Daphne Angel
Chapter One: Loss of Mother
Daphne: Every time I close my eyes, I see her face. Everything about her was just so wonderful. She made you feel special, she made you feel loved. She was the best mother in the world. Sometimes I look back at the good times we had together. I remember every moment of everyday we spent together. We never fought, we never argued, we never disagreed. Sometimes, when I was a baby... My mother would always tell me stories of a little girl who could do anything with her life. She just needed faith and a strong personality. My mother raised me the best way she could. She taught me how to live a life of peace and to always know when to make the right decisions. My mother and I shared a special bond that no one could ever break. I could go on and on about the wonderful memories my mother and I shared. But... It hurts. I can't... I just can't stand the pain anymore. Mom, you taught me to always be strong, but I'm not. Not without you. I need you in my life. I'm lost without you. Please come back to me, mom. Please... I miss the beautiful voice you had to sing me lullabies every night before bed. I miss the soft caring arms you had that rocked me to sleep. But most of all... I miss your smile. I miss the beautiful smile you had on your face that brought light to my dreams and made my nightmares go away. Now that you're gone, mom... The nightmares are back... The only way I can make them go away, is to think of you... But it's not enough..
(Daphne Angel; a wonderful girl. She's been a sweetheart to everyone that crossed her path. She would always go out of her way to help those who need help more than her. The past 16 years of her life have been filled with nothing but happiness. But that all changed on her 17th birthday at exactly 12:22PM. She was in the car with her mother, when they were in a traumatic incident. They were in a car accident. The car flip multiple times. Her mother's stomach was pierce by shards of glass that came from the windshield. Daphne gushed blood from her head, but all she could think about was her mother. Her mother was sadly killed. She bleed to death and suffered severe head trauma. At least that's what the doctors told her. Daphne has just left her mother's funeral. She's now in her mother's bedroom. She looks around the room with no emotion. She walks in front of her mother's dresser mirror and looks at all her make up. She opens a big black box which sits on the dresser. She finds a small silver necklace with a key on it. She slowly reaches to grab it. She stares at it for a few seconds and rubs the key with her thumb. She puts the necklace on and looks in the mirror. She looks at a small photo on the dresser of her and her mother smiling. She grabs it and stares at it for awhile. She puts the picture down and grabs a pair of scissors. She slowly begins to cut her long brown hair short. In the picture, her mother seems to have really long black hair. And a beautiful smile. She cuts her hair to about 9 inches. She slowly slides her fingers through her hair. A woman in a white dress walks in and sees her rubbing her hair. The woman knocks on the door twice and walks in. She closes the door behind her and stands next to Daphne. Daphne is steady rubbing her hair.)
Aunt Flo: You look just like her.
(Daphne ignores her and continues to looks at her hair. Her aunt Flo sits down on the well-made pink bed behind the two of them. Aunt Flo is trying to be sympathetic to Daphne, but Daphne is really upset. But she doesn't look sad. She looks angry.)
Aunt Flo: Honey... She was my family too. I know what you're going through and I want you to know I'm here for you.
Daphne: My mom said she would always be here for me. She said we'd be together forever. And she left me. We only live once, aunt Flo. I'll never get to see her again. No matter what I do. No matter how hard I pray.
Aunt Flo: Sure you can, honey.
(Aunt Flo gets up and stands next to Daphne. Daphne is staring at herself in the mirror.)
Aunt Flo: All you have to do is think about her every night before you go to bed. And she'll come to you in your dreams.
Daphne: I'm not a little kid anymore, aunt Flo. Stop trying to put lies in my head and make me believe that everything's gonna be okay. Cause it's not. And it never will be.
Aunt Flow: sorry, sweetie.
(Aunt Flo puts her hand on Daphne's shoulder. Daphne slaps it away instantly.)
Daphne: I think my dad needs your help in the construction site.
Aunt Flo: What?
Daphne: (Closes her eyes tightly) I mean the kitchen.
Aunt Flo: But I didn't hear you fath... (Cut off)
Daphne's father: (Yelling from other room) Flo, you mind helping me in the kitchen?!
Aunt Flo: I'll be right there. (Looks at Daphne with a sad face) Sweetie...
Daphne: Go, please. Just leave me alone.
(Aunt Flo leaves the room. Daphne closes the door behind her and presses her back against the door. She slides down to the floor and begins to break down crying. Aunt Flo goes into the kitchen to talk to her father Harry. The rest of the family is in the living room talking. Aunt Flo Flo tries to talk low when talking to Harry.)
Flo: Harry, your daughter is in her mother's room cutter her hair. She was even upset when she talked to me. She's usually a sweet heart. I tell you, Harry; she's not gonna be an easy one to raise now that you have custody of her. I mean she hasn't seen you in years and now she has to live with the man who abandoned his family and moved away to some other state.
Harry: You need to calm down, Flo. I'll handle her. I know I wasn't there before, but now I will be. I'm gonna do all I can to raise my daughter right.
Flo: Harry, your daughter is already 17. She's already all grown up.
Harry: (Gets defensive) Well, you know what, Flo, I'm her father, okay? I'm gonna do everything I can to prepare her for the world. I'm gonna give her the best life she can possibly have.
Flo: Your ex-wife was just sent to the grave and all you can do is get angry. I can see why she didn't want you anymore. (Walks away)
(Harry takes a deep breath and fills a small cup of water from the sink. He quickly drinks it. He slams the cup on the counter and takes a deep breath to calm down. He goes to the back of the house and knocks on the room door where Daphne is. He walks and sees Daphne sitting on the floor resting her back on the side of the bed. Harry sits down next to Daphne. He takes a deep breath.)
Harry: Hey, kiddo. You okay?
(Daphne continues to look down Without saying a word)
Harry: Look, I know this sucks and I know you feel like it's the end of the world, but It's not. It's the start of a new beginning. A beginning with your father.
Daphne: What, that's suppose to make me feel better?
Harry: I'm sorry, Daphne. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you or your mother, for the past couple years. But I wanna make it up to you. (Grabs her hand and holds it) I wanna be the father you want me to be. I wanna be the father I need to be.
(Daphne slowly pulls her hand away from Harry's. She still refuses to make eye contact or speak. Harry tries looking her in the eye, but she looks away. Harry stands up and walks to the door. He puts his hand on the doorknob.)
Harry: You're going to my place tomorrow. Your aunt Flo will help you pack.
(Harry leaves the room without looking back. He leaves the door wide open on his way out.)
[One month later]
(Daphne has not yet moved on from the death of her mother. She lies in bed, starring at the ceiling with a blank expression. Her father walks into her room. He doesn't seem to feel bad for her anymore. He talks to her in a normal yet lenient.)
Harry: Let's go, kiddo. You've got a big day today.
Daphne: I wouldn't call my first day of school big.
Harry: Well, you need to get up anyway. We can't have you running late for school.
(Harry goes to the bedroom window and opens the curtains to let the sunlight beam in. The light doesn't bother Daphne one bit. She just continues to lie in bed.)
Harry: What's the matter?
Daphne: (Lying) Nothing... I'm fine, dad.
Harry: You know I can tell when you're lying. (Sits on the foot of her bed) You want to talk about it?
Daphne: Dad, please.
Harry: Hey. I'm your father and I want to know what's wrong.
(Daphne hesitates to tell her father the truth. She waits a few seconds before talking.)
Daphne: I just... I've just been thinking about mom is all.
Harry: (Sighs) Daphne, I thought we were past this? I thought we moved on from your mother's death?
Daphne: How could you be so heartless?
(Harry takes a deep breath and talks to Daphne in a softer voice.)
Harry: I'm sorry, okay? I don't mean to be heartless. I just know your mother wouldn't want you crying over her like this. I only want what's best for you? So please... Don't call me heartless. Cause I'm not.
Daphne: I'm sorry, dad. I didn't mean it. Last week I felt like I was ready to move on. But last night... I don't know, it's like those feeling just suddenly rose to the surface.
Harry: Come here. (Hugs Daphne) Don't hold it in. You have to let it go. Let it all out.
Daphne: Thanks, dad. I'm ready to go to the construction site now.
Harry: You mean school?
Daphne: Yeah, yeah. I mean school. Sorry.
(Daphne is being driven by her father. The two of them are just a few blocks out of their neighborhood. They pass by an empty construction site. All Daphne can do is stare at it with a cautious look. Her heart beats faster and faster, her hands begin to shake, and her head begins to lightly sweat.)
Harry: Daphne!
Daphne: (Snaps out of it and gets startled) Yeah, dad?
Harry: Try to take it easy at school, okay?
Daphne: Sure, dad.
(Daphne's bedroom)
(Daphne is laying in her bed; writing in her journal.)
Daphne: (Thinking) Dear Diary, today was the strangest day ever. When I walked into one of my classes late, I found out my teacher is gone for a few weeks, and we have a sub. As I was handing the teacher my schedule, I heard the students talking. Their names were, Debbie, Lori, and Brian. Debbie talked about how her and Brian engaged in sexual activity, but things didn't end well for her. She was tempted to do it again. Brian talked about how he could get in my pants within a week, and Lori was talking about warning the new girls of how dangerous Brian is. She claimed to be one of his victims; whatever that means... The teacher told me to sit in the back of the classroom. I talked to a boy named Joey. Joey is all alone. He has no friends and everyone considers him creepy. But I see in him, a kind heart. He's very trustworthy.
(Daphne Angel; a wonderful girl. She's been a sweetheart to everyone that crossed her path. She would always go out of her way to help those who need help more than her. The past 16 years of her life have been filled with nothing but happiness. But that all changed on her 17th birthday at exactly 12:22PM. She was in the car with her mother, when they were in a traumatic incident. They were in a car accident. The car flip multiple times. Her mother's stomach was pierce by shards of glass that came from the windshield. Daphne gushed blood from her head, but all she could think about was her mother. Her mother was sadly killed. She bleed to death and suffered severe head trauma. At least that's what the doctors told her. Daphne has just left her mother's funeral. She's now in her mother's bedroom. She looks around the room with no emotion. She walks in front of her mother's dresser mirror and looks at all her make up. She opens a big black box which sits on the dresser. She finds a small silver necklace with a key on it. She slowly reaches to grab it. She stares at it for a few seconds and rubs the key with her thumb. She puts the necklace on and looks in the mirror. She looks at a small photo on the dresser of her and her mother smiling. She grabs it and stares at it for awhile. She puts the picture down and grabs a pair of scissors. She slowly begins to cut her long brown hair short. In the picture, her mother seems to have really long black hair. And a beautiful smile. She cuts her hair to about 9 inches. She slowly slides her fingers through her hair. A woman in a white dress walks in and sees her rubbing her hair. The woman knocks on the door twice and walks in. She closes the door behind her and stands next to Daphne. Daphne is steady rubbing her hair.)
Aunt Flo: You look just like her.
(Daphne ignores her and continues to looks at her hair. Her aunt Flo sits down on the well-made pink bed behind the two of them. Aunt Flo is trying to be sympathetic to Daphne, but Daphne is really upset. But she doesn't look sad. She looks angry.)
Aunt Flo: Honey... She was my family too. I know what you're going through and I want you to know I'm here for you.
Daphne: My mom said she would always be here for me. She said we'd be together forever. And she left me. We only live once, aunt Flo. I'll never get to see her again. No matter what I do. No matter how hard I pray.
Aunt Flo: Sure you can, honey.
(Aunt Flo gets up and stands next to Daphne. Daphne is staring at herself in the mirror.)
Aunt Flo: All you have to do is think about her every night before you go to bed. And she'll come to you in your dreams.
Daphne: I'm not a little kid anymore, aunt Flo. Stop trying to put lies in my head and make me believe that everything's gonna be okay. Cause it's not. And it never will be.
Aunt Flow: sorry, sweetie.
(Aunt Flo puts her hand on Daphne's shoulder. Daphne slaps it away instantly.)
Daphne: I think my dad needs your help in the construction site.
Aunt Flo: What?
Daphne: (Closes her eyes tightly) I mean the kitchen.
Aunt Flo: But I didn't hear you fath... (Cut off)
Daphne's father: (Yelling from other room) Flo, you mind helping me in the kitchen?!
Aunt Flo: I'll be right there. (Looks at Daphne with a sad face) Sweetie...
Daphne: Go, please. Just leave me alone.
(Aunt Flo leaves the room. Daphne closes the door behind her and presses her back against the door. She slides down to the floor and begins to break down crying. Aunt Flo goes into the kitchen to talk to her father Harry. The rest of the family is in the living room talking. Aunt Flo Flo tries to talk low when talking to Harry.)
Flo: Harry, your daughter is in her mother's room cutter her hair. She was even upset when she talked to me. She's usually a sweet heart. I tell you, Harry; she's not gonna be an easy one to raise now that you have custody of her. I mean she hasn't seen you in years and now she has to live with the man who abandoned his family and moved away to some other state.
Harry: You need to calm down, Flo. I'll handle her. I know I wasn't there before, but now I will be. I'm gonna do all I can to raise my daughter right.
Flo: Harry, your daughter is already 17. She's already all grown up.
Harry: (Gets defensive) Well, you know what, Flo, I'm her father, okay? I'm gonna do everything I can to prepare her for the world. I'm gonna give her the best life she can possibly have.
Flo: Your ex-wife was just sent to the grave and all you can do is get angry. I can see why she didn't want you anymore. (Walks away)
(Harry takes a deep breath and fills a small cup of water from the sink. He quickly drinks it. He slams the cup on the counter and takes a deep breath to calm down. He goes to the back of the house and knocks on the room door where Daphne is. He walks and sees Daphne sitting on the floor resting her back on the side of the bed. Harry sits down next to Daphne. He takes a deep breath.)
Harry: Hey, kiddo. You okay?
(Daphne continues to look down Without saying a word)
Harry: Look, I know this sucks and I know you feel like it's the end of the world, but It's not. It's the start of a new beginning. A beginning with your father.
Daphne: What, that's suppose to make me feel better?
Harry: I'm sorry, Daphne. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you or your mother, for the past couple years. But I wanna make it up to you. (Grabs her hand and holds it) I wanna be the father you want me to be. I wanna be the father I need to be.
(Daphne slowly pulls her hand away from Harry's. She still refuses to make eye contact or speak. Harry tries looking her in the eye, but she looks away. Harry stands up and walks to the door. He puts his hand on the doorknob.)
Harry: You're going to my place tomorrow. Your aunt Flo will help you pack.
(Harry leaves the room without looking back. He leaves the door wide open on his way out.)
[One month later]
(Daphne has not yet moved on from the death of her mother. She lies in bed, starring at the ceiling with a blank expression. Her father walks into her room. He doesn't seem to feel bad for her anymore. He talks to her in a normal yet lenient.)
Harry: Let's go, kiddo. You've got a big day today.
Daphne: I wouldn't call my first day of school big.
Harry: Well, you need to get up anyway. We can't have you running late for school.
(Harry goes to the bedroom window and opens the curtains to let the sunlight beam in. The light doesn't bother Daphne one bit. She just continues to lie in bed.)
Harry: What's the matter?
Daphne: (Lying) Nothing... I'm fine, dad.
Harry: You know I can tell when you're lying. (Sits on the foot of her bed) You want to talk about it?
Daphne: Dad, please.
Harry: Hey. I'm your father and I want to know what's wrong.
(Daphne hesitates to tell her father the truth. She waits a few seconds before talking.)
Daphne: I just... I've just been thinking about mom is all.
Harry: (Sighs) Daphne, I thought we were past this? I thought we moved on from your mother's death?
Daphne: How could you be so heartless?
(Harry takes a deep breath and talks to Daphne in a softer voice.)
Harry: I'm sorry, okay? I don't mean to be heartless. I just know your mother wouldn't want you crying over her like this. I only want what's best for you? So please... Don't call me heartless. Cause I'm not.
Daphne: I'm sorry, dad. I didn't mean it. Last week I felt like I was ready to move on. But last night... I don't know, it's like those feeling just suddenly rose to the surface.
Harry: Come here. (Hugs Daphne) Don't hold it in. You have to let it go. Let it all out.
Daphne: Thanks, dad. I'm ready to go to the construction site now.
Harry: You mean school?
Daphne: Yeah, yeah. I mean school. Sorry.
(Daphne is being driven by her father. The two of them are just a few blocks out of their neighborhood. They pass by an empty construction site. All Daphne can do is stare at it with a cautious look. Her heart beats faster and faster, her hands begin to shake, and her head begins to lightly sweat.)
Harry: Daphne!
Daphne: (Snaps out of it and gets startled) Yeah, dad?
Harry: Try to take it easy at school, okay?
Daphne: Sure, dad.
(Daphne's bedroom)
(Daphne is laying in her bed; writing in her journal.)
Daphne: (Thinking) Dear Diary, today was the strangest day ever. When I walked into one of my classes late, I found out my teacher is gone for a few weeks, and we have a sub. As I was handing the teacher my schedule, I heard the students talking. Their names were, Debbie, Lori, and Brian. Debbie talked about how her and Brian engaged in sexual activity, but things didn't end well for her. She was tempted to do it again. Brian talked about how he could get in my pants within a week, and Lori was talking about warning the new girls of how dangerous Brian is. She claimed to be one of his victims; whatever that means... The teacher told me to sit in the back of the classroom. I talked to a boy named Joey. Joey is all alone. He has no friends and everyone considers him creepy. But I see in him, a kind heart. He's very trustworthy.