Afterglow | S. Harrington

1| Here to arrest me?

October 29th, 1983

I look at my reflection in my vanity mirror. The more I look at myself, the more I see my father. I punch my mirror without thinking. It shatters, leaving pieces of it in my knuckles.

I take a deep breath. I hold my hand out as the mirror goes back to the way it was. I get up and go to my bathroom. I put my hand under cold water. I pick out the glass. My hand heals itself as the pieces come out.

"Sweetie."

I dry my hands on my hand towel. My mother appears in my sight. She's covered in flour. I'm guessing she's been baking. She's been doing that more often. Not that I really have a sweet tooth. I'm surprised considering she should be getting ready to leave.

"I thought I heard something." She says. "I just wanted to make sure you are okay."

She worries about me. Especially now that I have gotten older and more aware of who I am. I've always known, I just didn't really care. It also hasn't helped that others have noticed.

My dad, Paul, has become more aware of the fact that I look nothing like him. There is absolutely no resemblance between us. One night when I had come home early than I anticipated, I heard a fight.

He was yelling at my mother. It was a petty fight that got onto the subject of her infidelity. They were high school sweethearts so madly in love. That changed when she took a trip to New Orleans. That's where she met my father and then came me. I've known for as long as I can remember that I'm not really my dad's daughter.

My dad has always had an inkling that I am not his. That fight solidified the thought. That was two years ago. Since then, our relationship has been anything but normal. He tries to act like everything is fine in front of Josie but she knows something is wrong.

"I'm fine, mom."

"Are you sure?"

I nod. I know better than to try and lie to her. My mother may not have her magic anymore but she still knows.

"I'm just getting ready to hang out with Soph." I say. "I'm also bringing Jo and Dustin over to the Wheeler's."

She walks towards me. She puts her hand on my face.

"I just worry."

"I know." I rub her arm as I pass by her. "Don't."

I walk down the stairs and see Josie walking with my keys in her hands. I whistle and she looks up. She throws me my keys as we head out the door. I pull out of the driveway just as my dad stands in the door watching us. He doesn't look like he's in a great mood.

"Dad and mom were arguing again."

"How do you know?"

"They thought I was sleeping." She says. "It was before you came home."

I was out with Nate last night. I came back past my curfew. I'd imagine that's why. My curfew is a semi strict 10 pm. I didn't come home until midnight. It's only semi strict because of my dad. He's really enforced it since I've started dating Nate.

"What were they arguing about?"

I ask but I already know.

"You and Nate."

"Yeah.. dad doesn't really like him."

"I think Steve Harrington is a hottie." She says. "You should date him instead. Dad loves him."

I look over at her. She know's that I've hated Steve Harrington for as long as I've known him. It all started in first grade when he spilled juice on my brand new dress.