Loving Mr. Daniels by Brittainy C. Cherry

His eye widened and he shook his head back and forth. My stomach flipped, and I didn’t reply to his comment. “The only time I’d been happy since that day was when I was on stage with you guys.” The only time I’d been happy after Sarah…” He flinched at his own words. And I’ve been thinking.” He looked up to me before his gaze faltered and fell again. “I don’t want to mess with this stuff anymore, Danny. He fiddled with his fingers, looking down to the floor. Yet instead of preparing for my exam in a few hours, I would be bandaging up Jace. I was in college, one year out of making something of myself. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to drag you back into this.”

He sobbed and whined from the pain, a deep sound of lost and confusion filling his tears.

I grew haunted with a chill and an unearthly fear of the unknown. “Shut up!” I screamed, feeling the idea of my kid brother dying sink into my head. “I swear to God, I’m done.” It was clear that he wasn’t only selling, but he was back to using, too. He sat up, and his one opened eye found me. Dawn had broken, yet it somehow seemed darker than before. “Jesus, Jace,” I sighed, pulling away from the curb. “I told Red I would have his money by next week-”-he cringed-“and he sent his guys to handle me.” He laughed once, but his appearance showcased the significance of the situation. “They f**king stabbed me.” He wiped his fingers against his face, only spreading more blood across it. I slammed his door shut and hurried back into the driver’s seat. “What the hell happened?” I screamed in a whisper, helping him to the Jeep. His white shirt was stained red with his own blood.

His left eye was swollen shut, his bottom lip sliced open. I moved in closer, allowing a streetlight to shine down on his face. “Dammit, Jace,” I muttered, hopping out of my car and slamming the door closed. I sat up in my seat, my eyes locking with his.

It was at least fifteen minutes before I saw Jace come limping out of the alleyway and holding his side tight. Even when he f**ked up-which he did often-he was still my brother. But I knew I couldn’t keep that promise of staying away. His actions had created a vast crater between our relationship, destroying all that we used to be. I’d promised myself I wouldn’t show up for him again. The night’s sky was drunk on darkness, the late winter chill affecting my level of irritation. I only know that caring for you brings on more pain.Ībsorbed in a stream of murky thoughts and annoyance, I parked the Jeep near the alley.

Loving Mr. Daniels by Brittainy C. Cherry