More Than A Scar.

7. A Suit

7.

Diane said they were starting my treatment that day. We'd spoken a lot since I ended my five day nap. She was realistic and I liked that about her. Apparently, I wasn't so far gone so they could stop the cancer if I was lucky.

I wanted out of the hospital so badly. All I wanted was a normal life, but it was getting impossible with my Dad waiting in the lobby.

He arrived that morning, claiming he had every right to enter my room. They didn't let him in though. He didn't have legal custody over me.

Serrah did.

I refused to see him. Everything would become grey if I did. He was my weakness. He was that part of me that I hated, but still needed. I hated him but I didn't want to lose anyone else. No one came into my room after the chaos he caused that morning. I could still hear the loud voices over each other from the lobby.

He always felt so entitled and deserving of things. His temper was on constant red alert because he would be the big bad wolf if it meant he would get what he wanted. I hated that part of him most of all.

He wasn't present enough to be abusive, but when he did hit me it was the most painful thing in the world. I remember the night of my tenth birthday party. Serrah threw me this giant bash and it was amazing, but he wasn't there. He was on a business trip in Rio. He came home at eight that night and did what he usually did. He acted like I didn't exist. I was so infuriated, I yelled at him for being the worst father in the world. I also mentioned that I hated him so much. He didn't hesitate before he hit me across my face with a silver serving spoon. My cheek was red for a few weeks.

I sat on my white hospital bed in the ugly apron with my curly afro shading me from my fears.

I hugged the giant pillow tight. I kind of envisioned it as my dad. Maybe if I squeezed hard enough, he would disappear.

I had created a forcefield for myself separating me from all the terrible things that had happened in my life. Seeing him would bring back memories I had fought so hard to keep buried. I couldn't take it anymore. My hatred for him was making me ballistic.

I sprung up from the bed with all the energy I had left. I put on some shorts and stood in front of the canvas Bonnie got me. I got all the stuff out and started painting(or attacking) the white canvas with my anger. The picture would come out eventually. It'd probably take a while but I wasn't leaving that hospital anytime soon.

The door clicked open and Hayley walked in. I turned around in relief.

"Hayley", I said with an exhausted voice.

There was someone behind her. I froze when I saw him. Jackson, my dad, was standing in the door frame with his head quirked in a way that suggested I was a cyborg. He was wearing a dark suit, as he always did. His long hair fell to his shoulders, drenched in a thousand dollars worth of hair products. I hated his entire bodice.

"You've grown", he said. You mean in a time span of seven years? I grit my teeth together trying not to stab him in the eye with the pointy end of my paintbrush. I could kill him and get away with it. No one would miss the ass hole.

The only thing preventing me from doing it was Serrah. Her words rung hard in the back in the back of my mind. "Be the better person. He's hurt you enough".

Somehow, I always knew what she would say. It was a buzz kill.

He smiled at Hayley. She must have taken it as her cue to leave, because she took a step towards the door.

"Don't move", I said without shifting my eyes from Jackson. I had a killer fake smile plastered across my face.

Hayley let out a slow whimper as she froze in place. I kept my eyes fixed on Jackson, who wasn't sensing the density of the situation because he wouldn't have laughed just then, if he did.