Chapter 7
James' POV
It was finally time to go check on Danica. James and Logan raced to the car but stopped when they realized that Carlos and Kendall had followed them outside. "We're coming with you!" They shouted and jumped in the car. James sped away from the hotel and towards Danica's neighborhood. James was breaking every speed limit there was.
Carlos shouted, "Dude, SLOW DOWN!" James only glared at him in reply. Then he sped up. In no time, they reached the neighborhood. Ten seconds later, they were in front of Danica's house, just in time to see her father throw a suitcase in the car and speed away. Worry coursed through every vein in James' body.
Without knocking, they barged into Danica's house. James heard sobbing and followed the sound. He found Danica curled up in a ball on the kitchen floor, bloodied and bruised. He was immediately crouching by her.
He tried to put his arms around her, but she flinched wildly. He whispered softly to her, "Danica, I'm not going to hurt you. I only want to help. Do you know when your father is going to be back?" Danica only cried harder. Okay, wrong question. "Where are you hurt?" She didn't answer. She wasn't talking at all, just crying hopelessly. James put his arms around her again and this time she let him.
"Will you let Logan help you?" James asked. Danica finally looked up, her green eyes swimming with tears. Her voice cracked as she said in a fragile voice, "Why? Why are you helping me?"
Danica's POV
I didn't understand why James wanted to help me. I was a mistake that no one wanted. My own father didn't want me and my mother died when I was born. Why did someone want to help me now?
James looked at me with a shocked expression. "Why do I want to help you? I care about you! Please let Logan take a look at you," He said. I pulled away from James' touch and tried to stand. I managed it, but only because I was leaning on the counter. Pain coursed through my body and I grimaced.
But all I said was, "I'm okay, I just need… I don't know, but I'm fine." But as soon as I stepped away from the counter, my legs gave out from under me and I fell… straight into James' arms.
James said, "You are not fine! Logan, please take care of her." Logan replied, "Okay, but we should get her to the couch first." James picked me up again and I began to feel as if this were a repeat of this morning. I didn't protest this time. It would do no good. James laid me down on the couch and crouched down beside me. Logan did the same, and started examining me. I was feeling very awkward. But all that didn't matter. All that mattered was that my father didn't want me and wished I were dead. When I started thinking about what he said to me, tears crept down my cheeks again.
I flinched when James wiped them away. He pulled back and said softly, "I promise I won't hurt you, Danica. You can trust me."
Logan said, "Her knee has a minor fracture and like I said before, she has a couple of broken ribs. I'm going to fix up your cuts, but what you really need is rest and painkillers." I didn't say anything back, it had been a long, awful day, and I just wanted it to be over.
James asked again, "Is your father coming back?" Tears flowed down my face as I shook my head. James looked even more concerned. "So you don't have anyone to take care of you?" I shook my head again.
James' POV
James started thinking fast. Danica needed someone to take care of her. She couldn't just live by herself. But the guys and him were always on the road and it was a tough life. But life could be worse for her if she had no one to care for her. She'd have to get a job and drop out of school. James made up his mind quickly.
James motioned for Carlos, Kendall, and Logan to follow him into the kitchen and said, "She needs a place to stay. I think Danica should come with us. When she heals, she could even sing with us! But she can't stay here."
To James' surprise, they didn't argue. So it was settled, Danica would come with them. James went back in the living room and saw that Danica was asleep. Her fluffy brown hair was a halo around her head. He smiled as he sat down beside her and waited for her to wake up. James hoped she would agree to come with them. If she did, she would never have to go through such pain again. That was a promise.