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I love the moments where you wake up, and the choice of either opening your eyes or rolling over to get more sleep is the only option on the mind as we start our day. And I knew mine, slumping down so I could sleep on my stomach.

Until the sudden urge to know what time it was fell through, rising to sit up did I look for my phone which usually ended up on my nightstand. But instead, was it in my jacket pocket, taking hold of it did I look through the messages. The amount that was there took me by surprise. 
What the hell happened last night?
 An unknown number had called me, leaving a voicemail. And with the intention of opening it was I surprised to hear my rugged friend on the other line: 

"Hey Blake. Sorry I left, Maddie said you'd be alright and I was gonna beat your brother's ass if he kept pointin' any more fingers at me. Hope ya feelin' better soon. Night."

 Pulling the phone away from my ear, did I save it to my phone all while I was trying to save his number, the other texts were from Maddie. Asking where I went, but those were stationed from last night, along with multiple calls from my brother. But nothing more than that, last nights events barely rolled into place. Especially when I didn't even get the chance to move from that position before seeing my friend at the door with a glass of juice. "Hey...How are you feeling?" Her voice played over and over in my mind, I felt high. Buzzed. Whatever sort of term, but I don't remember doing either of those things at the party. "Dizzy...Sick." She nodded in understanding, making sure I held onto the orange juice. But a sudden remembrance of drinking so heavily out of a red solo cup flashed before my eyes, the thumps of the music that shook the house.

How could I be completely unaware of what happened hours ago? So I asked. Thinking it would help, but she sighed instead. "We were hoping you'd remember..." I shrugged in response to the question, covering my eyes with my arm. Even the knock didn't alert me until a second after. 

My reflexes were slow, more than slow. Like I'm just ten seconds behind the world as it keeps moving. "Can you check on Mikey? I need to talk to her." Maddie held my hand, rubbed her thumb against it before leaving the room. Where my brother soon replaced her in her spot, right in front of me. 

"Hell of a party?" I chuckled, it was an honest question. But that didn't mark any sort of humor on my brother's face, instead, he silently urged me to drink the orange juice. Looking to it without any form of words on his face until I was mid-sip. "Who gave you the drink?" Pulling the glass away from my lips and moving it to the nightstand had Jarod get up from his seat to help me set it down. "Daniel." 

"Not Daryl?" I shook my head, guess the voice mail makes sense.

Especially the smell of smoke on my clothes, more than enough resembled my friend. "What did I tell you about drinking?" "Says the one who wanted me to go to this party, don't blame my friend. He didn't do anything." I rose my voice in defense to the second Dixon brother. How else was I to react in this way or form, he honestly didn't do anything. "Mom's not coming home until tomorrow, she's staying at the base. You're not going to school-"

"What do you mean 'I'm not going to school' I'm fine."

"No you're not, you passed out. Someone roofed you Blake!" The words were finally said out loud, even with the added bonus of the volume changing. And even more so did the open the smallest crack to see Maddie, her hair tangled but down by her shoulders. 
Guess nobody slept in this house at all. "I'm gonna take a shower." I spit out, moving alongside my friend to the shower. This was going to a hundred percent worse than I could dawn over, especially with them blaming my friend when I honestly don't know what happens.

The shower couldn't have drawn out any longer, especially with the fact that their feet crowded the bathroom's small little hallway for a given few minutes. Almost switching shifts, rotating every couple of minutes before finally, I left the burning relief from the water.

My hair damp, trying to dry it as best as I could. Only to grip onto the sink's sturdy structure as I held myself up. It felt like my whole body was just asleep and did anything it wanted at it's own will.

Nausea then struck, perhaps it was that odd thing that people always say. The body reacts the way you believe it too, and right now I am in this mists of demanding this to be a hangover topped with being roofed.

I remember bits and pieces, dancing, the beer pong that my brother and so-called date were playing. How Daniel gave us all a drink, but another thing of it all is. I remember distinctly pointing out how he always kept our glasses full, not allowing me to reach the bottom. And the only reason I did was to go on over to Daryl.

The memories trailed off to the porch, how cool the night was. But that is all my mind can muster, especially when my head is currently right above the toilet bowl puking whatever sort of shit was in there.

With my hair being gently pulled back, behind my ear and into a grip did I turn around and wipe my mouth. "I'm gonna kill him." Maddie only shifted her weight, she knew more to the story. I bet Daryl knew something as well, all things considering. But seconds later, she still didn't say anything. 

How was I to make anything of this situation when no one told me anything, and pinning the blame on my friend isn't going to convert me to their side of it all. So the moment I rose from my position and got back into bed with seltzer water beside me, as they all claimed it would be good for my stomach and head. 

Was I sentenced to rest in bed, a movie on the laptop. And every half an hour on the clock would one of them check up on me, but I couldn't find it in myself to not fall asleep half the time.

Movie after movie, did I find myself in an everlasting time stop. I felt weak, sick even. My body trying to revolt against the party drug and who happened to give it to me, if he had gotten his way. Whatever his plan truly was, I don't think that will ever not stay out of my mind.

Whenever that idea came to mind, I allowed myself to go to the window and smoke just one cigarette. Savoring it until I ended up smoking a few at a time before crying beside the window, the things that could have happened to me--would have happened if Daryl wasn't there...And to make matters worse, my brother isn't on the right side to defend it at all.

I am going to school tomorrow. I'll make it through the day even if that means looking like complete and utter shit.

*


Just like the day before, my mother stayed at the army base. There was an overload of returning soldiers from some sort of incident where Michael is, so she decided to stay a bit longer. Or at least that is what Jarrod decided to tell me before he left for school, telling me to call or text either himself or Maddie if I want anything.

Instead, I called Joe and told her that I couldn't make it. I'd explain the situation to her when the time is right, but at a moment like this, I couldn't get off the phone quick enough. Even more so, was it a struggle to get dressed when the pit in my stomach only shifted each and every way as I walked on around. 

Tying my hair into a long braid to one side, a normal t-shirt and leather jacket, jeans and my tall boots. And an abundance of makeup to cover the puffiness of my eyes when I cried throughout the night, whichever time is well accounted for. 

I didn't get much sleep, either tossing and turning or even waking up in the sweat of what could have happened. That is what's haunting me at this moment, the high as well, still within my system when I didn't want it to be. 

I have five minutes to get to school, and it takes that long to get there. Sighing in my mirror as I grab my bag from my desk chair and walk on downstairs. Large water bottle already in hand for I knew I was going to need it, flushing out whatever is in my system is what I have planned to get me through the day.

It was more or less the first time I've left my room since the shower, and I couldn't deal with the sun shining directly in my face any more than the weight onto my boots. Each step spiked through my body like a live wire, and I was just ready to off. 
I was tired, I was dead.

But I somehow continued on off towards my bike, kicking up the stand and leading it on out before closing the door. Not bothering to lock it considering I will be out of school in a few hours anyway, and before I knew it. I was cruising to the end of my driveway and taking a solid right on off to school. 

Not bothering to make it on time for the soul reason I didn't want looks or stares, how fast can information spread through a school? Faster than the speed of light I'm afraid, and by the severity in Daryl's voicemail, I doubt there was leaving without any cause or scenes.

Pulling into the school's parking lot, were there a few stragglers left to fall on into the school's dictated bell, but my friends were not in their usual spot. Even asking someone around me was it the first bell sounded off just a two minutes ago. 

Somethings off...

Taking my helmet to my locket and hurrying into class was I fortunate that the teacher was just at the board writing today's lesson, but what wasn't fortunate was the fact that every single staring gaze was set towards me.

And there wasn't a murmur in the class.

Keeping my head leveled did I make my way to my seat at the back of the class, and just as odd as there was no one outside where my friends normally arm. Shawn wasn't here either, leaving me alone to deal with the whispers and stares when I already feel the dripping effect of tiredness coming. 

Each time I felt my eyelids drop, I'd take a sip of water. Ultimately it worked, however, it did not stop any of the minds to stop from screaming bloody murder when they saw me. I understood why, but what did they know in terms of what happened. 
What was the rumor, what did they hear?

The second the bell rang, did I grab my notebook and threw over my bag without even bothering to take a second for the teacher to end the class. I was done and needed to escape the caving in walls of that classroom. And since I had the given few seconds, I went on into the bathroom. Using my shoulder to push the wooden door open.

My body coming into frame with the mirror did I honestly look the same. Tired, and perhaps a bit lazy, but nothing to indicate that I was drugged. That I could have been taken advantage of.

As if anything in my life was going so well as is...

With that, did my phone buzz. Taking it from the bottom of my bag, did I see it was from my brother. An imminent reminder that I have to be careful of who I see in the hall. The given factor that the news didn't hit him just yet was remarkable, but him texting might indicate it some other way...

Not responding was my best bet, since he just asked if I was doing alright. And to be honest, it was only the second period, barely eight thirty. And to my standard sleeping schedule, me leaving at 12 is the perfect comparison to waking up.

Leaving the confinements of the bathroom do I hug my notebook close to me, making my way through the hallway at a decent speed. Until my eyes spike up for the given second to see the asshole who made me anxious about to today, the jock with the puffy blue and white jacket as he was conversing with another of the mindless minions. 

The fact that I stopped dead in my tracks, feeling my heart rate pump at the speed of light. Did I notice that he was talking to my brother out of all people, my lip trembled for he didn't believe his friend did it to me.

I know what I saw, Maddie even agreed with me yesterday morning...Why...Why would he-

My thought ran short as both their gazes turned towards me, letting my lips hide in my mouth to stop them from trembling did I turn the opposite direction. 

"Blake!" He yelled, but I continued to make my way, serpentine around the students that were still managing to get to class. And I am thankful for that, because it was easy for him to be cut off at a sharp corner, what was thought to be a fail-safe turned out to be none other than a clumsy bump into another singled person from that night. 

"Better watch where ya goin' sunshine got-....Blake? Hell ya doin' in school?" My breath hitched when his accent sounded nothing more of anger, and in response did I apologies before knowing who it was as well. But he too found it odd that I was here...Instead of saying anything, did I just turn my gaze to see how close my brother was, and he was barely down the hall... 

"I have to go..." He looked around the corner as well, probably seeing my brother make his way to where he suspects I went. And instead of waiting for my friend, I continued down the hall. "Blake, come on. I'll take ya home." Shaking my head was he quick to catch up to me, having a hand on my shoulder as he stopped me.

Was it my desperate eyes that cried for me to leave this hell hole? Maybe. Probably. But him stopping me allowed my brother to finally catch up, and nothing but a few students between me and him as we locked eyes. "D..." He turned to follow my gaze, a growl escaped his ever so firm throat as he took just a few strides over towards him. Leveling eyes was an easy task, for he might have even been taller than him. 
I couldn't tell from this angle.

"Ya leave her alone," he started, pointing his finger to Jarod's chest. "She wants nothin' to do with ya or him. Best leave her be." My brother took one glance on over my and scoffed to my friend as if it was some sort of joke. 

"Daryl lets just go, please-" Itching for him to take me home now, just to leave the school and this mess behind did not vote well. Especially when Daniel too found his way toward the fight. "Stay out of this Blake." Was all my brother could say, looking to my friend. Staring him down and not bothering to direct any eye contact to me, now that he has back up. 

"What was a piece of redneck trash doing at that party anyway, targeting my sist-" 

"Best be pointin' that finger' somewhere else bud, cause I didn't do nothin'." Daryl retaliated, hissing between his teeth as the accusation was what I suspected. Maddie and myself couldn't break through it at all. 

"Blake, come on...I'll take you home..." Daniel went on towards me, offer a hand that Daryl immediately blocked away from, eyes darting between the both of them as he tried to handle the situation.
"After what you did? You should be in jail, sitting with your brother in the same cell!" My brother started, and Daniel just laughed it off, opening his damn mouth in turns to lighten the situation. "How's good ol Merle doin'? Still in the slammer?...Cause you're heading down the same rode Dixon."
"Cause no white jock none never gone to jail for druggin' up this poor girl." He was trying to keep it in, if a fight broke on out. I knew what would happen, the drug story would rise on up to the authorities and we'll all be screwed, with the party, with everything.

"You sold me the damn drink." "Yeah? How come none of 'em other girls ya shared it with got none of the goods?" Their noses were on the brink of touching, and here I was. Standing in the center of it all, trying to stop the tears in my eyes from leaving their preferred spot. I didn't want to be weak, but the buckling of my knees are getting harder to control. And at the rate this was going, I was afraid of more than just my brother getting hurt. 

I was afraid Daryl was defending me only to get beaten up...

"Blake, you really gonna stand behind a guy who did that to you?" My brother questioned, his voice was lower than before. Much more tamed as he asked me, but I didn't want to be here. I wanted to go home, I should have just gone on my bike and left without another word of the matter. "Do you know what he does?" I looked to my friend, his eyes already directed towards me as he was frozen in theory, whatever he's done is in his own right and privacy. "Could ask you the same question..." Jarod sighing was nothing more than the last straw on my end. But as the disgusting smirk on Daniel's face popped on up.

The growing sound of shoes walking had me utter a swear as the build-up was completely unfair. "Are we gonna do this the easy way, or the hard way Dixon?" The disappointment was the only thing that rallied up in my mind for my brother, defending the wrong person to the extent. He wasn't paying attention in the least bit, I was hurt...More than hurt, I felt betrayed by my own family.

"Daryl just-" He was quick to respond, having on hand to level by me as he slowly backs on up. "He's made his choice..." Was all my brother said, before throwing the first punch towards my friend. Who was quick to hold onto it and throw one straight for the face, knocking Jarrod a few steps back as he held onto it. Taking the risk of being too close to the fight, did I try and hold onto his shoulders. Pulling him farther and farther back. 

But the circle of jocks closed up around us entirely, as a few took hold of me and took a quick jolt towards Daryl. 
All alone in the circle.

The rallies and the cries of encouragement are what sparked the two guys in the center to continue to circle one another, quick jolts on Daryl side as it had my brother flinch at every given speck of an attack. 
I wanted to get into the middle of it, but I couldn't whoever was holding me back wasn't allowed me to leave. So at the very least did I put my notebook in my bag to seem like I was doing some sort of other action. Their mistake was just that...Letting me go, because the second I was done did I make my way into the center. Prying between the two guys as they both backed up the given bit. "Blake what are you-"
"What the hell is wrong with you?! He helped me!" Now it was my turn to have Daryl behind me, and ever so often would I turn back to look and see if the asshole jocks were doing anything remotely the same otherwise. But it was just my brother and I at this point.

"Blake...Blake you were out of it, how could you-"
"You were too busy playing beer pong to notice what he did. And you blame it on my friend? For what?!" I was quick to defend him again, and my finger pointed directly towards Daniel in the crowd behind my good fucking brother...

Stepbrother.

But the scoff that surpassed him. Having his arms extend out beside him as he motioned around. "You just got here sis, you don't know what goes on around here. Think you know you're friend behind you? Bet you don't." That's when my arms crossed over each other, surpassed against my stomach as he tried to scare me into some sort of scared little girl. But I saw the nerves crack under the surface, he was torn between family and these friends all crowds around me. 

"I don't care what he does, you're the one to drag me to the damn party." That's when he stormed forward, coming within the inch of me. But I wasn't afraid, if he dares lay a finger on me. That would be one hefty conversation with dear old step dad. "He's a crack head Blake, a filthy redneck trash..." 

"Guess I'm a crack head too." I chuckled, but the insanity of yelling commenced. Quicker than I imagined, and turning towards Daryl and given the quick clearance of Jocks moving back on over towards Jarrod's side. Could I see the true retaliation begin...

Everyone in attendance from the bonfire that goes to this school, all lined up to defend it. "Come on babe, let's get out of here." I was too busy looking to see Daryl and the gang give a quick greeting that I didn't notice Daniel come closer to me, not fearing at all what my friends might do to him. But instead, all in one clear motion, did my right knuckle connect with his cheekbone.

"Touch me again...I dare you." I said, hovering over his body as he had fallen halfway down to the ground. Walking through the crowd of people on my side, did they let me pass. But not without causing more issue between Daryl and Jarrod.

"I said leave her alone!" 

"Get the fuck outta the way!" This and that stumbled until I heard the all too familiar sound recommence. The itching connection with knuckles and skin had me rather to a halt. 
Making me return to the circle, as Daryl was this close in winning the fight. Having my brother lay on his ass all blood ridden to the face, did my friend let it go. "I'm takin' her home." He stated, before cutting through the circle to join me. His arm rounding over my shoulder as he led me on outside, walking far too fast for me to see the cut at his lip and the beginning bruise forming around his eye.

Rushing down the steps did I see the pickup, out of all the trucks was easy to spot. And it was clear what his plan was, especially when he had me stay stationed right at my bike as he went towards his truck. Just a few moments of waiting had him hurry to get the ride onto the back bed. Strapping it in before he yelled for me to get into the truck. 

And sure enough, I did.

"How's your hand doin'?" He questioned, keeping his eyes focusing on the road. But all the more reason to wonder how he knew that I was trying to straighten my knuckles on out. They were bruised more or less, didn't get the asshole at a good angle enough to leave me without pain. It was just the rush to my head of everything that happened in one solid time frame that rendered me completely shocked.
"You didn't have to-"
"To hell I did, they we're gangin' up on ya Blake. If I didn't know no better, I'd think you weren't supposed to come today...Why ya brother defendin' that asshole?" He hit his hand to the steering wheel to grip it further up, the smallest sound of the radio was drowned out by his yelling and I honestly didn't know why he would stick up for me when he doesn't know a thing about me. "I...I don't know..." Stumbling out a response to his question as best I could as he turned a tight corner. Making me grip on the door's handle, even after did I not let go. Preparing for the next turn slightly up ahead. 

"Bet he heard 'em rumors..." I questioned it instantly, and for the first time in the conversation had he looked on over to me. His head slightly tilted as if he was questioning it as well, his fault for saying anything in the first place. "That more happened at the bonfire than what we did." "Chainsmoking until three isn't all that bad right?" He let out a low chuckle as he came to the stoplight, and no amount of hesitation did he look on off to me. His back now leaning into the wheel before him, slouching over if anything. 

"That I did somethin' to ya at the party, and we're just usin' Daniel as a scapegoat for gettin' caught." I scoffed out loud before sighing into my arched hand, that is what everyone in psych was looking at me for. They didn't understand the situation in the least bit. "And Shawn? Where was he?" "Heard what happened, tried to fight Danny boy...Cops got 'em." That's when I asked if he was arrested, but he'd be detained for at least a few more hours before he can be put up for bail. 
The least I could do was get him out, and that is exactly what I'll do....If I was eighteen... "Are you alright?" That's when he let out a meaningful chuckle, looking on off to me as he itched his chin. Trying to get away from the looming question as much as he could, only to connect to my pleading eyes for a legitimate response.

"I'm aight. Ya brother can't hit for shit...Where ya learn to throw a punch like that?" It was my turn to leave him in silence, especially when he rounded towards my driveway. Coming through the long-awaited dirt road to finally stop off near the bar.

Guess he knows where I keep it too. "I'm getting you some ice, don't leave." He was already over towards the bed of the pickup, unstrapping the bike so he could pull it down to the ground. "Nah, I want an answer." Fixing my bag's strap over my shoulder, did I quickly walk on over towards the house. Grabbing the first ice pack I saw along with the given first aid kit in the hallway closet. At first, I was sure he'd leave.

But seeing his pick up still in the driveway did a smile escape my lips. A smile...After everything that has happened in the past 72 hours. Letting the cool air rush through my lungs once more as I continued on off towards my barn, I'd hide out in here when my brother comes home.

Whenever that will be...

By the time I made it in, he was already looking around the place. The metal signs I've put on up trying to make this place look decent in comparison to everything else. "Nice set up ya got here." His hands were in his pockets as he strolled on around, reading everything that words on it to avoid this ice pack from going to his face. 
But I'll be damned if he left without me looking at his cuts. "You're going to make this difficult...Aren't you?" That's when he turned back, biting his lip and nodding. Followed by a low growl of a hum, if that could even define what it was. So I just chuckle and pointed in the stool which he made his way to as slowly as he could. 

Moving the bangs out of his face to reveal the already purple forming bruise, adding the little ice pack to it as gently as I could. But his hand soon overlapped mine in an effort to keep it stable. "Ya know...When I heard there was gonna be a new girl. Didn't think it'd be ya." My grin widened as my hands were busy taking the first aid kit onto the seat of my bike to try and find the small cloths of alcohol to keep it from getting infected. 

"Didn't sign up for the full treatment doc..."
"And you didn't have to do what you did." He nodded along, looking at the ice pack and quickly placed it back on before I could even think to scold him for it.

"We stick together...'em jocks made a play for Rachel, didn't end well neither." He was being fidgety for the first few seconds, until I had gotten the lip and the cut over the eye under control. Putting the little white tape bandaid over it so it could heal properly before looking at his first, the patches of open skin duplicated mine as well. 


"Never answered my question." Licking my lips did I hold his free hand while grabbing another tissue, this was pointless if he was going to get into another fight. "Had my share of fights...Not one to back down."

"Never answered my other question either, 'bout where ya from." Peering up, was I now open to his crystal blue eyes staring down at me. They were conflicted, the smallest bit of horridness clouded with the guilt of something was mixed in with lust. "Connecticut."

"They got fights like that in Connecticut?" He tried making a joke, but the foster families I've spent time with, or even the all-girls home wasn't anything I'd wish upon anyone. It was either throw the punch or get one to the face, and I wasn't having either of it...

"Yeah...Something like that." I mumbled, not bothering to wrap up his hand with anything. I knew his type, he'd wear it with pride if anything, 'got it fighting a jock' is the clear identification of it all to them. Just mine were starting to spark interest. Especially when he took his ice pack off, taking hold of my right hand and doing the same thing I've been doing for the past few minutes. Cleaning it, but the added bonus of the cloth firmly wrapped around. Reduces swelling or some shit like that. 

"Ya ain't no crack head." He said, clear-cut without any recognition of the conversation starting back on up again. With one last wrap around my given hand, did I try and squeeze to get used to the pressure against my now bandaged hand. Holding it with my other one did I let out a chuckle. "Could have been, neither of you guys would know."

"Nah...Ain't that kind of person." He has this image now in his mind of me, and I don't know whether or not to abide by it. Him helping me with my hand wasn't necessary, but as he handed back the ice pack and rose to his feet. I guess it was time for him to go.

"Call me, if ya brother does anythin' stupid." I chuckled in my seat, holding the ice pack as he left the barn entirely. And that is when I remembered Shawn, prying through my bag to get my wallet did I go on after him. Halfway to his car does he stop to look behind at my stomping feet. "If you have time, bail Shawn out for me."

"Don't wanna show your face to the cops?" I shook my head, urging him to take the money. And he was eying to as well, trusting him enough to do so rendered me to believe that I actually do consider this man a friend. A good friend.

"I'm not eighteen." He began to shake his head into the air, just the smallest bit as he rolled his eyes. Daryl Dixon rolled his eyes at me. "Ya best believe I'm gonna find a way inside ya head Blake. Just ya wait." Giving him a two finger salute does he find his way back into his truck, and leaves with one more single wave to finish the fact.

It should have been the given notion of my first name then...It's Aurora, Daryl.

My name is Aurora.

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Date Posted: 01-07-18  // Time: 5:53
Word-Count: 5541
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