impress Kirsty. He was making pancakes and tossing them up and down...Kirsty laughed as he dropped yet another.
"You're not too good at this, are you?"
"I bet I'd be better than you!" Kane teased.
"Are you challenging me because you know I'd beat you hands down!"
"You want a bet?"
"Fine then...pass me that pan!!!"
Once again, it all seemed normal...they were having fun, if only it could all be like that.
*****
Kit got up and ran to the toilet. She spewed her guts out for the sixth time. She couldn't keep doing this to herself, it wasn't going to bring her mum back, it wasn't going to bring her murderer to justice.
Whilst she was in the toilet, Scott spoke to Dani.
"Dan, you've seen what she's like, I don't know what to do."
"She just needs someone to confide in, Scott, was she close to your mum?"
"Very. They used to be like best friends, I mean she had her other friends but her and mum were always together."
Scott put his head down, memories of his mother filling his head. He didn't want to forget her but remembering her all the time was hard.
Dani put her arms around Scott, trying to think how she would feel if she lost her mum or dad. She couldn't imagine it, throughout the whole time with Kane and then with Josh, they'd been there for her, losing them would be too much.
"I'm not going to pretend that I know how you and Kit feel, Scott, but I want to try and help."
"Thanks, Dani, it means a lot, considering what you're going through yourself."
"It takes me mind off things, that's never bad."
"You're holding up well though."
"Yeah...anyway...when Kit comes back, let me talk to her, ok?"
"Sure, don't know if it will do any good though, I've tried loads of times."
"Tried what loads of times?" asked Kit, who'd just came back from the toilet.
"Nothing...look, do you mind if I go out for a while, Kit?"
Kit looked disappointed. Scott was always doing this. Whenever she got too much for him to handle, he'd go out for a run and wouldn't return for ages.
"Whatever."
Scott detected that she wanted him to stay but he put some faith in Dani. He got up but Dani remained seated.
"Isn't she leaving aswell?"
"No, I'm not going to be long."
"Well, if you're not going to be long, why doesn't she go with you?"
"Kit, stop being awkward, I'll be back soon."
He left and at first, the silence was deafening. No one spoke, no one knew what to say to the other...
*****
Flynn sat in his house with Sally in his arms. He thanked God that his relationship was so simple. Him and Sally had their problems from time to time but it was nothing as complicated as Kirsty's situation with Kane. He'd thought at first that the young couple were just having a bit of fun with each other but it was now evident to him that they meant more than that to each other. They were serious and he had the hard job of getting Dani to agree to a mediation. How he was going to do it, he didn't know.
"Flynn...you're daydreaming!"
"Sorry, Sal, I'm just thinking."
"What about?"
"Nothing, it's nothing."
"It's obviously not nothing, Flynn, come on, tell me!"
"Ok, well, Kirsty and Kane...they want me to get Dani to have a mediation with them."
"They what?"
"I know."
"What are you going to do?"
"I don't know. They're serious about each other, Sal. I don't want to be the one who breaks them up but then again, I'm Dani's counsellor aswell and I can't let her down."
"Do what you think is right, Flynn. Do you think that Kirsty and Kane can last?"
"Well, it's clear to me that they're in love. Before, I thought they were just messing around, but not now. Why would they go to all the hassle of having a mediation if they weren't serious?"
"That's going to be a hard one to break to Dani."
"I know, tell me about it but I'm going to try my best, for Kirsty and Kane and also for Dani. They all deserve to be happy, if that's possible."
"Good luck!"
"I think I'm going to need it."
*****
Dani was sturggling to get Kit to open up, her answers were cold and vague.
"I know about your mum, Kit, and I'm really sorry, I can't imagine how you're feeling."
"Exactly, so why are you trying to?"
"Because I think you need a friend, someone to talk to and I'm willing to be that person. Shutting people out is one of the worst things you could do."
"Whatever. I don't even know who you are."
"I'm a friend of Scott's."
"Are you his girlfriend?"
"No..."
"Something in that told me that you want to be!"
"You got all that, just from one word?"
Kit smiled at Dani. She realised that she was starting to like this girl.
"How did you meet Scott?"
"Oh....long story."
"Well..."
Kit was forward and to the point, it was just her nature, and she was curious.
"He found me on the beach whilst he was running."
"When?"
"Couple of days ago."
"What do you mean he found you?"
"Emm, well, I'd been there all night...I was way far out and no one knew where I was. My family, they were all looking for me because I'd been gone all day but Scott, he found me real early the next morning."
"You slept there all night?"
"Not exactly slept there, but yeah. Scott took me to the Drop-in Centre then came to the hospital with me."
"Why were you on the beach?"
"That's another long story...let's just say a family fallout, with my sister."
"What did she do?"
"She, em, she's going out with this guy who I'm not exactly best friends with."
"Why not?"
"WHAT'S WITH ALL THE QUESTIONS, KIT?"
"Jeez, I'm sorry, I'm just trying to get to know you a bit better, thought you said you wanted to be my friend?"
"I do...but, I...I just don't want to talk about...about him."
"Fine."
Kit was in a mood. She didn't like being shouted at, especially not by complete strangers. Dani could sense that Kit was off with her, she didn't want Scott to come back to the two of them not speaking to each other, she had to try, for his sake.
"He raped me." Dani said in a quiet voice. Kit heard her, though, because there was no other noise in the room.
"He what?"
"He raped me, ok?"
"Shit, Dani, I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault, can we please just drop this now, please?"
"Sure..."
Kit was stunned. Dani seemed so together and collected...
"Well, you've just told me everything...so it's only fair that I tell you what's messed up in my life, eh?"
"Now we're getting somewhere!"
"I just feel like...I don't know, like I shouldn't be like this anymore. It was a year ago, you know, I should be over it."
"No, don't feel like that, it was almost a year ago that Kane...that he, well, you know, and I'm not over that yet."
"That's different but, that's something that happened to you, personally."
"But without my mum and dad throughout this whole thing, I would be nothing, I would be in even more pieces than I already am."
Kit leaned over to hug Dani, sensing that it was needed. Dani returned the hug, grateful that she had finally made a breakthrough with Kit. At that moment, Scott walked it, utterly shocked to see his sister and Dani hugging.
"Scott!"
"Looks like you two have made friends!"
"We have...we really have."
Both girls smiled, happy that they had made a new friend. Scott smiled also, glad that Kit finally had someone to confide in and glad that Dani would be around more often.