Facing Love

Chapter 11

"Dad, it's me, Jamie! You're drunk right now!" My dad ran after me grabbing a hold of my arm. His grip was tight and the only way to get him to release was to punch him. "Mom's not here! Let go of me!"

"Bab-y I love.. You so much. Come here." His voice was slurred and I knew there was no chance of making him realize that I wasn't my mother. Frustrated and Fearful tears, I cried. "Stop figgtig me Emma, yiu know I alwaaays win."

"Dad please it's Jamie!! Let go of me!" His hands reached for my shirt with such force, he ripped the bottom. I had to get out of this house so I did what was needed and I kneed him in the leg. He immediately released my arm and fell to the floor screaming and swearing out of the pain.

"You stupid bitch!" My dad tried teaching out for me again, this time I slapped him and ran out of the house. I made it to my car and didn't have the energy to leave. The sun blinded me as I thought it was night. I let my head hit the steering wheel and released the tears I had left. Why was he drinking? How long as he been drinking? Its a Thursday afternoon, there was no reason for him to be drinking.

I had no other place to go. I was trapped inside my car. I guess God sent me a miracle because Derek was calling me. Before thinking about it, I picked up hoping he would be a distraction. He picked up on my sniffling and deepened voice and his mood went from excited to concerned.

"Hey what's wrong? Are you alright?" Derek had no clue about my situation and I sure as hell wasn't going to blab about it over the phone. His concern for me brought back those familiar feelings in my stomach which I was glad for. It meant someone actually cared about me.

"I'm actually.. Lost." I was lost. Not physically ofcourse, because I was still in my driveway, but mentally. I knew I shouldn't leave my dad alone but I knew what would happen if I stepped foot in that house.

"Come pick me up."

"W-what?"

"Let's go get food." The thought of food made it hard for me to reject his offer. I needed to leave right now and that's where I was headed.

Luckily his house is close by and as I pulled into his driveway, I see Derek already waiting for me outside. He hopped in my car and told me to head to Johnny Rockets.

There was silence in the car for the first five minutes before, shockingly, I started the conversation. "I wasn't really lost.. I was actually in my driveway." I chuckled to lighten the mood and Derek went along with it.

"I know. You made it to my house faster than I thought a 'lost' person would." He laughed. "So what really happened?"

"Its a really long, uninteresting story."

"Cmon Jamie. I want to be there for you -because we're friends- and I can't if you don't open up. But I won't force you to." Derek finds humor in using the "just friends" line but there was also persistence in the tone of his voice.

"Fine, Jesus, I'll tell you when we get there."

"Thank you.. Now, do we have some One Direction in the car?" If I wasn't driving on the highway, I would've swatted at his arms. Derek laughed at his victory.

"I know this is going to devastate you, but no. I kind of left in a hurry and didn't bring my CDs and aux cord. But I can always sing their songs to you!"

"I'm not into going deaf tonight Jamie."

"Ughhh, you're so fucking lucky I'm driving right now."

There were countless times where I wanted to push him out of my car especially in the parking lot. We spent about half an hour looking for a spot. Imagine wasting gas, having Derek laugh every time someone takes your spot, and people flicking you off for no reason. I swear I just wanted to leave the car where it was and go get my food.

I finally found a spot but it would happen to be the farthest one from the entrance. Derek and I ran to Johnny Rockets because I was starving and by the look of the parking lot, I imagine the inside to be flooded with people.

Johnny Rockets was packed. Thankfully we were two, so getting a table wasn't hard. A really attractive waiter came to take our order and I couldn't help but stare. I felt Derek's foot kick me underneath the table as he scanned the menu.

"I'll have the Chicken tenders and fries with a coke float." Derek took his time reading the menu thinking that he'd annoy me, but it worked in my favor because I got to look at hot waiter guy a bit longer.

"I'll have the Bacon Cheddar Single and the same Float." Hot waiter guy took our menus and I counted down the seconds for our food to arrive. "So what happened today? You seemed really upset."

I went all this time forgetting that I had left my drunk father at home. I told Derek I would tell him what happened today. Surprisingly, I wasn't nervous. I was tired of keeping everything bottled up.