Page 31 of Wicked Nasty

It's the epitome of a picture-perfect New England home, meant to impress and intimidate. And now it's my 'home' until I graduate, thanks to Danny's big mouth that couldn't keep a secret for just a few months.

My eyes shift down to my phone, yet another text from my mother threatening me to stay quiet or face consequences. I feel trapped and suffocated in this picture-perfect facade of a life, forced to play along for fear of backlash from those who are supposed to love me unconditionally.

Danny pulls up next to me in his sleek black car, rolling his window down with a loud hum. The sun glints off the tinted glass as his smug face appears.

“Are you gonna park?” he asks with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“Fuck you, Danny," I snap back, gripping the steering wheel tightly. “Don’t talk to me unless it’s about the project."

He scoffs and gives me a dismissive wave before rolling his window back up. As he drives around the circle and pulls into the garage, I watch the door close behind him and I’m left alone once again.

My emotions are a jumbled mess as I sit here. On one hand, I feel safe knowing that Danny's parents have my best interests in mind. But on the other hand, I feel betrayed and trapped. This is all happening against my will. I have no say in where I am going to live. It's suffocating and overwhelming all at once.

As I pull up to the gates, another car enters behind me. The sleek white Range Rover with teal accents catches my eye and the window is rolled down to reveal Danny's sister, Delilah, in the driver's seat. She flashes a friendly smile at me.

"Hey," she calls out.

I nod in response, unsure of what to say.

"Follow me, I'll show you where to park," Delilah says before speeding off towards the side of the garage. I follow closely behind her and park where she directs me to. Stepping out of my car, I take a moment to assess my surroundings.

But as I stand there, torn between wanting to drive away and desiring the comfort of a warm bed inside, Delilah appears beside me, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Come on," she says with a gentle pat on my shoulder. "Let's go inside."

I take a deep breath and follow her up the front steps, feeling both grateful for her guidance and hesitant about entering this unfamiliar territory.

As I enter the house, Louise, their mom, comes barreling towards me, her face filled with relief and excitement. "Rebecca! Oh my goodness, I am so glad you're here. I have a room all set up for you and we can go shopping for clothes if you need anything. And-"

I raise my hand to stop her rambling. "Please, just... stop. And it’s Becca, not Rebecca."

Louise's expression falls, disappointment etched on her features. "I'm sorry. I probably overwhelmed you. I'm just so happy you're finally here."

"I'm not." My words come out harsher than intended, but they reflect the truth. This was not my choice and everyone knows it. I refuse to pretend that this is some kind of happy reunion.

Danny appears from around the corner, his face contorted in anger as he defends his mother. "Hey! Don't talk to my mom like that."

Louise sighs, understanding my point. "No, no. Danny, she has a valid point..."

"No, Mom." Danny cuts her off, his own frustration clear in his voice. "Becca needs to stop being such a bitch to everyone and get over herself."

Del interjects, defending me against Danny's attack. "Danny! Stop being such an asshole for once!"

He scoffs at her words. "Of course, I'm always the asshole in this family." He turns to face his mom. "Daisy is fucking dead! Stop trying to force us all to be one big happy family! We will never be the same!"

Feeling overwhelmed and ready to flee from the tension-filled atmosphere, I take a step back when Danny's dad, Cliff, silently approaches me. His eyes are heavy with sorrow and exhaustion evident in the dark circles under them. Placing a comforting hand on my shoulder, he whispers to me.

"I am so sorry that you have to see this, Becca." He clears his throat, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. "I want everyone in the living room. Now."

He strides confidently towards the other room, Louise trailing behind him. Danny's eyes bore into me with a fiery glare as he passes, purposely bumping me with his shoulder. Del lets out an exasperated sigh and checks her watch.

"Is he serious?" I ask, my voice trembling slightly.

Del nods solemnly. "Welcome to the family, Becca. We even have family meetings here. Let's just get this over with."

She leads me to the living room, where Danny is already seated. Cliff folds his hands together and looks at each of us.

"I understand that this situation is stressful for all of us. But we cannot continue to be at odds with each other. Danny, we do not tolerate the mistreatment of women in this family. Del, please refrain from antagonizing your brother. And Louise... I love you, but no matter how well-intentioned your actions were, we need to consider how Becca feels about all of this. She has had so many decisions taken away from her."

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