Time Travelling

Prologue -

I outlined my plan in my room and now I was getting into the kitchen with the stealth of a tiger, reaching the sink without anyone noticing me. After shutting the curtains so no one will be able to see me, I quickly opened the small packet full of water balloons that I stole from my mum's 'workroom'. She keeps a lot of different things there. She's not just any fashion designer. Well, she has her own habits like keeping things somewhere while don't have to be there. I filled every water balloon and put them in a bucket. Then I carried them outside and smiled nastily, realising how funny it will be. I took the first water balloon, picked my victim...

Seconds later my hand let go of it and it splashed on my uncle Steve's shirt. Everyone turned to look at me, standing there laughing my head off, while my mother ran to uncle Steve and then towards me. Without thinking it through I quickly grabbed another water balloon and threw it in front of my mum's feet. The water splashed against my mum's legs, making her knee length skirt completely wet.

I thought my mum was going to be angry but she fetched the garden hose. Maybe three seconds later I was drenched by her spraying. We were both laughing like we never had until uncle Steve threw a water balloon at us that caught our attention.

Everybody kept quiet but then I had to do it; I yelled:

"Water balloon fight!"

So technically, I caused the water balloon fight during a family party. Of course, some aunts, uncles and cousins were surprised by the action but my parents and uncle Steve joined me immediately. It didn't take that long to get everyone into the fight.

My dad suddenly threw me over his shoulder and hid both of us behind the thick hedge. All of a sudden he took my hand and while his eyes started to water, he whispered;

"We'll stay together; then we'll be stronger and defeat all of them."

"Dad? You okay?" I asked as the first tear rolled off his cheek.

"Vanessa, we'll stay together. Forever. I promise, Vanessa." he stammered.

He hugged me shortly before asking me if we should get more water balloons. I hesitated, confused by the unexpected change of topic. I wanted to ask him more about it, I wanted to ask him what he meant with those words. But he got up fast and dragged me along to get more water balloons. Half an hour later the fight only ended because the water balloons were used up. 

By the end of that day you could tell every single one of us, soaked of course, enjoyed it. But no one did like I did. Because for me, it was the most lovely, the funniest, the happiest memory of being with my family, but also the saddest. There were other memories that were very important to me but this one was the most important of all.

Because it happened the summer my dad left us.

The few special words my dad had said to me that day always came back to my mind. I couldn't get over the fact he was actually telling me - right at that moment - that he was going to leave. I couldn't get over the fact he was actually crying for me. First I didn't understand why he left though we would be together forever, like he said. After six months thinking about it every minute of the day, I finally understood.

He loved me, I'm sure of that.

He loves his mistress more than he loved me, I'm sure of that as well.

He left me and my mum a letter when he left. In that letter he told that he was having a love affair with a young lady, Brittany, for already more than a year. He wrote that he loved her and that he made her pregnant. He would do everything to protect this kid, who would be the best and most special kid ever; smarter than me, funnier than me, cuter than me, sweeter than me, prettier than me and most of all; better than me, better than anything. He said all that - and so much more bullshit - in that letter, which my mum burned after keeping it a week.

Sometimes I imagined how his kid will grow up, how he or she will be called by our father. Darling, honey, sweetie. My dad will call this child everything he called me once. I have never existed. For him, only Brittany and their child will exist.

He doesn't care about me anymore. And he surely doesn't love me anymore. That's what hurt the most: knowing he will never think of me again. He will never ask me again how my day at school was. He will never give me a kiss on my forehead again. Those times are completely over.

I've gone through my puberty without a father. You may think that losing your mother might be worse than your father, but you need your father as much as you need your mother. You may think that your youth is only hell when one of your parents - or even both - die, but I think it's just as painful. If your parents are dead, you know that they are not coming back ever. In my case I know my father is alive and well but also not coming back, ever.

I'm not over him leaving me and my mum. Totally not. I won't ever be, actually. I try not to care anymore but it's hard. I can't pretend I'm okay when I'm not. I can't pretend I forgave him, which I haven't and never will. I purely hate him for leaving us.

I could strangle him if I saw him again. But at the same time I know I won't. I will cry if I ever see him again. I will cry because he won't give me a hug or a kiss on my forehead, like he always did. I will cry because then I will definitely and officially know he doesn't care about me, he doesn't want to see me, he doesn't miss me at all. If he would ask me how I'm doing, I would casually say:

"Just going through my hell of a life with a mother who's obsessed with work and a father who doesn't care about me in any way. How about you?"

I can already imagine his face; mouth hanging open, eyes shocked, eyebrows frowned, body going along in shock. He wouldn't have a look at Brittany or their child, he would only have an eye for me, his daughter who wasn't enough. He wouldn't have expected that answer of course. Just like I hadn't expect him to leave.

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First (rewritten) chapter of Time Travelling. It's quite short but it's just the prologue. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!

Dedication to @Colors_fun! She is being really nice to me, thanks for that, and thanks for commenting on the first version of this story.

You can always give me feedback of course! Actually, I would love feedback...

PS: I have changed a few things here and there. It's not that important but it is just to make it nicer to read, as advised in the comments. According to these comments I get, I will try to improve my writing throughout writing this story.

Anyway, thanks again! I hope you will keep reading!

:)