Crystal Falls, Heather Lawhun [best management books of all time .TXT] 📗

yards and the only two lives I had ever known. I heard Adrian scream from inside and saw Emi lying unconscious on the floor. That was like the last straw for me. I stormed right up to my mom prepared for whatever she had waiting for me.
“I’m tired of this mom! You can’t run around hitting everyone like you do me! If they press charges, you are going away for quite a while and you would never see me again.” I started to cry from all the built up anger and abuse over the years. I was too busy crying to see the first flying at me. Adrian however wasn’t. He grabbed her fist and threw back one of his own.
“You don’t get to hurt her anymore!” He yelled throwing another punch. I ran in and grabbed the phone. Isaac took it and called the cops. Adrian stopped hitting my mom about five minutes before the cops showed up. They told me in order for her to go to jail I would have to press charges. I really hate court and said I didn’t want to. The officer had a paper for me to fill out that could make me legally allowed to move out and even helped me pack. Isaac said I could live with them, even letting me turn their basement into a dance studio. Isaac then took me to Dance Central, the studio in town that had all kinds of dance and got me signed up to do ballet lessons for two hours every Friday for little kids for fifteen dollars an hour. I figure if I get four kids a week, I can help with groceries, maybe even rent.
Isaac tells me not to worry about it, but one thing my mom taught me was that Scott’s weren’t moochers. She might have broke that, but I won’t. I will not take kindness, and pay it back with irresponsibility, either. I will prove that I deserve the second chance I have been given by having good grades while holding down a part-time job. But right now, I am tired. I have had a long day and I am going to sleep. Or so I thought. Apparently, Mommy dearest isn’t done with her fit yet. She goes off on a chain of curses and tells me how pathetic I am and how I am a failure. She continues this until the neighbors called the cops on her. So now instead of getting a lucky break, she gets to spend the night in jail. She might be gone but this is far from over. She has me so frazzled Adrian had told me just so I could stop crying. Isaac said for tonight only I could sleep in Adrian’s room, while David slept on the couch. There’s a bunk bed so I slept on the top bunk. It just felt safer up there. I then fell into a nightmare filled sleep.

Chapter 7

So I ended up being in the hospital. A lot of things have happened in the past few days. The doctors told me I have bruised ribs, a sprained wrist, and a lot of bruises all over my body, but nothing broken. David keeps apologizing and saying he could’ve stopped her, but it’s not his fault. He can’t help if he was sick and wasn’t feeling well. Isaac has taken the rest of the week off, so he’s been visiting me and doing the house chores. David has spent the most time visiting me in the hospital. Rori has come in a couple of times and apologized. I told her it was fine. “David if you’re tired, you can go home.”
“I know but I feel bad about everything.”
“Well, don’t. It can’t be helped. You were sick, what can you do? That’s in the past now, okay?” He sighed.
“Okay.” He said smiling. I smiled back.
“Good, now go get some sleep.” He nods and hugged me. I hugged him back and then he left.
“So you finally got him to go home, I see.” Isaac said walking in.
“Yeah, it wasn’t easy.” He smiled and sat down on the bed next to me.
“Rori feels really bad about what’s happened.” I sighed.
“I know, but I don’t want her to feel bad.”
“Also, I’ve noticed some tension between David and Adrian.”
“Yeah, Adrian has been spending some time with Rori and David misses him.”
“Has he talked to you about it at all?”
“No, I’m assuming he’s working it out with himself. I wish there was some way I could help him.”
“I know, I do too.” Isaac and I sighed at the same time. “I wonder if Adrian has noticed.” I shrugged.
“Who knows?” We sat there in silence for a moment. “Do you know when I can get out of here?”
“The doctor said tomorrow.”
“Joy, another night without sleep and bad food.” He laughed.
“Don’t worry, it’s just one night.” He said grinning. I rolled my eyes.
“Why don’t you stay the night and tell me it’s just one night?”
“No thanks.” I stuck my tongue out at him. He chuckled. “I’ll be here at nine tomorrow morning with your clothes.”
“Okay.” I said as we hugged. He let me go and left. I suffered through the night with the awful food and no sleep. So the next day, I was really tired, but I was excited about leaving the hospital. Isaac came with a bag of clothes and I went into the hospital bathroom. This is the first time I’ve seen myself since I’ve been here. I’ll be honest, I look really messed up. I was bruised from head to toe. No wonder Rori and David were apologizing so much.
I put my clothes on and then Isaac took me home. At home, I was greeted with hugs form David and Adrian both. They looked like they’ve been crying. I hugged them both back wondering why. Rori was sitting on the couch looking guilty. I rolled my eyes. Adrian, David, and I let go of each other. “Welcome home, sis.” They both said at the same time grinning. I smiled.
“Thanks.”
“I’m really, really sorry.” Rori said sadly.
“Rori, it’s okay.” I said for the millionth time. “David, Adrian, why do you two look like you’ve been crying?”
“We had a small fight, but we’re okay now.” David said smiling. Adrian nodded in agreement.
“That’s good.” That night Isaac cooked dinner and he wouldn’t let me lift one finger. David, Adrian, and Rori wouldn’t let me do anything either. I’m not crippled people! Gr. Adrian told me quietly how he heard Isaac and me talking last night and decided to confront David and work it out. That made me happy and really proud when he told me that. Later on, we all went to bed after everyone, but me that is, cleaned up.

Chapter 8

I woke up feeling more relaxed than I’d felt since step dad number three left two years ago. He was the only one who tried to protect me. His last act before he left was having the sheriff keep an eye on me. That worked until we moved four months later. I went downstairs to eat and found everyone else already eating. “Morning.” David and Adrian said. Emi smiled at me.
“What do you want to drink?” She asked setting a plate of eggs and bacon in front of me.
“Do you have any juice?” I asked shyly. I hate mooching off others.
“Grape or apple?” I asked for apple juice and ate. Emi went to drive us to school, but Adrian wanted me to walk with him.
“You and I are bowling tonight.” He told me once the others had left. That got me to laugh. “What?” He asked nervously.
“Bowling isn’t really my thing, dancing is about the only sport I’m good at.”
“Well then I’ll have to teach you.” He said smiling. As much as I tried to deny it, I was actually looking forward to it. I had never been on an actual date withought having to pay for it in the long run.
“I’m broke.” I told him frowning.
“That’s why I’m paying.” He said laughing. “Just say you’ll come and I’ll handle the rest.” I thought about it for all of five seconds.
“Of course I’ll come.” I said smiling. He relaxed a lot after that and we teased and joked the rest of the way to school. I had a lot of trouble paying attention in class. It seemed everywhere I went, I thought about tonight. The biggest problem was I had nothing to wear. That was the problem with never dating. You never have anything to wear on the rare occasion you do go out. Emi noticed me worrying and asked what was wrong. I told her and she said we could cut last block and go shopping. I was going to end up owing this family my entire first pay check, but it was worth it. At lunch, Emi told the boys they were gonna have to walk home.
“Why?” David asked clearly upset.
“Because me and Rori are gonna go shopping so you and Adrian are walking home.” Emi said annoyed at her brother.
“Do I get the car tonight?” Adrian asked.
“No,” Emi said sarcastically. “I’m making you walk you date all over town.” That made David choke on his milk.
“What!? Since when did Adrian have a girlfriend?!” He seemed mad for some reason which made me mad.
“Is that a problem?” He shook his head no and went back to eating. Emi and I signed out after lunch and drove to the mall. I found a cute pair of jean Capri’s and a really pretty top. Emi wouldn’t let me look at price tags, but seeing as we were shopping at the mall, it wouldn’t be cheap. Then I went home and took a nap. Tonight would surely be fun.

Chapter 9

Rori and I had a lot of fun at the mall. I felt bad for David though. He really missed Adrian and when he found out that Adrian and Rori are going out, he was upset about it. When Rori and Adrian left, David was in a very sour mood. I tried everything in my power to cheer him up. He sighed for the millionth time this night. “Okay, let’s go watch a movie.” I said tired of his sighing.
“Just you and me?” He asked wide-eyed.
“Yeah, why not?” I asked shrugging. He nodded after awhile.
“Okay.” I smiled.
“Then get your things and lets go.” He got up and grabbed his stuff.
“How are we going to get there if we don’t have a car?”
“We’re going to walk to the movies of course.” He rolled his eyes. I chuckled. We got our stuff and walked to the movies. I’m going to try and get to know David as much as possible. I don’t even know his favorite kind of candy! That’s just really sad, I know. “So what’s your favorite kind of candy?” Might as well…
“You don’t know what kind of candy I like?”
“Sad, isn’t it?” He looked down at the ground sadly.
“Sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Because, well you know…”
“It’s not your fault and it’s not Adrian’s fault either. You’re just used to going to each other for help.” I said shrugging. He sighed.
“Not anymore.” He muttered. I was trying to avoid this and it ended up being brought up anyways.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked as we walked through the park. There were lamps on, so it wasn’t dark. He sighed.
“Can we sit down?” I nodded and we sat on one of the many park benches. “I just, I just feel like I’m being left out.”
“That’s normal for someone when their brother or sister, that their