UNCONDITIONALLY YOURS

A winter storm is brewing // 23

It was a Friday. I had just finished my shift. As usual, Parker had come in and ordered a coffee. He had work, so he came in just before that and ordered a coffee, but he couldn't stay for too long. It was the last day of November, and by the temperatures and short days it was clear that a cold winter was fast approaching. I wrapped myself coat tightly around my uniform and I walked home. My feet felt like ice, but luckily, I got home fairly quickly. I opened the front door, and I was instantly bombarded with shouting.

"How dare you Riley Atkinson!" My father demanded in my face. I didn't flinch. My stepmother was also moodily standing behind he and giving me death stares over his shoulder. "You are a poor excuse for a daughter, I always knew that, but this is too far!" I gulped and thought about all the things he could be mad at. Playing dumb could at least help me figure out which thing it was, even if it wouldn't do much else. Even though he had watched me come in and I had been out all day, he must have known I was doing something.

"And what exactly is wrong sorry?" I asked casually and I observed as his blood began to boil.

"I know where you were just now." He said sternly. But surely, he would have no way of knowing, I was careful. All I could do was hope he didn't know, because if he did my dreams of getting out of that house would be over. Of course, I could sneak out, but if I didn't leave that café, he would undoubtedly cause trouble for poor Mia.  "I know you've been working at some tacky café. I can't believe you! You are tearing down my reputation, you bitch." Great. Just great. I was gathering money, but it was tough, and I didn't have enough. I hung my head low.

"H-how did you know?" I stuttered. He reached for his phone and showed me a picture he had been sent for an unknown number. It showed me working in the café earlier that day. My heart dropped. Not only did he know, but he also had proof. He had seen it and I couldn't deny it. I tried to speak but my voice stumbled, and I fail.

"If you don't quit, your little friends you seem to have made there won't have a job either." I thought about it for a second. Parker owned shares for that café, not my father. My father couldn't shut it down. Before thinking, I spoke.

"Parker Jones owns that café." I said suddenly, thinking out loud but realising that in normal cases I wouldn't know that.

"What!?" He spoke rather startled but still angry. He paused for a moment and drilled into me with a cold and intense glare. "If you think for a moment, I can't find away to destroy your little café then you thought wrong. I don't care if Parker Jones owns it, the problem with that man is that he refuses to play dirty in business. I would do that happily and that's why I can do whatever I want. The more you persist in arguing with me, you can trust that I will make you suffer from this more and more. I suggest you shut up and go to your room."

How sweet of him. But he was right. I knew my father and he would take any measure to stop me from working there, to stop me from doing something that prevents me from feeling completely useless. I reluctantly dawdled back to my room.

I collapsed onto my bed. That was really it, huh?  I didn't want to cry like a baby, so I didn't, but I broke inside, and I felt my dreams shatter. All I wanted was to not be a useless member of society who doesn't work, who doesn't do anything except spend money, talk to people and sleep. Instead of running a business like I had always wanted to, I was trapped between the two biggest businesses in the city. One of the CEO's was destroying my life, or rather preventing me from ever having one, and the other one was trying to help but in reality, he was just confusing me.

I couldn't even tell where my head was at anymore, and I usually didn't struggle with emotions. But no matter how bewildered I was, I wanted to see the only person who was trying to help. So, no matter the consequences, I once again climbed out my window. I figured this time I would walk rather than running. It seemed more sensible.

So I did exactly that. I walked over to his house and I hoped he was there, because there was no way I was walking to his penthouse. This was definitely a habit I needed to stop, it wasn't even raining that time but I felt ice cold. I shivered, but tried to keep up pace because that was warming me up.

I knocked on the door, and it was like deja vu as his quickly answered again. The difference was this time I knew him a bit better, so I quickly hurried past him and into the warm. He began laughing as I danced on the spot trying to get warm.

"You realise I could have picked you up if you texted me, right?" He assured me. I had no effort to roll my eyes like I usually would. "Are you OK, though?" He asked after pausing and realising that if it wasn't important I would have just texted him. I sighed as I was reminded of was had caused me to come. The cold distracted me for a sort while, but not long enough. He pulled me into a hug but flinched.

"Wow, your colder than last time." He held me there for a moment before I took a deep breath and stepped back.

"Parker I... I can't work at the cafe anymore. I- my father he found out. I can't-" I stopped. His face filled with genuine sympathy.

"Damn, Riley I'm so sorry. I own it can't you just..."

"Parker, I know my father. He would destroy that cafe in any way he could, even if it isn't legal. I can't do that to Mia." He exhaled slowly and in thought, knew I was right. He knew all about how my father wasn't the most genuine person. He shook his head in defeat and hugged me again.

"Thunder, I know you don't want help, and I know you don't need help. But I can help you. I have enough power to go against your father if you ever want me to and I will always be willing to do that. And if not, I will be here for you anyway. But if anyone can help you get your freedom, I could probably do an OK job. What I'm trying to say is I'm on your side."

It meant more than I could describe because I knew that eventually I would end up relying on his help. I didn't want to, I wanted to get through it on my own but when it was a matter of getting out of the city or not, I could think about accepting help. I just needed to find something to return the favour.