After the Storm- JJ Maybank (Outer Banks)

16.

As I approached the driveway, I noticed my dads car was gone. That was odd, seeming that it was past dinner. He normally didn't go out this late, especially during the week. I walked into the front door and saw that our kitchen was torn apart, dishes scattered the floors as well as other decorative items. My first thought was that someone broke in.

"Mom? Dad? Is everything okay?"

My mom appeared from the hallway, tears rolling down her face. I could tell she had been crying for a long time.

"Where the hell have you been? I called you atleast 20 times in the past 20 minutes." Her voice cracked as she tried to form sentences.

"Mom? Are you okay? What happened? Where's dad?"

Her breath hitched as she slid down the side of the wall. Her sobs were bouncing off the walls of the living room. I walked over to her and sat in front of her on my knees. I reached out for her face, pulling her into me.

"Did we get robbed? Did they hurt you?" I looked over her face and her sides.

Her eyes opened to look into mine. They were bloodshot and full of tears. Her expression completely changed as she said.

"Your dad is gone. He left. He's never coming back."

"What?" The air from my lungs collapsed, causing me to struggle to breathe.

"He took all of his shit and left. He said he was done with us. Specifically you. He can't handle your reckless ways, and can't stand to see you get hurt. He left you here for me to deal with. I can't believe him." She said through gritted teeth, her hands going through her hair.

I dropped her face from my hands, falling back into the wall myself. I looked to the ceiling, feeling my lip begin to quiver.

"This is all of your fault. You ruined our family. You ruined us!" She screamed.

"That's not true. He- he wouldn't just leave. He didn't even say goodbye."

"He didn't want you. He doesn't care about us. It's all of your fault. I wish you were never born. You ruined us." I felt her hand grip my arm, pulling me into her. I felt her spit hit my cheek.

"You're a liar!"

My cheek stung as her hand went across it. She had hit me again. She was hurting me.

"Don't you talk to me like that!"

"You know why he left. This. You. You're the problem. You've always been the problem. Just because I don't bow down to you and do what you want, I'm an awful daughter. I'm reckless! I'm crazy!"

"Shut your mouth!"

"Don't you dare forget about the way you treated us. You'll never feel sorry for the way we hurt. You used dad, you walked me around like a dog on a leash. This is on you. Maybe you should rethink your life decisions and stop worrying about mine."

Her hand went around my throat, dragging me up the side of the wall as I felt my legs dangling below me.

"You're going for wish you were never born by the time I'm done with you."

I cried out, but nothing helped my case. She beat on me for hours that night. I couldn't escape it, my father had given up on me. He had left me to suffer, he left me to die.