Pulled(35)
Author: A.L. Jackson

I woke up Saturday feeling anxious to get out of here. Only one more day. I could tell that everyone else was excited to get out of here, as well. Julia’s eyes were brighter than they’d been all week, Patrick was busy preparing for me to stay with them, and Erin was bouncing with excitement for her “sister” to come and live with her.

Daniel stepped out with his dad so they could discuss the details, and Mom came in. When I saw her face, I knew something was very wrong. She was nervous, not making eye contact or saying anything. My heart sped up as her anxiety filled the room.

“Mom, what’s wrong?”

She stood beside me, all the compassion she’d shown over the week wiped from her face. “Melanie, you’re coming home with me.”

“What?” I shook my head.

“You’re coming home with me.”

“No, Mom. I’m not.”

“You don’t have a choice, Melanie. You’re still a minor, and I’m telling you that you’re coming with me.” She still wouldn’t look at me.

“What? You can’t force me. I turn eighteen next month.”

“Melanie, you either come freely with me, or we’re pressing charges against Daniel.” Pressing charges? Against Daniel?

“How could you? After everything we’ve been through, you’d do this to us? Just yesterday you told me you wanted me to be happy! Please, Mom, don’t do this!” I begged her.

I jumped when I noticed my father standing against the wall. Fear raced up my spine. I could see it on his face; he was here to destroy—not me—but Daniel.

My eyes darted between the two of them, silently begging them not to do this. Mom turned her back to me, unwilling to face me. She kept her voice cool, but wasn’t able to hide the way it shook. “Just be ready to go tomorrow. I’ll be here at nine. I’ll speak with Daniel’s parents to let them know I’m taking you home.”

“Mom, please!” I cried, but she walked from the room, never turning back. Dad didn’t say a word. He just pushed away from the wall and followed behind her.

I sobbed against my pillow. How could they do this? For months, I’d hidden my pregnancy from my father to protect Daniel, and now he’d done what I’d feared most.

He was taking Daniel from me. I was terrified of being away from Daniel, but I would do anything to protect him.

I’d just have to stay away until I was eighteen. Then my parents could do nothing to stop me from going back to him.

But would he still want me? Would the time away make him realize he was better off without me?

Gasping against the pain, I accepted that I at least owed him that time to decide.

“Hey.” Daniel smiled as he walked through the door, his face dropping as soon as he saw mine. “What happened? Are you okay?”

This was going to be the hardest thing I’d ever done.

“I’m just having a really hard time, Daniel. I think I need some time away to heal.” How could I sit here and lie to him? The last thing I wanted was time away from him. But I’d never allow my father to hurt him, and beyond that, I owed him that time

“What do you mean?”

“I’m going home with my mom for a few months. I just need to deal with this on my own.” Lie, lie, lie.

“No.” He shook his head adamantly. “No, Melanie. You need me as much as I need you. Please, don’t leave me.” Tears started running down his face, matching mine as our hearts broke a little bit more.

I didn’t know how we would get through this. I needed him more than anything, and I couldn’t imagine life without him even if it were only for a month or two.

“Please, Daniel. Just let me go, just for a little while. Then I’ll come back to you. I promise. I love you more than anything. I just have to go now.” At least this time my words were the truth. I touched his face, praying he could feel my love, praying he’d understand that the last thing I’d ever want to do was to be away from him. I was doing this for him.

“I…Melanie…” he cried, his voice shaking. “Is this because you blame me?”

“No!” I yelled. How could he possibly think that?

My voice softened to a whisper. “No, Daniel. Never.” He moved forward and took my hand in

desperation. “Then stay.”

Tears poured down my face, and in my

selfishness, I wanted to agree. I shook my head, knowing this was for the best. I was too tired to fight my parents and loved Daniel too much to take this option from him. “I can’t.”

He took a step back, his mouth twisted in despair, and he turned to leave the room.

“Please, Daniel. Wait for me,” I cried out in my own need.

He paused at the door and looked over his shoulder. “Forever.”

Then he walked from the room. For the first time ever, he needed to escape from me, running from the pain I’d inflicted on him. I held it together long enough for the door to close before I let go. I could hear myself sobbing, but I couldn’t stop.

“Melanie, what the hell happened?” Erin grasped my shoulders, shaking me. Reaching out, I clung to her, weeping into her shoulder.

“You’re going home with your mom?” I pulled back from her and realized she wasn’t trying to comfort me. She was pissed. Her face was hard, her eyes narrowed, filled with accusation.

“You just broke him, Melanie.”

This sent a new wave of guilt over me, more tears pouring down my face.

“Erin!” I wailed, clutching her to me. “I love him. I promise. More than anything,” I said, gasping as I tried to make her understand. “Promise me you’ll never say anything, but I need you to know. You’re the only one I can tell,” I begged her as I sat up, digging my fingers into her arms.

She shrugged off my arms and sat back, waiting for an explanation.

“My parents are going to press charges for statutory rape if I don’t go with Mom. I have to protect him, Erin.”

“What? That’s total bullshit, and you know it, Melanie. It doesn’t even apply. You’re seventeen.” She shook her head, still not understanding why I would do what they said.

“I know it’s just a threat to pull us apart, but there’s something about the way my dad’s acting, like…I don’t know. I’m scared, Erin, for Daniel.”

“That’s crazy. Your dad’s just mad.”

“It kills me to go, Erin. I’ll go for a few months until things cool down. Besides, it’ll give Daniel a chance.” I pressed my lips together when I realized I was about to voice it aloud. Erin caught it immediately.