The Heart of Cars

Chapter 7

I wake up to the sound of shuffling around in my room and I open my eyes slightly, painfully aware my light is turned on. I sit up and watch my very creepy dad going through my closet and throwing out clothes. "You know if you wanted to borrow a dress, you could've just asked." He snorts and goes on throwing clothes out of my closet making my newly clean room a mess again.

I sigh and get out of my very comfy bed and walk into my closet to stop my dad from trashing my room even more. "Why are you shoving all my dresses into my suitcase?"

"I am not shoving them in there Jo." I snort "Liar."

"Just be quiet and help me."

"You do realize I'm 17 and perfectly capable of packing my own bag, right?"

"Not for this. You have a habit of packing jeans and t shirts."

"What's so bad about that?"

"It's required for you to wear nice clothes for the festival."

"Okay, rude! My jeans are nice and it's not like I wear t shirts with holes in them or t shirts that advertise bad things." He ignores me and resumes throwing dresses in a bag that isn't even mine. I go grab my duffle bag and start folding some dresses and putting them in their, which is still bad but better them being just thrown in a bag. I grab some PJs and underwear and put them carefully in my bag, along with jeans and some tank tops. Finally, I grab my favorite blue jeans, a black tank top, a red tank top, and undergarments before heading into my bathroom to shower and put my toothbrush and other bathroom supplies into a bag, after I use them of course. Once I'm ready I come out of my bathroom to see my dad finally left and put my bathroom bag into my duffle bag. I sigh and grab my hoodie and leather jacket before bringing my bag downstairs to where my dad is waiting to have breakfast with me. "Hey, I'm early. It's only 5:15." I guess living in a house with only your military dad makes waking up easier. I remember when I used to wake up at 6 and then rush down here to get me a cup of orange juice and some peanut butter and jelly toast for me and my dad, along with coffee for him so we could eat after his morning run.  I used to hurry so fast so I get it done before he got home. I go get orange juice and coffee for me and him after I set my bag down by his next to the front door. He is waiting by the counter and toaster for the toast to pop up. "I'm sorry. My anger got out of control, which isn't an excuse, I know." I send my dad an apologetic smile. He smiles back at me like nothing ever happened. "I know, mine too. But you still have to choose, and I know Colton might have a way to get you out of it but you should still be ready to choose."

"How did you know? You went up to bed before then."

"You really think I'm would ever let you be at the mercy of their questions and judgments without being near by to help? Idiot." I laugh and get out the peanut butter, grape jelly, and strawberry jelly. "I don't have to think about it dad. You already know what I'm picking." He sighs and gets the toast out of the toaster. "I know what you want to choose but it doesn't just affect you now."

"I know that but," I grab a butter knife and put it next to the jars I just set down, "Sam should know what I choose and I don't think he will want me to change my mind and Colton doesn't know me so he shouldn't go against me enrolling for a year." I start to put peanut butter on all four of the pieces of toast as my dad grabs his knife and puts grape jelly on two and strawberry on two. When we get done we sit at the table in our usual spots next to each other. "Colton probably won't because he isn't going to get out of the military because of you or anyone, but I don't know about Sam anymore."

"What do you mean? Sam is my best friend, he wouldn't force me to have a kid with him."

"No he wouldn't but he might not like the fact that you are choosing the military over him."

"But that's not what I would be intentionally doing."

"I know but he hates the military, he doesn't understand how you like the military and want to be in it for as long as you can. Colton does because he is in the military and he is very good at it."

"What do you mean? And it sounds like you have a favorite choice already, Dad."

"I mean he is the one they're looking at to be my right-hand in the military and I do like Colton because he is in the military but I like Sam because you two have been best friends for as long as you can remember, so no I don't have a preferred choice." I sigh and continue eating for a minute in silence. "So I guess you aren't any help." We finish eating in silence and put our bags in our separate cars. I wonder who brought my car home from last night. I follow my dad's truck out of the driveway and down to the capital.

*edited*