"RUBY JANE"

Chapter 4: Sober

~•JENNIE•~

"Do you think I'll ever see him again, Mr. Kang?" I question which honestly makes me want to throw myself off a bridge.

It's been a week and a half. A week and a half of me wondering about her. A week and a half of me trying to tell me to stop thinking about her and to forget about her terrible and rude attitude.

"Who?" Mr. Kang asks and I feel like throwing a book at his head.

"Albuquerque the turkey, I think I'm going crazy," I shake my head.

"I think you've been crazy for a while," Mr. Kang teases and I point a threatening finger at his face.

"On that note, I'm leaving," I pick up my book for the night.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Jennie," he tells me goodbye as we walk out. I stay beside him as he locks up and once he's done, we go our separate ways.

"Where's your car?" he calls out and I wince.

"I walked," I smile.

"I told you not to do that," he scolds and I sigh.

"Goodbye!" I call over my shoulder and I can just see him shaking his head in disappointment.

I swear, he acts like I live an hour away or something.

This morning I just woke up with a little extra energy so I walked. I've grown to like walking better than driving anyway.

Although, I haven't walked to bookstore since before the accident.

Maybe that's why my knee is slightly pounding.

I make it home and take notice that both parents are home.

God, please give me a good day here.

I open the front door and keep my head down as I walk through the living room. I catch sight of a couple of Jack Daniel's bottles on the coffee table and I close my eyes in an attempt to picture the table the way it used to be before the wreck.

Fresh flowers in a clear vase. Maybe even a couple of 'Goof Living' magazines.

I should've stopped walking when I closed my eyes. But I didn't.

For a kid, a father's arms should feel like the safest place in the world. Not the scariest.

The smell of alcohol on him was what hit my senses first, then I felt the tight grip of his hand on the back of my shirt.

He pulls me away from him like I'm on fire and the neckline of my tightens until it is choking me.

"I-I'm sorry," I struggle, trying to swallow. He lets go of my shirt, shoving me away from him. My knee gives out and I fall, landing on the coffee table.

I just catch sight of the Jack Daniel's bottle right before it rolls off the table and falls to the ground, breaking on impact with the floor.

Fear encases me and my heart sinks to my feet as the dark liquid flows on the hardwood floor.

The sound of his belt unbuckling causes my eyes to well up with tears.

"Look at me," the sound of his belt stops. I hesitantly raise my eyes to his. He hooks his belt back and I silently thank God.

"You took him away from us," he slurs and I bite my lip to hold back a gut-wrenching sob that is begging to let out.

"I know," I cry out softly, "I know I did."