Chapter 20:breaking point
1682 Words
The text came in during 5th period.
David: LANDED!!! Got the promotion!!! Party at 7. Just us 3. Bring Xavier too.
I stared at my phone. Promotion?
David had been gone for almost 3 weeks on a business trip.
I sat back in my chair. My heart did something weird.After a month he’s finally back I won’t lie I kinda miss him,but I somehow needed some space.
Xavier.
We weren’t anything.He’s just my brother’s friend.That was it. We walked home sometimes.David knew how I feel or maybe felt about him.
But David texting both of us for a “party”? That was new.
I typed back:Okay. I’ll tell him
The rest of the day flew. I couldn’t stop smiling. David got a promotion. That meant less night shifts. More money. Maybe he’d finally sleep.But deep down I was kinda worried.
At 6:45 I was home early, blowing up balloons. Xavier showed up at 6:58 with a cake.
“Hey,” he said, setting it on the counter. “Congrats to David.”
“Hey,” I said. “You didn’t have to—”
“I wanted to,” he said, shrugging. “He’s been stressed.”
He looked good. Tired, but good. Jeans and a black shirt. He’d shaved.
The door opened at 7:03 and David walked in.
He looked different. Tan. New haircut. And he was grinning. Like really grinning.
“My people!” he said and pulled me into a hug, then ruffled Xavier’s hair. “Man, thank you both for coming.”
He popped a bottle of sparkling cider. “To new jobs, new money, and family.”
We clinked plastic cups. For the first hour it was perfect.
David told stories from the trip. Xavier made us laugh with something that happened at work. I showed David my grades.
He put his arm around me. “That’s my girl. Making me proud.”
Then the food was gone. The music got quiet.
David sat on the couch and looked at both of us. “Can I be serious for a second?”
Xavier and I nodded.
“I’ve been thinking a lot on that trip,” David said. “About how hard it’s been. Working two jobs. About how you’ve been handling school alone,Stace.”
I swallowed. “I’m fine.”
“I know you are,” he said. “And it’s because of people like him.” He pointed at Xavier. “You’ve been good to her. Walking her home.Looking after her like a sister.Checking the apartment when I was gone.”
Xavier shifted. “It was nothing.”
“It wasn’t nothing,”David said. “So thank you.”
The room got warm. Too warm.
Xavier laughed to break it. “Well, she’s not that bad to hang out with. Except for the hoodies. She lives in those giant hoodies. Looks like she’s drowning.”And she’s cute in them.
He said it like he always did. Teasing. We’d joked about it whenever we met.
But David’s smile dropped.
“What did you just say?”
Xavier blinked. “The hoodie thing? I was just…”
“Don’t talk about my sister like that,” David said. His voice was flat now.
“I wasn’t.I was joking,” Xavier said. “It’s not like that.”
“Then what is it like?”David stood up. “Because I’ve known you, Xavier. Waiting after school. Texting her at midnight. You think I’m stupid?”
“David,stop,” I said. “He’s my friend. That’s all.”
“Friends,” David repeated. “The same friend who quit his job last week?”
Xavier stood too. “I quit because people were talking.She was being bullied.They said we were dating and it was getting weird for her.”
“So you quit and that makes it better?” David stepped closer. “You’re 20.She’s 16.”
I hated the fact that he always highlighted the age difference between us.
“I know,” Xavier said. “That’s why it’s NOTHING. We’re friends.Bro I wouldn’t date your younger sister”
“Then why does it look like more?”David’s voice rose.
“Because people are cruel!” Xavier shot back. “And I was trying to protect her!”
“By getting close to her?”
“By being there!”
“Both of you stop!” I yelled.
David turned to me. “Stacy,stay out of this.”
“No. You’re overreacting. He didn’t mean it—”
“That’s enough,”David snapped. He turned back to Xavier. “I appreciate your help but I said it once. Stay away from her.”
Xavier’s jaw clenched. For a second he didn’t say anything. Then:
“I can’t.”
The room went silent.
“What?” David said quietly.
“I said I can’t,” Xavier said louder. “I’ve tried. I quit. I stayed away. But I can’t. Not when I know she’s alone. Not when I know you’re not here.”
David’s face went red. “Don’t you talk about my family.”
“I’m not,” Xavier said. “I’m just telling the truth. I care about her. As a friend. And I’m not going to pretend I don’t.”
That was it.
David swung.
His fist caught Xavier in the jaw. Xavier stumbled back into the coffee table.
“David!” I screamed, running between them.
“Move!”David growled.
“No!”
He tried to push past me. I grabbed his arm.
“Please don’t—”
He shoved me. Not hard. Just to get me out of the way.
But I wasn’t expecting it. My foot caught on the rug and I fell back.
My head hit the corner of the table.
Crack.
Everything went white.
“Stacy!”
“Stace!”
---
Beeping.
White ceiling.
Cold.
“Stacy? Baby, talk to me.”
David’s voice. Shaking.
I opened my eyes.I was at the hospital.
David was holding my hand. He looked awful. No sleep. Blood on his shirt.
“What happened?” I whispered.
“You hit your head,” he said. “Concussion. You’ve been out 2 days.”
2 days.
“Xavier?”
David’s face tightened. “He’s here.”
The curtain moved. Xavier came in with water. He looked wrecked. Bruised jaw, dark circles.
“Hey,” he said softly.
David stood up.
“David,wait—” I started.
“I got called in,” he said. “Night shift. They need me.”
“Now?” I said.
“I have to,” he said. He squeezed my hand. “But Xavier’s staying. He said he would.”
He sounded angry but he was trying to hide it.
Xavier nodded. “I’m not leaving.”
David looked at him for a long time. “Take care of her.”
Then he left.
It was just me and Xavier.
He sat in the chair. Didn’t touch me.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “About the joke. About the fight. About all of it.”
“I know,” I whispered. “You didn’t mean it.”
“I didn’t,” he said. “I was just trying to make you laugh. I forgot... I forgot how it looked.”
We were quiet.
“Why’d you quit?” I asked.
He sighed. “Because of that incident.People said we were dating.The principal heard. Said it looked bad. So I quit before it got worse. I didn’t want it on you.”
“So you left to protect me?”
“Yeah,” he said. “Stupid, right?”
“No,” I said. “Thank you.”
He looked surprised.
“I mean it,” I said. “Nobody’s ever done that for me.”
Xavier didn’t answer. He just fixed my blanket.
For the next 3 days he stayed.
He brought me soup. Did my homework. Argued with nurses. Slept in the chair.
David and mum came when they could. Brought clothes. Checked my bandage. Said sorry more 10 times. Even Cole showed up with roses although Xavier didn’t let him in.
On day 4 I got discharged.
David was at work. Xavier drove me home.
I sat on the couch. Head throbbing.
Xavier sat on the floor in front of me. “How are you?”
“Sore,” I said.
He smiled a little. “Good. Means you’re alive to be mad at me.”
I laughed, then winced. “About the hoodie thing...”
He groaned. “Don’t.”
“It was dumb,” I said. “But I knew you didn’t mean it bad.”
He looked at me. Really looked.
“Stacy,” he said quietly.
“Yeah?”
“I need to tell you something.”
My heart sped up.
“I didn’t just quit because of the rumors,” he said. “I quit because... because I hate seeing you stressed and not being able to help. I hate that David gone so much. I hate that you have to be so strong all the time.”
“Xavier—”
“I care about you,” he said. “A lot. As a friend. But also... more. And I know it’s wrong. I know the age. I know David will kill me. But I can’t pretend I don’t.”
He finally confessed.
I stared at him.
“Don’t say anything,” he said quickly. “I just needed you to know. Because I almost lost you and I couldn’t die with that unsaid.”
I was crying. “I care about you too,” I whispered. “A lot.”
He exhaled like he’d been holding his breath.
“Friends?” he asked.
“More than friends,” I whispered back. “But friends for now.”
He nodded.
We sat there until David Came home at 3 AM.
Then he just sighed and said, “We’re gonna talk tomorrow. All three of us.”
And for once, I wasn’t scared.
---
- Writer
