AUTHORS NOTE:
Hi everyone,
Hope you're all enjoying the overload of chapter updates. :)
Please don't forget to let me know what you think.
Here is the final update for the night. This chapter may be a bit rough with abuse so just be aware. In no time you guys will get to read the really good stuff. :)
Chapter 8: Stand up for yourself
It was midway through Brax's first grade when Danny and Cheryl had an alcohol binge one weekend at the house, leaving Brax to look after baby Heath. Brax listened to his parents yelling and stumbling though the house as he tried to settle his baby brother to sleep on the Saturday night. Brax avoided leaving his brother's room at all costs, for he did not want to deal with his parents when they were both completely drunk. Brax tried to get some sleep but his nerves would not let him, so he sat quietly watching his baby brother, hoping they would be safe.
On Sunday morning, Brax was getting his school bag sorted for the next day. He saw his parents hung over on the lounge and quietly moved around them. Searching the house for his school clothes, he could not find any clean clothes. His mother had not washed the clothes all week. Realizing he had no choice, Brax pulled his dirty clothes out of the basket.
When Brax woke on the Monday morning, he got dressed in his smelly and tattered clothes. Brax sadden as he looked at his clothes, he was so embarrassed to be going to school like this.
"Darryl get your backside out here an' 'urry up! I ain't got all day!" Danny yelled, clearly still hung over. Brax walked into the living room to see Danny taking a sip of soft drink to sober up. "Go an' get your brother ready. Ya Mum's still asleep an' I ain't havin' ya be late for that stupid school." Brax didn't move.
"Dad?" He whispered. "What?" Danny stared at his son. "Um...I was wondering…um…" "Spit it out Darryl." "If I could not go to school today." Brax whispered.
Danny put down his drink and approached his son. Brax quickly piped up. "I could help you and Mum with Heath and you could sleep as much as you wanted." Danny towered over Brax and grabbed his shirt, leaning in towards his face.
"As much as I like ya flattery, I don't want no social services knockin' on my door cause me son ain't going to school. Ya goin' Darryl. Now do what I told ya an' get ya brother ready." Danny spoke before moving back to a standing position. Brax stared at his father. "Dad."
"Now!" Danny yelled and gave Brax a shove. Brax ran off to Heath's room and got him ready. As Brax was carrying Heath out, Cheryl walked into the room.
"Arg, what's with all the noise?" She groaned. "Just tryin' ta get Darryl off ta school." Cheryl groaned. "Well leave the baby here. I'm up now." Brax placed Heath down on the ground. As much as he didn't want to leave his brother alone with his hung over mother, he knew it was better than Heath being in the car with his father as he went to school, he didn't even want to get in the car with his father but knew better than to argue. "Alright. Come along Darryl." Brax grabbed his bag and followed his father to the car.
Brax was grateful that the drive to school did not take that long. He watched as his father struggled to concentrate on the road. Brax could feel the car occasionally drive over the line bumps in the road. Danny stopped the car abruptly as he reached the school.
"There ya go Darryl. Don't go makin' any trouble." "I know Dad." Brax mumbled. Danny grabbed Brax's arm as he went to leave. "Don't get smart with me boy." "I…was…" Brax was about to protest but decided against it and added, "sorry Dad." "I'll pick you up later." Danny replied and leaving Brax to shut the door before Danny sped off back home.
Brax silently walked into the school grounds, feeling self-conscious about his filthy clothes. Brax sat down in the classroom and looked around for his friend Hayden, but he was not there, leaving Brax feeling more isolated.
Brax was listening to the teacher when he overheard some kids behind him whisper. "Eww, what's that smell?" "It smells like something moldy." The kids snickered. "It's gross." The kids point at Brax and laughed. Brax shifted in his seat and pretended he heard nothing.
"Psst." One of the kids poked Brax. Brax blinked away tears as his insecurities heightened. "Darryl… Darryl." They whispered, but Brax continued to ignore then. "I bet he doesn't even shower. He's so filthy." "I wouldn't come to school like that." Brax shifted again.
"Hey Darryl." One of the kids shoved Brax in the back. "Eww I touched it." Brax finally turned around. "What?" "Have you ever heard of washing?" The kids snickered. Brax immediately turned away, his face reddened from embarrassment. It was true he hadn't been able to have a wash for a few days. "Guess not." One added.
Brax turned around, "don't," he whispered. The kids laughed. "Stop it!" Brax added a little louder. "Is there a problem Darryl?" The teacher asked, "No." "Good, now please be quiet."
"Hey Dirty Darryl, you think you can move? I can't concentrate from the smell." "Don't call me that." Brax replied. The kids snickered. "Dirty Darryl, Dirty Darryl." Brax had finally had enough. Tears slipped from his eyes. Brax turned around and pushed one of the kids against the floor.
"Don't call me that!" Brax yelled and punched the boy in the stomach. "Darryl!" The teacher yelled. Brax pulled back and looked at what he had done. "Come with me right now." She spoke and led Brax to the principal's office.
Brax sat quietly in the chair as the principle spoke to his mother on the phone. After the call the principle hung up the phone and looked at Brax. "Your father is on his way to pick you up. I have already had a serious discussion with your mother about your outburst. You're a good kid Darryl, why did you hit someone?" Brax wiped his eyes.
"They were teasing me." "Okay, well that's still no excuse. You should have told your teacher." "Sorry." Brax whispered. "Don't let it happen again." Brax nodded and gentle swung his legs as he waited for his father to arrive.
Brax was taken out of his thought by a loud voice. "Darryl!" Brax looked up to see his father approaching. Danny reached Brax and grabbed him off the chair "Come on boy, you and I need to have a serious discussion." Danny dragged Brax to the car and quickly got in, speeding home. Danny pulled Brax inside the house and threw him against the wall.
"Now you wanna tell me why we 'ave ta get called to this stupid school for your troubles?" Brax looked at his father and Danny smacked Brax across the face. Brax held his face as tears started to fall. "Dad you don't understand…" "I don't need ta understand." "I was being teased." "Ha, you're weak Darryl."
"They were saying mean things, calling me dirty Darryl and…" "I don't care! I've warned you not to cause trouble!" Danny smacked Brax again. "It's not my fault." Brax cried.
Danny picked his son up from the floor. "Whose fault is it then?" "I didn't have any clean clothes and I haven't been allowed to wash for days!" Brax yelled. "So you saying this was ya mother's or my fault?" "Dad…no…" Danny threw Brax on the floor again. "I didn't mean that." Brax begged. "I'll teach ya how to respect ya parents!" Danny yelled.
Brax stared up at his father with fear, as Danny removed his belt. Brax had no idea what his father was about to do to him. Danny struck Brax several times over his body. Brax screamed with every hit, not aware at how much it would hurt. Danny had never hit Brax in this way before and it really frightened him.
"Dad please stop! I'm sorry." Brax sobbed, trying to block the hits. Danny pulled Brax up again. "Stand up for yourself properly Darryl, no more pathetic fighting over some senseless schoolyard name calling." Danny let go of Brax and he collapsed on the floor in pain. He could hear Heath crying in the bedroom and saw his mother laying on the lounge.
Danny walked out of the kitchen with a beer. "Get up Darryl and tend to your brother." He ordered. Brax pulled himself up and walked into Heath's room, where he saw Heath had dropped his toy. Brax picked it up and gave it back to Heath. "Here ya go buddy." Heath smiled and pointed at Brax. "Yeah I know." Brax wiped away his tears and held Heath's hand. It seemed spending time with his brother was all Brax needed to escape his feeling of pain.
The next morning Brax laid in bed as he heard the alarm go off, he did not want to go to school and face his tormentors. He was startled when he heard his bedroom door open. "Get up and get ready for school Darryl." Cheryl groaned. "Mum, can't I please stay home today. I'm not feeling well." Brax mumbled. "You look fine to me. Now get up before your father has to get you up." Brax felt butterflies in his stomach and got out of his bed and dressed for school.
He walked into the kitchen and sat down and poured himself a bowl of cereal, watching his baby brother play with his toys on the floor. After Brax finished eating he walked over to his brother and smiled. Heath looked up and pointed. "Baz." "Yeah mate." Brax picked up his brother and hugged him.
"Darryl stop mucking around with your brother and let's go." Danny ordered. Brax put Heath down and grabbed his bag and went to walk out the door, only to be forcefully grabbed backwards. Danny gripped the top of Brax's shirt and lent down to him.
"You behave yourself ya hear. Any word on you causing trouble and fightin' and I'll make sure you'll be feeling it for a long time. Understand?" Danny glared at Brax. "Yes Dad." Brax whispered, still sore from his beating the night before. "Good." Danny tapped his son's face and stood up, pushing him out the door.
As Brax walked into the school he was greeted by Hayden. "Hey Brax." "Hey." "What's up?" "Nothing." Brax whispered. Hayden shrugged and wrapped his arm around Brax's shoulder. "Come on, let's get to class." Hayden ran off and Brax followed.
When the boys sat down in the classroom, the group of kids who were teasing Brax approached them. "Hey Dirty Darryl. I see you're actually wearing clean clothes today, what happened?" They laughed. "Maybe his parents forced him to clean himself."
"Hey shut up." Hayden yelled. "Brax are you okay? What are they talking about?" Hayden asked. "Ah didn't even tell your best friend?" "Guess he's too ashamed at how filthy he is. Hey Hayden I bet you didn't know that Darryl likes to uses his pants as a toilet and wears them." Brax went bright red and turned away.
"He does not! Brax say something. Don't let them say stuff like that to you." Hayden pressed. "No. Just leave it." Brax whispered. "Ah dirty Darryl's too afraid to stand up for himself," one teased. Brax wanted to yell and punch them again, but he thought back to the previous night and what his Dad threatened.
"Brax is tougher than you any day." Hayden defended. "Sure he is, but I bet he's not game after he got in trouble." "Aw poor dirty Darryl. Did mummy and daddy punish you bad for fighting?" They laughed. Brax wanted to runaway and burst into tears, he felt angry and embarrassed.
"Why don't you all just shut up and leave us alone!" Hayden yelled. "Make us." Hayden ran at the boys and tackled them on the ground. "Hayden no!" Brax yelled and tried to pull Hayden off them. "Boys! Break it up!" A nearby teacher yelled and rushed to them.
Brax's heart sunk, he was gonna get it for sure now. "Who would like to explain what is going on here?" She demanded. "These guys were teasing Brax and wouldn't leave us alone." "We were not!" One boy protested. "You boys know the rules about fighting and tackling on school grounds and you Darryl, twice in one week, I'm very disappointed in you. All of you are on lunchtime detention and if I catch you fighting again Darryl you will suffer serious consequences. Is that clear?" "Yes miss," they all whispered.
When the teacher had completely walked away, the boys grumbled. "Nice going losers." "You started it." Hayden retaliated. "Shut up! ... And stop calling me Dirty Darryl!" Brax yelled. He turned to Hayden and continued, "I told you to leave it alone! I don't need you standing up for me! You just made everything worse!" Brax ran off into the playground. "Brax!" Hayden called and ran after him. "Ooo friendship trouble." The boys laughed.
Hayden caught up with Brax and saw him sitting under a tree playing with the dirt. "Brax," Brax looked up. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to upset you or make things worse." Brax shrugged. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have gone off at you like that…I'm just…I'm scared if my parents find out." Hayden sat down next to Brax. "Why? Is it because you got in trouble yesterday?" Brax didn't reply. "Don't worry about it mate, my parents yell at me all the time when I do something wrong, it's no big deal." Brax shook his head.
"What's wrong then?" Hayden asked. "When I do something wrong my parents don't just yell…" Brax whispered. "What do you mean?" Hayden questioned. Brax turned away. "It's okay, you can tell me." Hayden tried to make Brax feel as though he was not alone. Brax swallowed, "They hit me sometimes, and yesterday my Dad used his belt," he whispered.
Hayden was surprised and didn't quite know what to say. "Wow Brax, that's extreme. Maybe you should tell someone, like a teacher?" "No!" Brax yelled and turned to his friend. "It's not like that!"
Fear rose in Brax's voice as he yelled. Had Hayden got the wrong idea and now he had told him too much? "It just… hurts…it's not like they abuse me." Brax whispered. "That's why I can't stand up for myself and fight. It's not that I don't want to…I just don't want…." Brax trailed off. "Hey I understand…" Hayden was cut off when Brax continued, "my parents were really mad when I got in the fight yesterday and my Dad told me I would get the belt far worse if I get into trouble for fighting…I don't want to feel that again." Brax tossed some dirt onto the ground.
Talking about what had happened made Brax feel better, even though he didn't understand why. "Look, Brax…I don't know about this…it just doesn't seem right." Brax's eyes widened as he glared at his friend.
"You can't say anything!" Brax begged and grabbed onto his friend's shirt. "Promise me you won't say anything, please Hayden!" Brax pleaded.
Hayden saw the fear in Brax's eyes and gently nodded. "Hey mate, it's okay…I won't tell anyone…I promise." Brax released his grip and rested back against the tree. "I just don't want my parents finding out."
There was silence between the two boys for a few minutes before Hayden spoke. "You know what?" Brax turned to his friend, "what?" "You and me, we can be the two TC's," "huh?" "TC's. Tough Cookies. We stick together no matter what." Brax smiled at Hayden. "Thanks." The bell rang for the beginning of the class and the two boys got up and headed into their classroom.