Authors: Quinn Loftis,M Bagley Designs
Carter’s eyes flick towards the truck
, and then back to Tally, who is staring at me like I’ve grown a third head.
“I told you to go,” I remind her.
“And I told you I wasn’t leaving.” She crosses her arms across her chest, and then looks down at Carter.
“I didn’t paint those words, Amber did.” Carter’s voice is beginning to shake.
“And, I told you that you would be taking Amber’s punishment for her part in this, because I don’t hit girls.” I turn to look at Bobby, “Could you grab the pair of pliers out of the glove box in my truck please?” Bobby doesn’t even flinch, just goes and gets the pliers and brings them to me without a word. He’s watching the group behind me, making sure that no one decides to stick up for their leader.
“Now, you are going to apologize to Tally,” I tell Carter. “Or
, I’m going to break your fingers one by one. Bobby could you please come hold his arm out for me?”
When Carter makes no move to apologize, I wrap the pliers around the knuckle of his ring finger on his right hand and begin to squeeze. I see the moment the pain registers on his face as sweat breaks out across his brow.
“Wait! Stop, okay I’ll apologize.”
I let up on the pressure
, but I don’t remove the pliers from around his finger.
“I’m sorry Tally,” he tells her
, and there is a slight smirk on his face. “I’m sorry that you’re in desperate need of attention, and so you tried to off, AHH!” The sick crunching sound of Carter’s knuckle buckling under the pliers is drowned out by his scream. I hear the gasps behind me, and the murmuring that follows, but tune it out as I stare down at the now broken Carter Evans.
“That was a dumb thing to say.”
He tries to jerk his arm back, but Bobby is holding it firm.
“You broke my damn finger
, you jack ass,” he screams, and his voice is strained with pain.
“I told you that I would break your fingers one by one, did you honestly believe that I was bluffing?” I look up at Tally and feel my face soften at the sight of her. “Baby, please go home. Let me deal with this
, and then I will come see how you are.”
I don’t think she is going to agree, but when she glances down at Carter’s crushed finger something in her eyes changes.
She nods slowly and her shoulders slump forward as exhaustion seems to wrap around her like a blanket. “Okay, but you had better come see me tonight.”
I watch as Nat takes her hand and they head to Bobby’s car. Apparently, Nat and Tally leaving is a cue to the group behind me
, and they begin to head back to the gym, either because it’s not as interesting as they hoped, or they can’t stand the sickening crunch of bones. Whatever the reason, it’s fine with me. The fewer witnesses, the better.
Within a matter of minutes Bobby, myself
, and Carter are the only three left in the parking lot, not even Amber had stuck around to back up her man.
“I told you once already that if you didn’t leave Tally alone that I would make sure you would never forget your high school years, that they would forever be branded on your skin. Had all you done was vandalize my truck I would have let it go, after all what other behavior can I expect from a child, but you had to bring my girl into it, that was your mistake.” I take the pliers from the broken finger and move onto the next and with a squeeze. I break that finger as well.
Carter slumps forward as he bites back a scream. His body is shaking with rage and pain and I imagine that if he had a gun he would probably shoot me.
“I’m tempted to break all of your fingers
, because then you wouldn’t be able to hold any form of utensil, writing or otherwise, but I’m hoping two will get my point across. It’s your senior year Carter, try, and use what little brain cells you have left, and heed my warning, stay away from me and Tally. Leave her alone, completely. I won’t tell you again.” I release his finger and glance at Bobby. He releases Carter’s arm.
Carter climbs to his feet and takes a few steps back. His eyes meet mine briefly
, and then drop to the ground.
“It’s not like I’ve physically harmed her man, you take things way to
o serious.”
“Are we clear Carter?” I ask
, without acknowledging his ignorant statement.
“Yeah, we’re clear. Just stay the hell away from me.” He snarls
, as he begins backing away.
Bobby and I stand silently watching
, as he backs all the way to his car, and then climbs in.
“You think he’ll tell someone?” Bobby asks me.
I shake my head, “No, he’s not about to admit that he got dealt with. Even if he did, I won’t deny that I did it. There are many things that I will turn the other cheek about, but not when it comes to hurting Tally. She’s hurt enough for one life time.”
I look back at my truck and realize that I have no way to get to Tally’s house.
“I texted Nat, she’s coming back to pick us up. She said she just dropped Tally off.” Bobby must have read the look on my face when I glanced at my trashed vehicle.
~
“How are you?” I ask Tally
, as we stand on her porch. By the time Natalie dropped me off at her house Tally was changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and was patiently waiting for me outside.
“Worried about you,” she admits
, and the look on her face confirms her answer.
I pull her into my arms and close to my chest. “I’m fine. I’m sorry you had to see that, and I hope you know I would never hurt you.”
She pulls back and looks up at me, her brow furrowed and mouth tight. “I know you would never hurt anyone you didn’t think deserved it. Trey I know your character and I know you were just defending me.”
“I know
, but I can’t deny that I have a temper and sometimes it’s hard for me to get a hold of it. I just don’t want you to ever be afraid of me.” I watch her face carefully looking for any contradiction in her body language or expression from her words. I don’t see any.
“I love you,” I tell her
, as I lean down and kiss her lips gently. “You need to get some rest and I need to go cool off.”
She lays her head on my chest and wraps her arms around me tightly. “Thank you Trey.”
This time it’s my turn to pull back and look down at her, “For what?”
“For thinking I’m worth it.”
“I live in this constant state of confusion. I’m grateful for Natalie and Trey, but at the same time, I hate that they must endure the crap that comes with all
my
crap. Not only do they have to deal with my emotions
,
but now they are dealing with the prejudice and utter asshole-ness of those who just don’t know how to handle someone who is different. I’m so torn over wanting them, needing them in my life and yet I feel as though I am condemning them to a life they don’t deserve.” ~Tally
It’s Sunday; it’s been two days since Carter
and his cronies destroyed Trey’s truck and humiliated me with my own words. I haven’t seen Trey, he’s been working, but he’s called and checked on me several times and each time he called, I had to bite my tongue to keep from crying or begging him to never leave me. Yes, I am just one big ball of warm fuzzies. In all honesty, I’m beginning to get on my own damn nerves.
I’ve debated going and visiting Candy
, but I just don’t know if I can handle seeing her so weak and weary. So instead, I sit at my window and watch the wind blowing the trees and the world going on even as I am crumbling on the inside. My mom has checked in on me, and keeps asking about the dance, and I keep side stepping around the topic. My dad, well, he’s still being an ass, so I just pretend he isn’t here.
It’s just one of those days where I find myself with too much time to think
, when I really don’t need to be thinking.
My phone rings and I answer it without bothering to check who it is.
“Hello,” I say.
“Tally?” Candy’s voice comes through the ear piece. She sounds off, as if she’s been stretched too thin
, and I immediately know that something is wrong.
“Candy, what’s wrong? Are you alright?”
“Where is Trey?”
She uses his given name
, and that’s when my stomach hits the ground.
“He’s working, why?”
“The hospital has been trying to get a hold of him. His,” her voice cracks and I hear her breath catch in her throat. This is so unlike Candy, and it’s beginning to really scare me.
“Candy, please, what is going on?”
“Trey’s mother is gone.” She finally says.
“Gone? You mean she’s left?” I ask
, nervously.
“No, Tally
, I’m sorry to have to tell you, but we need you to get Trey. His mother committed suicide.”
The last word is
like a hammer blow to my head, and I have to tighten my grip around the phone to keep from dropping it. I grab the window sill and lower myself slowly to the floor. I’m trying to take in breaths, but like many times before, I can’t get anything in. Suicide, Lolotea had taken her own life. I feel myself begin to shake, and I can barely hear Candy speaking over the sound of blood pulsing through my ears. I can’t decipher what she’s saying. The world around me suddenly seems dark and I know that at any moment I’m going to suffocate, I’m going to die right here on my bedroom floor.
“Tally please get a hold of Trey
, and tell him to come to Mercy. Tally!” Her sharp tone breaks through the utter shock.
“Okay,” I murmur
, and hit the end button.
The phone falls from my hand and I jump up to run for the bathroom. I feel the bile rising quickly in my throat
, and my eyes begin to water. I barely see my mom out of the corner of my eye and hear her ask me something, but I have to get to the toilet before I puke all over the carpet.
I feel a cool cloth on the back of my neck
, and then my mom is helping me sit down on the edge of the tub.
“Tally what’s going on?” She asks me calmly.
“I need you to take me to Trey, please.” I tell her with shaky breath. My hands feel clammy and I begin to nervously rub them against my jeans.
“Okay, can you tell me why?”
I look up at her and feel my eyes fill with tears again. I can’t imagine losing my mother, and especially not by her own hand. I know it’s going to devastate Trey, and I wish there was something I could do to spare him the pain, that is bound to bring him to his knees.
“His mother has committed suicide
, and the hospital can’t get a hold of him.” My mother’s mouth drops open, and her hand comes up to cover it. Her eyes are wide and immediately fill with tears. I know why, I know it’s more because she is imaging that it’s me, that I am the one who has given up on life and chosen to end it.
“Please mom we must hurry,” I stand up on shaky legs
, and grab the hand towel to wipe my mouth. I quickly turn on the faucet and get a handful of water to wash out the vomit taste. Then I grab my mom’s hand, and pull her behind me.
I’m having a hard time remembering the way to the Taggert’s house. My brain is such a mess and my chest is tight with anguish. I have to keep wiping my eyes so I can see to direct my mother to turn in the right places. I keep trying to go over the words to say, how to say them, and what to do once they are said. I’ve never had to tell anyone that a family member is dead, let alone that they took their own life. When we finally turn down the road that leads us to the Taggert’s ranch, I realize that I’m not ready. I’m not ready to bring Trey’s world to a cold, soul–stealing halt, but then I don’t have a choice. I see Trey’s battered truck, tires replaced, but the windshield is still shattered and it’s in need of a new paint job. It seems so trivial now, so irrelevant compared to the coming news.
My mom puts the car in park
, and I ask her to wait for me. As I climb out of the car, I have to reach out and grab for the roof to keep my legs steady. I walk slowly, almost in a haze towards the horse stalls, and the burden I carry feels as though it will push me into the earth at any moment.
I step around the corner and into the entryway of the stable. I see him across the way in front of the tack room. He’s sweaty, shirtless, and magnificent
, and I’m about to crush him.
His head turns and when his eyes land on me they light up and a smile stretches across his face. It lasts only a second
, and then he registers the look on my face, which I imagine is terribly pale and tear streaked.
He walks quickly to me covering the distance in a matter of seconds.
“Tally, baby, what’s wrong?” His hands come up to cup my face and I choke back a sob. How am I going to do this? I groan inwardly.
“Trey,” my voice is hoarse and I have to clear it before I can go on. “Trey, Candy called me. The hospital has been trying to get in touch with you.”