Chapter Seven

7

Darcy Tucker

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I shoved my hair behind my ear, wiping sweat from my brow as I scrubbed at the pristine white tile of the bathroom floor. Soap suds scurried from the sponge as I ruthlessly chased them down. Clean. It had to be clean.

"Fiddlesticks!" I yelped as my index finger slid off the sponge and scrapped against the floor. I popped my finger in my mouth as it began to throb. Tears slid down my cheeks as I threw the sponge into the bucket of water. My breath seemed lodged in my chest, a hot ball of pain. I shoved myself to my feet, my covered sneakers whispering across the floor as I moved out of the bathroom.

I just needed some water. I'd been cleaning all morning, and it was time for a break. I stopped when I came across the diploma. My heart fluttered as I read the words for what seemed the millionth time.

Upon the recommendation of the Faculty, Penn State does hereby confer upon Isabella Woods the degree of Psychiatric Medicine with all the rights, honors and privileges thereunto appertaining.
I ran my finger tip over the glass, tears blurring my vision. Rage filled me as my fingertip left a trail of clean among the dust.

"ARGH!" I shrieked, stamping my foot and running toward the bathroom. I grabbed up the bucket of water, spilling half of it in the process. Sobs wracked my body as I dunked a fresh rag into the water and began to tediously clean the frame.

"Have..to..take..better..care..." I sobbed, pushing on the glass until my arm ached, until some small part of me feared it would shatter.

"Darcy?"

I whirled around at the soft voice. Rae, Tiffy and Evie stood staring at me as if I'd gone mad. My chest heaved, my hair was disheveled and my sweatshirt had fallen down over one shoulder. My cheeks were raw from hours of silent tears. I felt the bite of pain as my nails curled into my palms.

"Don't you know what day it is?" I choked out, staring at them in disbelief. How could they be so calm? Standing there in their pajamas, without a care in the world.

"Umm, Tuesday?" Evie muttered, shaking her head and making a move to step around me.
"You just shut your mouth, Evelyn Malkin! It's October 13^th, thank you! And you'll have a care to remember!" My body shook with the force of my fury. I barely noticed Tiffy's chuckle, the slight widening of Evie's eyes.

"Darcy, calm down now." Rae's voice was soft, soothing, as if speaking to a wild animal. She stepped slowly toward me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "None of us will ever forget this day."
I leaned against her, burying my face in her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around me. Why was it not affecting them? Why were they all so glib?

"She's gone. She's gone." I sobbed.

"Yeah, and she'll be gone same time next year." Evie shook her head, her wild mane of hair shivering with the motion. "It's nothing new. Same shit, different year."

Something inside me broke. I screamed and launched myself at Evie. I took her by surprise, knocking her to the floor and yanking at her hair. My squeals of pain echoed off the ceiling as I yanked and scratched.
"Ow! Damn! Fuck! Someone get her off me before I kill her!"

Tiffy and Rae hurried forward, each one grabbing my arms and yanking me off. I kicked and sputtered my vision red as I fought to tear at Evie.

"Little bitch." She muttered, wiping away a thin trail of blood from her lip. Her eyes were hard as she squatted down in front of me. "Listen up, and listen good. Not one of us here will ever forget the day Isabella died. She was the best of us by far. So don't go getting your starched panties in a wad because you think you're the only one who cares. It ain't fucking true."

I sobbed as she stood and walked away, flinching when I heard her door slam shut. Her words hit me like a slap in the face. I swiped at tears as I tried to control myself.

"Like...Who ordered the drama for breakfast?"

I shook my head, unable to stop the smile that came at Tiffy's words. I pulled myself to my feet. I felt better, somehow clean. I adjusted my shirt, pushed my hair back behind my ears and turned to Rae and Tiffy.

"Who's hungry?"