BURN

Chapter Thirteen

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

I watched Jade flirt from one place to another, setting our dinner on the table. Soon after she settled down on the couch beside me.

“How do you do it?” I asked.

“Do what?”

“Be strong,”

“What do you mean?”

“After your relationship with Brian, even though at that time you said it was nothing, you changed. You became more headstrong and I for one thought you became braver. How did you become that strong?” Her eyes clouded for a second but then cleared.

“One doesn’t just become strong. Circumstances make you strong. I told you my story with Brian and now you know I had been in love with him. He was the circumstance that made me want to be strong. After him, I was never going to let any other guy trample me over without a fight,”

“Yeah, you are right. But today when I saw Danny fighting Malcom, I realized for the first time just how helpless I was. I could not do a damn thing and the only thing that came out of me were the tears of helplessness. I wanted to do something Jade. To at least stop them but I felt too powerless and terrified, “I admitted trying not to cry all over again. 

“Don’t worry, they would never have hurt you,”

“There was something though,” Jade now sat up straighter.

“I’m listening,”

“Before Danny came in, Malcom wanted me to go to his place for the weekend and when I questioned him, he said he wanted to repay a debt he owed,”

“A debt? To who?”

“I have no idea. Then my brother came in and began fighting with him. The way they were talking scared me. Danny threatened Malcom,”

“Well, he has been threatening boys who came close to you ever since you began menstruating,” That was quiet true.

“Yeah but this time it was a death threat. I used to suspect there was more to Malcom and Danny’s hate relationship than the notorious playboy tale but now I’m convinced. As I stood there, they kept throwing words at each other but none of the words seemed to be about me. Now I’m going to find out what it is they are hiding from me,”

“Wait, maybe they were just both angry. People say a lot of things they don’t mean when they are mad,”

“I know but you should have seen Danny’s face. He was like this whole new person that I didn’t know. He was raving with rage, like he could kill someone with the snap of his fingers. He scared me Jade, a lot more than the devil himself would have,” I tried not to conjure up the maddening face of Danny that I had seen earlier.

“Wow, you make it sound like he was the angel of death or something,” she said.

“I’m serious Jade. Something happened between those two and I’m going to figure it out, all of it. I just don’t know how,” I sighed in despair.

“Maybe it’s safer to let things be,”

“Look, you were right circumstances make people stronger. Maybe this is the circumstance that is supposed to make me strong. I’m tired of being that girl who has to wait on her best friend to stand up for her or her brother to get in a fight to protect her. I want to be able to protect Danny. There is something about him that could be destroying him. With time I’m going to be able to protect him too, like he has been protecting me since I was a kid,”

“Um…Okay. Just be careful Sophie. You are too kind and forgiving but the wild side of the world is not. Promise me that you will be very careful and promise me that you’ll be sure before you make any move,”

“I promise. Besides, you are the only person I trust apart from my family,” I smiled.

We were briefly engulfed in a hug but soon enough we broke it off. Knowing from now on I would not be staying on the good side of the world felt awfully exhilarating. Danny would probably kill me for it in the end but I wanted to know what he was keeping from me. Whatever it was, had to be deeply connected to Malcom and I would not rest till I figured it all out. But I had to be very smart about it before I ended up doing more harm than good.

“So much for always eating the food warm,” We both chuckled at that aware that the food that had been served ages ago, was obviously now too cold to eat.