Only, Always, and Forever You

12 - Don't Call Me Son

Cole's POV:

Just as I think my night couldn't possibly get any worse, it does.

After the lonely, tense drive back to my house, I walk in the front door and am met with my father. Unfortunately, there is no way of sneaking around him this time because he's already staring at me intently, as if he has been waiting for me to walk through the door.

"Where have you been?" he asks, acting like he was actually concerned.

"Since when do you care?" I retort, sick of him pretending.

"Cole, listen son, I—"

"Don't call me 'son'. You've lost that right," I growl at him.

He really has the audacity to call me his son and act like he cares after everything he's done to my mother and I? I don't know why my mother hasn't left his pathetic ass already.

I know about the affairs he has been having for years. And yes, that's affairs, plural. He's disloyal to my mom, even though she has done nothing but support him for their entire relationship. My mom started dating him when she was young, and he is a good 10 years older than her. Something about the age dynamic and him being my mom's first real relationship must be why she has stayed this long. And for me.

He's also never home. Most of the time it's just my mom and I, which I don't mind, honestly. When he makes these random visits to us, like this, I'm surprised he has even remembered us at all. He has never once told me he loves me, or that he's proud of me, or that he's glad to have me, or even that he likes me.

The only thing James Anderson has ever done for me is create me. And even then, he merely blew his load and then left my mom to carry me for 9 months alone.

So he doesn't deserve to call me 'son'.

"Cole, don't do that," he sighs as if he actually cares, "You are my son, and as my son you need to respect me as your dad."

"You are not my dad, James. You are just a stranger that stops by every once in a while. You probably can't even remember what my favorite color is," I scoff as I address him.

"That's not true," he defends.

"Oh, really? Then what's my favorite color?" I question. It's almost rhetorical since I know he can't answer.

"I- I don't see how that matters," he tries to shrug it off.

"Of course, you don't," I scoff, not the least bit surprised.

My favorite color is red, you asshole.

I roll my eyes and leave him, standing there silently. I walk up to my room in a huff of anger and slam my door behind me, making sure to lock it so he doesn't follow me. Although, I doubt he cares enough to follow me.

I throw myself onto my bed and groan into my pillow, muffling the release of anger I've built up in the last hour.

I try to forget about my father, but my mind goes right to Amara.

She doesn't deserve my rage or my cruelty. She deserves to be surrounded by the best people, which doesn't include me.

I'm not a good person, and I'm not good for her.

I should just stay away. She'd be better off without me. Right? Yeah...

My phone starts to ring out of no where, and it pulls me out of my pity party.

I grab my phone and look at the caller ID: Luke

I don't really feel like talking to people right now, but I pick up anyway in hopes that what he says takes my mind off of things.

"Hey, man!" Luke shouts a little too loudly.

"What's up?" I reply, trying to sound as unaffected as possible.

"I just decided I'm hosting a party on Tuesday, and you're coming!" he explains, more as a statement than an invite.

"A party on a Tuesday night? Are you crazy?" I ask him incredulously.

"Yeah, we have Wednesday off since it's Halloween," he explains in a 'duh' tone.

It just now hits me that it's already the end of October. It feels like senior year just started yesterday. Crazy how time flies...

"Fine, I'll be there. But don't count on me staying the whole time," I warn him, but he doesn't care.

Luke let's out a victorious cheer and tells me when to come over on Tuesday and what to bring before hanging up.

I set my phone down on my nightstand and lay down. I need to sleep off the rage bubbling in my stomach before it makes me kill someone...