Page 93 of Totally Wrecked
Two Weeks Later
“Key! You’re in danger, terrible danger. Don’t do it”
She walks forward not even acknowledging me.
“Don’t do it,” I whisper again, more to myself than to her, then I cover my eyes. I just can’t watch.
“I know what I’m doing,” the little girl says.
Does she?
We all wait, holding a breath, seeing if this is the end.
Her hand reaches out, she gently takes hold, then pulls.
“Ha!”
The long stick comes out of the pile, but nothing else moves. “And you thought I couldn’t do it! Jackstraws champion again!”
“Don’t get too cocky, noodle,” says Gray. “Uncle Leander still has his turn.”
“I do indeed, I do indeed,” says Leander, rubbing his hands together. He squints at the messy stick pile. “Though where to try?”
He squats, tries a maneuver, but the stick pile collapses.
“See? I win!”
Leander groans and the rest of us applaud. “How do you get so good at this game, squirt?”
She doesn’t answer, just sticks out her tongue. Harvey makes a charcoal mark on the rock we use as a scoreboard. “That’s it, Keyara is today’s official Jackstraws tournament winner!”
After his announcement, Harvey walks over to me and lays a hand on my shoulder. “Hey Daisy, better luck next time, Daisy.”
“Ha ha, yes,” I smile, repressing my shudders. Harvey has got in the habit of over-using my real name. No idea what that is about.
Leander collects the stick pile and moves it under the trees. “I will be victorious one day!”
Killian passes out lychee, and Rex throws another log on the fire.
This is good—we try to have “family fun” with Keyara everyday. I watch as everyone moves off to their various jobs, all smiling. I plaster one on my face to match. I’ve been fake smiling for weeks.
“I didn’t know. You can’t blame me.”
Harvey has said this over and over again, and he is completely correct. He didn’t know, I can’t blame him.
The day after…ithappened, I finally told Harvey the truth; that I was Daisy.
He’d justifiably freaked out.
“I didn’t know, you can’t blame me. Fuck! You say anything and the others will kill me. They will, and that will be on you. Those guys are neanderthals. Fuck, I really think they would kill me. You have to keep this a secret—you can’t blame me.”
If anyone was to blame, it was me and Brooke. I hate that truth, but I need to take responsibility, even if the price is Harvey’s assault.
“I won’t say anything,” I tell him.
I’m still sore—everywhere. I’m bruised and scratched, my whole body aches, but I put on a mask and smile. I just need to push the whole incident to the back of my mind. What is done is done.
It would be easier if I didn’t have to see Harvey, but he seems to think being extra friendly and nice to me will make up for everything.
