𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 • 𝘣𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴 [✔]

chapter fifty three.

"What do you mean? I've seen you staring at me for god knows how long and it's getting weird. Is there a reason?" Claudia snapped at the bartender.

Ben stood up from his seat. He walked fast to where Claudia stood. "Claudia," he said.

"No, I want to know why you keep staring at me and why she's, all of a sudden, acting weird?" Ben then started mumbling apologies to the bartender and waitress.

The older man then looked at the woman beside him. "Claudia, look this is confusing, but we both—"

Phil came into the building with a small kitten in his hands. "Hey dumbass, found a cat. I think it wants milk."

"Phil, not the time!"

Phil then saw all four adults looking confused and angry. He took one look at Claudia at pieced it together. It made sense to him.

"Hey, you're Nate's daughter," Phil pointed at Claudia. "he's a bitch, dumbass and all of the above for leaving."

Claudia had heard the name Nate before once, but that was it. She heard it from Janis one night when she was on the phone while Claudia was heading essays. Janis never spoke about anyone named Nate after that night and Claudia didn't want to being it up.

"N-Nate? Who's Nate?" Ben asked, grabbing Claudia's hand.

All of a sudden, the bartenders hand slowly raised up. "Me. And listen I know what you're thinking. This is weird and a coincidence, but I just want to explain."

Ben looked at Claudia, who had a look of sadness on her face. "Claudia?"

The english teacher didn't move a muscle. Instead, she looked at the woman beside Nate. "I'm assuming you're my mom's best friend, Lara? Does she even know you're here with him?"

Lara looked down shamefully. "Like he said, we can explain."

Claudia scoffed. "Explain what? Are you two together? Ran away with each other?" Neither Lara or Nate responded. They knew they had to tell Claudia, they just didn't know how she would react.

Phil noticed the look on Claudia's face so he slowly backed away with the kitten still in his hands. "Nice knowing ya, losers!" And with that, he left.

Ben looked down at his and Claudia's intertwined hands. She was still holding on.

Nate sighed. "You should sit. Both of you," He looked at Ben. "what's your name?"

"Ben. But I think Claudia deserves an explanation." He said as he let go of Claudia's hand to grab her a chair.

Soon, they all sat down at a table. Thankfully, business was going slow so Nate and Lara had plenty of time to explain. Claudia just stared at them with hatred and sadness. She felt as if she made the trip for nothing. Now, she realized why Janis didn't mention either of them. She hated them.

"The last time I saw you was when you were very little. I still remember your first Christmas. We celebrated it at my family's house. My parents never liked Janis. They always thought she was loud and, in their words, a trashy woman with no manners. I thought different. I payed off her parents' house." He explained.

"That was you?" Claudia questioned. "Mom said some sugar daddy did it. Her words not mine."

Lara snorted, which caused Nate to roll his eyes at her. She mouthed a 'sorry' and let him continue talking.

"That was me. I stayed there then got kicked out. That became a routine. And I hated it. I wanted to be there for her, but I guess she didn't want me in her life. I wouldn't want me either, I did a horrible thing to you and her. And I know no matter how many times I say I'm sorry, it won't be enough." Nate went on.

Claudia nodded. "You're correct. Especially to mom."

Lara then cleared her throat. "I know she hates me. I mean I'm here with this douchebag."

"Why is that?" Claudia questioned.

"Okay . . . This is where it gets interesting, I think. Like I said, my parents hated Janis so when she got pregnant and they found out, they were furious. After Christmas, Janis had a talk with them. They wanted to offer Janis money to stay away from me. I'm talking at least a couple thousand dollars. She refused because she wanted us to be a family. Fast forward months later, they threatened to make a false report on Janis, something about having drugs in the house because they knew about her parents being, you know, addicts. So I did something stupid. I made a deal that if I stopped seeing Janis, they would leave her alone and leave all my inheritance to her. They agreed."

Claudia softly gasped. She always wondered how her mom still had money saved even when she was at her lowest point. She remembered how after her high school graduation, Claudia worried about going to college. She had quit her job as a cashier at a store. She didn't get payed much, but she raised almost enough to pay for college. Then Janis ended up helping with money Claudia didn't know they had.

Lara nodded. "One day I found him in Janis' house. She was still asleep, but Nate was awake. We talked and he told me about what his parents were planning on doing. I drove him to a motel and he stayed there for months then he found out about you. Technically, even before Janis was pregnant, they threatened to call the cops on her. They hate her so much."

"And why did you leave?" Ben asked.

"Shitty parents. Well, mostly my annoying mom. She was, somehow, brought into this mess too. She has connections to the police department, in other words, she was sleeping with the sheriff who was also the one that threw my dad in jail," Lara said with a forced smile.

Ben's eyes widened. "Oh?"

"Yeah, plus my mom hates Janis too. So our horrible parents thought it would be a great idea to work together to make Janis' life a living hell. They offered my mom money, but I guess you could say I pulled a Nate and said I would stop seeing Janis if she didn't call the cops on her. And she kept that promise." Lara explained.

Claudia didn't think alot would be thrown at her, but here she was learning that many parents didn't like her mom and wanted to throw her in jail on false charges. Janis never liked cops or jail, who did?

"So what you're saying is you left to protect her?" Claudia asked.

"And you," Nate added. "But I secretly visited after you were born. Then I was gone for good. I left for a second time after Christmas. Our only Christmas together."

"Maybe don't word it like that?" Lara scoffed.

"It's the truth, dipshit, what else do you want me to say?!" Nate questioned her.

Claudia turned to Lara. "You came back, right?"

"Just for a month. I stayed in Janis' house to look after you while she worked. Then my mom found out I was back in town so I had to leave."

Ben let out a deep sigh as he ran a hand through his dark hair. "This is certainly a lot to take in."

An: soooooo hi 👀

also idk if you'll get updates bc I'll be editing a few chapters of this fic so it you do then just know I'll be editing them :)

happy birthday idk if it's anyone's birthday but yeah <3

stay hydrated bitches love you homies 🖤