A Flame From The Past

32: Our Town

Today... was either going to be a normal day in the books or the worst day I could ever imagine. And I had a feeling it leaned closer to the right.

"I don't think I can go, maybe I should call and tell her- that I can't, maybe that something came up", I told Ally as she did my eyeliner, I couldn't even keep my hand straight thinking about tonight. The horrid dinner my mother had invited us too.

I knew tonight was going to be ugly, that's why I was so hesitant, also why I had asked a million times if Luca still wanted to go, and another reason why I hadn't invited Ray, or even Ally. I wished I hadn't picked up the phone that day, life would be easier if I hadn't. If my mother and I had gone our separate ways and never tried to 'catch up' or 'meet up', life would've been much easier.

"You have a car, you can leave anytime, you have no obligation to stay", she reminded me, which I knew was true, I just felt like my mind was in the wrong place, I was lost in the surreal feeling of this all. How did I get roped into this?

"If you don't go, will you regret it?" She asked, and I wasn't sure of my answer. I wasn't sure how reuniting with my neglectful mother and neglectful and drunk and sick father would be. I tried to stay positive, but I felt like running to the beach, before I could make it there.

I would regret it, and I would never be able to explain how my family was, where I came from. It was a family, you couldn't explain in words and ever since I was around 7, we hadn't eaten at the same table in a while.

But tonight was different, it wasn't me cornered, doing everything my mother said. Luca was there with me and I owed it to him to talk about the family I had never talked about. I owed it to him, to try and introduce him to my life in the hardest way possible.

"I think I will... but why can't we just facetime?" I asked her and she looked at me puzzled, as she fixed my makeup, dabbing a makeup wipe at the excess.

"Maybe your dad has changed, and checked himself into the hospital or rehab?" I knew Ally wanted the best for this dinner, but I knew my dad was still the same, he would be angry, he would throw anything that he saw and it wasn't because I came home with a boy, but because of his nightmare that he lives through.

"I hope he did", I said optimistically. That was far from the truth in that home, my mother may be a doctor, but she feels if she can't save him, no one can. I think she's embarrassed of him, embarrassed this is what her life consisted of. I knew she wanted a house full of kids, just like her family had.

"What time is it?" Ally asked, as I checked my phone, the number five flashed before my eyes, he was supposed to be here in fifteen minutes and I was still unsure if I wanted to go.

"Five".

There was one thing I was dreading, if my father was coherently there, he would find out about Luca. Who he was, what he played. I hoped he was sleeping or somewhere else, and he didn't show up, because I knew he would lose his mind, seeing a football player in his home. Football and every sport was hated by him, he would be the starter of every 'hate club', but he was too drunk to even type most days.

I still had to ask him to lie, if anyone asked. He was an engineer, hence the flashy car, the less flashy car, I told him to bring. His cars were too signature and everyone in that town knew him, and that he had lived there.

"Luca's with you, I'm a phone call away", she said, trying to calm me and reassure me how free I was. How I could leave at any moment? I wished I had that ingrained in my mind.

Just then the door rang, as I began to slip my shoes on. Ally ran out to answer it as Ray ran to the door, as he passed me. I began walking towards the door, as I heard the commotion of joy from Luca and Ray, as he flew him round the room.