Skintight (Completed)

Chapter 16

Violet

I spin around in my dad's office chair, sitting behind the desk he used to work at. His things are exactly as he left them. His diary is open on this day five years ago, the 3rd of November. There's one thing written in it — a family dinner at 4pm, with the name Amelia written beneath it. Diego introduced her to the family for the first time that day. Dad knew her for years before that, though. They were regulars at the restaurant she worked at. Diego has been crushing on her apparently, but too scared to ask her out. I bet he regrets that now. She would've been just as close to Dad as he was.

Dad and I had plans for the day after his death. He was going to take me for a driving lesson — my very first one. It's ironic that it was his driving that killed him. He was a reckless driver. He liked his cars fast and expensive. He used to take me out for drives, We'd fly down deserted country roads with the roof down, wind blowing through our hair. I loved the rush. Mum would freak out when she heard, but she trusted Dad to keep us safe. His driving had never gotten him in trouble before, but I guess it caught up to him.

He decorated his office with model cars. There's a whole display shelf along the left wall, purely for his collection. There are even some Ferraris in there. People would gift them to him all the time, thinking our family was somehow related to the brand. We're not. And Dad thought they were bad cars, but he kept them anyway.

The room smells like him. It's one of the only places that still does. He hated being in here, but it was the only place he could get his work done. If he were to sit anywhere else, he was bound to get distracted. He'd abandon his work to spend time with us. He used to have pictures of Mum and us in here, but he had to take them out. Every time I see your mum, I have to get up and kiss her, he said. That was my dad. He just loved. He loved everyone and everything more than we could ever fathom. He loved me. He loved me so much. I didn't appreciate it enough.

My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of the door creaking open. My sister peeks into the room.

"Vi?" she asks.

"Yeah?" I pause my spinning.

"I'm just coming in to check on you," Ivy steps inside, shutting the door behind her. "Are you doing okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I shrug. "It was just getting too much."

"That's alright. It gets like that sometimes."

"Yeah," is all I say. She stays silent for a moment, awkwardly watching me sway in the chair. She's dressed so much neater than me. She's in a sleek blue Prada dress, with her makeup done to perfection. I'm in a pair of mum jeans and a cropped Nike hoodie Dani bought me. My hair isn't brushed and the only makeup I'm wearing is to cover my bruises.

"I'm sorry I never called you back," Ivy says. "I don't have an excuse, I just got busy and... well, I forgot."

"It's okay, I get it."

"Has everything been going okay?"

"Yeah, things have been fine."

"Violet..." she gives me a pointed look.

"What?"

"That's not what I've been hearing," she says. "Mums got us all worried about you."

Not worried enough to call me back.

"What has she been saying?" I ask.

"Just that you've been struggling. She's asked us to reach out to you, but I don't think anyone has. "