Weird Yet Wonderful
((Benny and Joon FF)) Sam is a blessing in anyone's life. It's like he's created just to make some unfortunate soul happy… Bambi is only seventeen but has had to endure a life of woe and misery, her dad's suicide at the age of fourteen and abused by her alcoholic mother and druggy boyfriend but she realises life is worth living after she meets a wonderful, eccentric guy…Sam!
Okay…this is my first attempt at a Benny and Joon FF but I really wanted to write one because I am absolutely in love with the movie. It is sooo cute! And I love Sam! He is such a sweetie! Any hoo….
Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognise…although I wish I owned Sam (
Chapter One
Bambi stood in front of her bedroom mirror, staring at her reflection although her eyes didn't seem to be focusing all too much. This was probably because of the tears which were welling up in her hazel eyes and were causing her vision to waver and go all blurry. She raised her pale hand up towards her right eye and gently touched the huge purple bruise which was stretching across her face, just above her eyebrow. She was slightly surprised at how the bruise had gotten so angry and swollen so quickly. It was a couple of hours ago when it had happened.
FLASHBACK
Bambi had been lying on the frayed and sunken couch in the cluttered living room, half- heartedly watching some ancient, corny movie, her eyes straying every so often to the digital cloak placed near her.
She remembered it had been two am, right on the nose, when her mum had noisily clattered in through the front door, drunkenly giggling and cursing along with her latest boyfriend, Stephen.
Bambi rolled her eyes and sat up on the couch, bringing her knees up against her chest. She felt a sudden streak of relentless worry shoot through her. You'd think she'd be used to it but she still hated it when her mum came in mindlessly drunk.
She knew that any sane person would be tucked up tight in bed to avoid any confrontation with their drunken mother because there was always confrontation and arguments when her mum was drunk.
But Bambi just couldn't get to sleep when her mum was out. She couldn't quite figure out why. Was it just because she felt unsafe being in the house by herself or was it just some sort of worry she actually had for her mother, deep down, was she just worried that her mother might just push the drinking, partying and drugs a bit too far and that something would happen to her? She knew she shouldn't care. Her mum didn't care about her…
Her mum and Stephan entered the sitting room just as Bambi switched the TV off. She looked up at them, hesitating over whether she should quickly scarper out of the room or not.
Her mum was wearing a mini skirt and short, vest top which slipped off her shoulders slightly as she stumbled along towards one of the chairs, clutching onto Stephen's arm. She often wore clothes which she was far too old to wear. Stephan shook her off of him, his dark eyes flickering into a deep scowl for a second. Stephan always had a scowling, dark face. He was only twenty- something, not much older than Bambi, but Bambi's mum always seemed to have young boyfriends. Bambi reckoned Stephan only stayed with her mum because he scrounged money off of her to feed his drug habit.
Bambi got up off of the couch and was about to quietly exit the room when her mum's unfocused eyes fixed onto her.
"Bambi…get ush some vodka…" she slurred.
Bambi found it difficult to suppress another bout of eye- rolling as she left the room and entered the tiny kitchen. She opened the drinks cabinet and was hardly surprised to find that it was completely bare apart from a couple of empty bottles sitting at the back.
She let out a deep sigh and braced herself. She knew exactly what her mum's reaction would be to having no drink left.
Bambi reluctantly made her way back into the living room to find her mum slumped on the couch now.
"There is no drink left in the drinks cabinet…" Bambi said, quite surprised at how small and timid her voice had come out as.
Bambi's mum lifted her head up from the couch and her bloodshot eyes narrowed.
"No drinks! We 'ad some las' time I looked!" She struggled to lift herself up but Bambi offered her no help, "You've been stealin' it haven't you?"
"She has! I saw her hoverin' round the kitchen suspiciously today. She's been stealin' our drink!" Stephen just had to put his pennies- worth in.
Bambi shook her head and stared at them, disbelievingly. She hadn't touched their drink, she wouldn't dare. It was just typical of them that they would put the blame on her when it was obvious they had been the ones who had drank it all.
"I didn't!" Bambi said, backing away from her mum warily as her mum's expression changed to one of fury.
"Get the fuck out of my sight you good-for- nothing thief!" Bambi's mum's voice trembling angrily as she swung at Bambi with her handbag.
The handbag hit Bambi just above the eye, threateningly close to her temple, with so much force that Bambi reeled backwards and landed hard on the faded carpet. She clutched the place were her mum had hit her, desperately trying to blink back tears and block out the insufferable laughter coming from both her mother and Stephan.
She got up off the floor and hurried out the room, determinedly not even glancing at her mum or Stephan. She was rather relieved it hadn't been anything worse. It normally was worse when her mum was in a drunken temper. Perhaps her mum was far too alcohol-fuelled to be bothered with a fierce beating tonight…
END OF FLASHBACK
Bambi shook the thoughts out of her head. She didn't want to think about her mum. She wanted to bury the thoughts away…think about something else…
Bambi tore her eyes away from her reflection and decided to distract herself by getting dressed. She put on a black vest top, her favourite tartan skirt, woolly white tights and her worn DocMartins. Her clothes were quite eccentric and unusual for a teenager but they were her way of expressing herself.
Bambi had decided to go out. Where? She wasn't too sure…she just needed to get out of the house before her mum or Stephan woke up.
She ran a comb through her auburn hair before making her way downstairs and out the front door.
Bambi hummed a small tune to herself as she casually strolled down the street. The warm, summer sun was beating down on her but a small breeze could be felt, which some relief. The streets were silent. It was early so hardly anyone was out. Bambi liked it when it was like this. Alone was how she wanted to be…except…
Her thoughts strayed to her father and how she longed to be with him now. With him, how he used to be before he'd turned to drink. Her parents had got divorced when Bambi was six years old. Bambi had decided to stay with her dad. She never did like her mum. She always drank too much and never bothered to look after Bambi. Bambi was a daddy's girl.
Life with her dad had been going pretty well. That was until, when Bambi was about thirteen, her dad had been made redundant from his job. Everything went downhill from there. Her dad had found it impossible to find a new job and they slowly reclined into debt. They were forced to sell their beautiful three bed roomed house for a rotting one bed roomed flat.
Bambi's dad began drinking more and more in his depression of failing and not being able to get a job or support his daughter. He was never violent when he was drunk though… Just sad… It seemed to Bambi that everyday she'd come home from school and find her dad passed out on the couch. She knew her dad was getting more and more messed up and losing control of his life but she had no idea what to do about it.
Then there was that dreadful day…the day that would still haunt her nightmares for the rest of her life…
FLASHBACK (God…there's a lot of these. p..I'm sorry! Really I am!)
Bambi dumped her bag beside the door and carefully placed her keys on the unit. She was feeling slightly peckish so she made her way towards the kitchen to scrounge the cupboards for a light snack. She passed the living-room on the way and absentmindedly glanced into the room, expecting to see her dad snoring in alcohol- fuelled slumber. But he wasn't there…
Bambi felt an immense disconcerting feeling wash over her. Her dad was always asleep on the couch when she came in from school…always…
"DAD!" Bambi's voice sounded oddly echoed in the silent flat.
There was no reply.
Bambi looked in the kitchen…he wasn't in there…nor was he in the bedroom.
She opened the door to the bathroom and she found him…she wished she hadn't…
…the pearly white bath stained with red…
Bambi squeezed her eyes shut but the image still remained as though it was carved in her mind forever.
…his face…so blank…so pale…
Bambi's legs turned to jelly, she lent against the wall and blanched.
…He was gone…
She couldn't bare to look at him. She turned around so fast that she felt vile vomit burn her throat. She ran down the corridor and out the front door.
…she had to get away…
Her feet pounded hard against the pavement, cold wind rushed past her and whipped her hair in front of her face and made her eyes water and sting. But she wasn't aware of it nor did she care. She didn't feel anything anymore…just emptiness…
…She had to get away…
END OF FLASHBACK
Whenever Bambi dared to revisit this memory she didn't feel great sadness. Okay…she did feel sadness…deep down…but the emotion that consumed her the most was a sickening feeling of sullenness and despair. Her dad had left her…she was alone now…she had to live with her mum…she hated her mum…she wanted her dad…she missed her dad…
I hope this was a decent first chapter! D It was quite angsty actually. I hope it was okay… I mean I don't normally write angst FF and I have no idea whether I'm good at it or not.
Sorry about there being no Sam in this chapter but he'll be in the next, I promise!
I'd be really grateful for any reviews to tell me how I'm doing with this FF. Whether it's good or not. I don't want any flames though, just constructive criticism.
Thankyou!