All Along

013

My jaw practically falls to the floor when realization finally hits. The man standing in front of me is my father.

My father; he's standing right in front of me, looking me straight in my eyes, staring holes right through me.

His big blue eyes connect with mine. He looks... Like Jack. The similarities are unbelievable. His dimples and blue-green eyes might as well have been transfered onto Jack's face. He smiles and his eyes soften. My whole body tenses just looking at him.

"Tessa," he sighs and goes in for a hug.

I put my hands in front of me and he looks at me with sadness in his eyes. "Don't," I snap.

I watch as his blue-green eyes twist with confusion and sadness as I push him away. This is not how I pictured today going. I was looking for comfort and reassurance from my best friend but instead I'm stuck in this stupid rut with the man I love and both despise most in the world.

"Tessa?" His eyebrows furrow together, forming creases in his forehead, another feature that he had passed onto Jack.

"Baby, I can't tell you how long I've waited to do this... To see you!" He smiles.

I laugh because after thinking for a while, I agree with my brother. Fifteen years; It took him fifteen whole years to try to contact me.

"Why are you here?"

I can't help but look at him with disgust. What a pig; A junkie and a cheater. Even after rehab, he continued the dealing. Doing and selling drugs is one thing but having a child with another woman is a completely different story.

"I'm... I'm trying to get back on my feet. Kyle," he motions to Cory's father, "was nice enough to let me stay here until I'm able to get a sustainable job and a place to live."

I laugh. After fifteen years the man still doesn't have himself put together.

"Am I... Am I missing something?" He asks.

"No, it's just..." I giggle again, "after fifteen years you still don't have yourself composed."

He tenses and bites the inside of his cheek.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about!" I protest. "Drugs? Cheating? Another child with another woman?! I see you had time to impregnate another woman but you never had the time to call me." I fold my arms and my eyes burn as I blink the tears away. I am not going to cry.

He looks confused, but after finally catching on, he says, "Tessa, I was a different person then." He reaches for my hand but I pull it away.

"Well you'd think that since you're claiming to be a new person that you would get the chance to call, text, even email your kids!"

Cory walks back into the room and instantly realizes I want him gone.

"Hey man, I don't think now is the time to do this... She's going through a lot right now," he calmly asks him to back off, an approach I should have taken myself.

"Who are you to tell me when to back off? I'm her father!" He spits.

"Michael," he turns his head to me, "I'm leaving! When you want to talk to me like a civilized human being, call me." I snap and turn to walk away before he digs his fingers into my arm.

"Ouch! What are you doing? Let me go!" I struggle to get out of his grip.

"You are my daughter and I will be treated with respect!" He says in a harsh tone, dragging me out of the apartment.

"Stop! Let go of me! Ouch, that hurts; Stop!" I scream, digging my nails into his skin until I draw blood. I spit at him, kick him, scream at him yet he won't let me go. He's too big and tough and I'm not strong enough to pry his arm off of me.

He continues to drag me out of the apartment and throws me over his shoulder jogging me to an old, black truck with the paint chipping off the side. Perfect. I've got him in the right position to get away. I've been through this before with Liam and I know exactly how to fight back.

I bring my knee back and jam it into his stomach, causing him to lose his grip on me and I jump off of him.

"Cory!" He was already running across the lot to help me get away from the monstrosity that is my father.

"Tessa, are you okay? Did he hurt you? I swear if he hurt you I will not hesitate too-"

"I'm fine. I got away but I'm not sure where he went..."

I look around and my father is no where to be found. I look by the rugged old car that is now stranded without an owner. All of a sudden I hear yelling and glass breaking.

"What was that?" Cory's eyes widen.

"I think it came from your apartment!" I say, sprinting towards the sound of Kyle yelling.

I walk inside and pieces of a broken beer bottle are scattered all over the floor.

"Do not talk about my son like that!" Kyle yells back. The sweet man I was admiring only twenty minutes ago is now in an incredibly vulnerable state. He isn't as big as Michael but he sure does have the willpower to take out a angry bull, right now. I can tell how much he must love his son, something I admire greatly, and have always wished for.

"I want you out of my house!"

"Good, because after today I never want to speak to you again!" Michael screams. "Let's go Tessa!"

"I'm not going to leave with you!" I say in a harsh tone.

"That wasn't a question, Tessa! Go get in the car!" He points to the door.

I walk out of the apartment, Cory's fingers intertwined with mine and I walk upstairs with him, into my apartment.

"Jack?!" I yell.

He races out of his room and greets Cory and I before asking, "What's up? Is everything okay?"

"Not really..." I add, "Michael is downstairs screaming at me to get in his car with him."

"What?! There is no way you are going anywhere with that sick, perverted man! I'll go talk too him."

"No, Jack don't. I'm sure he thinks we've left and if you go back down there you might get hurt!"

"Tessa, if he tries to hurt me I'm sure I can defend myself!"

"But what if you can't? He's a big guy and he's taller and stronger and-"

"Tessa, it's not the size of the man in the fight, its the size of the fight in the man."