Paralyzed In Happiness

Part The Third

Summary
In which Karen begins to recover, Zoie goes to school, and a party is broken up

Part The Third

One week later

Sera and Karen were sitting at their dining table, a bowl of oatmeal sitting in front of Karen, whose eyes were dark and sunken.

"Mom, you have to eat." Sera said. She was met with silence.

"Mom, please... Please! I will feed it to you, if I have to, just open your mouth."

Without speaking a word, a spark flared in Karen's eyes for just a moment, and she picked up her spoon, and started eating

"Thank you." Sera said

After a few minutes, Sera looked at the clock on the wall, and stood up, saying, "Hey mom, I have to go to school, I'll be back tonight."

Karen nodded silently, and showed her daughter the sign language sign for "I love you"

"I love you too, mom."

Once she made it to school, Sera found her spot with Tracey and Misty on the grass near the entrance of the school. Just as she was sitting down, a familiar face walked up the front walkway.

"Zoie! Hey! I didn't know you went here." Sera shouted, beckoning her over

"Oh, look at that, someone's crushing hard." Tracey whispered, just loud enough for Sera to hear.

"I didn't until... A few days ago." Zoie replied

"Well, glad to see you again. These are my friends, Tracey is the colorful one, and Misty is the one who's wearing black. That's usually the easiest way to find them."

"I... I see."

"Anywayyyyyyyyyy!" Tracey said, interrupting. "I have a surprise for you," she continued. "I got invited to Tyler's spring break party tonight!"

"You shouldn't go." Misty growled from her place on Sera's lap

"What? Why nooooooooot?"

"He is kinda a douchebag, Trace." Sera said, playing with Misty's long black hair

"But like, we have to go."

"No, Tracey." Misty said

"Come on, what about you, Sera?"

"I don't know, Trace... Yeah, I'll go."

"Can I come too?" Zoie asked

"Yeah, totally."

That night was one to change their lives. Tyler's house was on the top of a mountain and took up the entire space cleared for it. Sera pulled the truck around to the back of the house and looked at Tracey.

"Hey, if anything happens tonight that you're not comfortable with, leave the house and come here, especially if we get separated, okay?" She said

"Yeah, yeah, Sera. I can take care of myself." Tracey replied

"Seriously, Trace. Promise me."

"Okay, I promise."

"Thank you, now, let's get this over with."

As they got out of the truck, they saw Zoie standing by the porch, arms crossed over her chest.

"Hey, Zoie!" Sera shouted, waving

"Hi, Sera." Zoie replied

"Come on, guys." Tracey said, walking up the porch steps

Sera let out a sigh, and with an exhausted look at Zoie, she walked into the party with her best friend.

Meaningless pop songs were blaring from speakers. You could smell the pot from the doorway. Three metal kegs were stacked in the corner, but most of the drinks were coming from glass bottles in the kitchen. People were packed into the enormous house and were spilling out the back door.

It wasn't long before they were noticed, and someone must've told Tyler that they were there, and clearly weren't supposed to be, because he was the one that came to find them.

"What the fuck are you three doing here?" He asked

"I... I was invited" Tracey squeaked

"Bullshit. You and your friends need to leave, especially this freak." Tyler said, pointing at Zoie

It was with that, that Sera snapped. In a quiet voice she spoke to her best friend, saying "Tracey, get back to the truck. I don't want you to see what I'm about to do."

"But-"

"Go."

Tracey looked around with wide eyes and started walking towards the door.

Zoie put a hand on Sera's shoulder and said, "I'm going with her."

Sera nodded, and once they were both gone, she looked Tyler in the eyes, and just as she did he said "Why are you still here? I told you-"

He was interrupted by Sera's fist crashing into his jaw. An audible crack was heard as his bottom jaw was broken at the joint that met his skull. Something flashed in Sera's eyes, and she kicked her right foot into Tyler's inner knee. Another crack sounded through the house, and the six-foot-tall QB fell to the carpet. Sera stepped over him, with one foot on either side of his abdomen, and looked down at his bleeding face.

"How does it feel? Huh? How does it feel, knowing that I could so easily take everything away from you, here and now? Sucks, right? Well, some people don't have everything like you. Some people don't have a happy family life, or money coming out of their asses. So, the next time you want to make fun of someone who isn't as fortunate as you, think back to tonight. Think back to the poor chick without a family who beat you to the ground, and just don't say a goddamn word to them." She said.