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"Slipping through my fingers all the time."
10:35 PM
Ben Rider sat at the dining table waiting for the arrival of his daughter. All day he was worrying for his daughter's safety. She hadn't called him once today. She had promised to call after each mission to make sure she wasn't hurt or dead. The father put his emotions first instead of logic or without being reasonable.
The door creaked open, and in came his daughter who had blood smeared onto the left side of her face. Ben immediately stood up and walked towards her, without a word he dragged her into the bathroom. He sat her down onto the edge of the bathtub.
He sat down on the little chair and wiped her face with a gauze.
Harley waited for her dad to scream or lecture her, but it never came. Ben only had a look on his face. Harley lips almost quivered when she tried to talk. She took a deep breath before getting the courage to speak. "Dad...are you okay?"
Ben's head snapped upwards and glared at his daughter. "Where were you?" He didn't even respond her question, too worried about his daughter.
"You already know--"
"I already know..." He tutted and purposely pressed the sanitized gauze harder. Harley retracted from his touch. She placed her hand on the stinging pain and opened her mouth to say something until he interrupted her. "You promised me you would text or call...and did I get any, no. You said you would come home at 9:30. But look at the time."
"It's not my fault though--"
"Harley you're missing the point! --" Harley always felt like she was missing the point. Wither it was classwork or her spider woman job. Her dad walked back and forth on the bathroom floor. "Do you know how worried I was! You could've died! The other times, too! You think I'm okay to see you come in with bruises!"
"How did you--"
"You do a poor job at hiding them--I just can't--I can't--go to your room after I stitch you up. I can't even with you, right now." Ben said as he got ready to patch up her wounds.
The rest of the time was silent in the bathroom. Although, she wanted to squeal in pain, she was afraid to make a noise due to Ben's, not wanting to test her dad's temper. Ben cleaned up the blood coated gauzes and other materials before walking away silently.
Harley grimaced and looked at the floor; she was in really big trouble. She stood up and walked to her room and grabbed a fresh pair of clothes and went to the shower.
8:00 am
Harley woke up refreshed before it dawned on her that she would have to see her dad for breakfast. She slowly walked out of her room and made her way to the dining table filled with arrangements of food.
She grabbed a plate and filled her plate with food and filling a cup with orange juice. Harley grabbed the plate and the cup and attempted to go back to her room until a voice stopped her.
"Sit down." Ben said as he sat down on the chair of the dining table, with a mug in his hand. Harley walked back over to the table and sat down, not wanting to create an argument that would create a bigger rift between the two.
The two sat in awkward silence as they ate. The noise of cutlery scrapping against the plate was the only thing they heard. Harley purposely ate quickly to get out of the awkward situation. When she finished, she grabbed the dirty dishes and placed them in the sink.
Harley grabbed her backpack and skateboard from the floor.
She opened the door to her house.
"Harley--"
"I've got to go. I can't be late to the exam." She muttered.
"Bye, Charlie."
"Bye, Dad." She murmured and skated away. Even though Ben was in the right she didn't feel like speaking to him. Besides, what would she say to him. There was an apology but what else?
On the other hand, Ben sat silently. He wanted to say something anything, but he was scared what Harley would say. Would they make up or would they argue once more? He sighed and glanced outside the window.
Once she gets back, he would have a proper talk with her.
Harley walked back in the house later that night. Ben immediately came over to her. He knew he wouldn't' have a chance to talk to his daughter if she went in her room. Harley stared at her dad blankly, her palms getting slightly sweaty.
"Harley, listen--"
"It was my fault. I should've called you--"
"Just listen." He grabbed her shoulders. "When you came back that night, I was scared. I didn't know what happened to you. But I had no right yelling at you like that."
Harley listened to his words carefully.
Ben sighed. "I know you care for other people and try to save others. But care about your old man too, alright? You almost give me heart attacks when you don't come home in time."
Harley's eyes filled with tears and looked up at the ceiling.
Ben's eyes furrowed in confusion. "What—what are you doing?"
"Trying not to cry...I'm doing a pretty bad job at it."
Ben brought her into a hug which she allowed herself to melt into. "I'm sorry." She murmured, stuttering following behind it. Ben couldn't hear what she said but he assumed it was an apology.
"I'm sorry too." He said.
Sometimes a heart to heart talk would suffice and solve problems. Although Ben was in the right he apologized for frightening her. All the kids wants was their parents to apologize for their actions and make up with them.
