𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐚

𝘵𝘸𝘰

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'doesn't expecting the unexpected make the unexpected expected? - bob dylan'

Nicole froze at the sound of her father's voice, her hand still gripping the doorknob. His tone was sharp—angry, it sent a chill down her spine. She drew in a shaky breath before turning around, forcing a tight-lipped smile as she met his gaze.

Dan stood just two feet away, his brows furrowed with a tense expression. Her heart beat like a drum in her chest.

"You-"

"A call?" she echoed cautiously.

Dan's glare deepened, and the silence between them became suffocating. Nicole tried to keep her composure, though her legs felt weak beneath her.

"From the police station, Nicole!" he suddenly shouted, the volume of his voice making her flinch as she instinctively stepped back.

"What? But daddy I—I didn't do anything," she stammered, panic creeping into her voice.

"I'm not talking about you! I'm talking about your goddamn brother," Dan snapped, his face growing red with fury. "He got arrested for stealing a bus from school!"

Nicole's jaw dropped. "What—Nathan stole a bus?" she blurted.

"Where the hell were you when this happened?" Dan demanded.

"Daddy, I have a life outside of Nathan!" she shot back, her voice rising defensively.

But Dan wasn't ready to back down. His glare hardened as he took a step closer. "Is this a joke to you, Nicole?" he shouted, his voice reverberating through the room.

His hand suddenly shot into the air, and Nicole flinched hard, squeezing her eyes shut as her arms flew up to shield her head. Her stomach twisted, bile rising in her throat.

For a moment, the room was eerily silent. Dan stood frozen, staring down at her trembling form. His hand dropped slowly, and he let out a sharp exhale, adjusting his tie with a frustrated click of his tongue.

Nicole stood still for a moment. Had he really gone to hit her...? Her mind raced with endless questions or concerns about the situation. She let her feet move on their own, exiting from where she just entered to go to Dan's car.

It hadn't registered that she made it into the backseat because she was mindlessly staring out the window. And it didn't register when Dan started the car and pulled out of their driveway, or when they had arrived at the police station. But here she was, left alone in the car while Dan went inside to figure out the details and grab Nathan.

Nicole's body was still shaking from it all. Her father was a man who's temper consumed him rather quickly but he had never raised a hand before. What would have happened if he didn't stop himself? It made her feel sick, her own father doing something like that. He wasn't a perfect man, far from it and she knew he definitely favored Nathan—but never once would she have predicted him physically hurting her.

It hadn't felt long to Nicole as she heard the familiar echoing of disagreeing voices. Dan was hounding Nathan for his reckless behavior and the stupidity of risking his basketball career. Nicole let her eyes drift over to where Nathan stood on the pavement.

As if he sensed the familiar set of eyes on him, he turned his head. His frown deepened at the sight of Nicole in the back. Immediately he looked at their father with confused annoyance.

"What the hell is she doing here dad?" he scoffed. Dan looked at Nicole through the windshield before he brushed her off. His only answer to Nathan was, 'get in the car.'