Light Behind His Eyes

One parents better then two

Once we hit three months of being friends we were closer then most people can be with another person. Peter loved coming over, my mom loved having him over, I loved having a friend I could trust as much as I could him. Everything was perfect. That was until mom got the call saying my dad was coming home.

My dad works as pilot. He travels most of the time, I never get to see him anymore. Hearing that he was coming home for two weeks was amazing. Unheard of.
Other then birthday, Christmas, and the occasional postcard we barely herd from him.

"I didn't know you had a dad." I rolled my eyes. Me and Peter were watching doctor who when she got the call and now me and her were freaking out.

"Everyone has a dad Peter. Mine is just never home."

"Ever? Why?"

"Because of his job. I can't believe he's coming home!!"

Me and my mom started jumping around hugging while Peter sat awkwardly on the couch. "Any way I could help? Or should I head home?"

"Stay, I want you to meet him. And no calling me Ang while he's here."

"How come?"

My mom answered that one for me with, "that's his nickname for her. She doesn't let anyone else call her that." A sudden realization flashes across his face as he looks over at me, silently apologizing.

"I didn't know..."

"Its okay Peter. I never told you why"

Peter shrugged his shoulders and stood up, "I'll help clean." He forced a smile and started to clean. After a few confused glances between me and my mom we helped him clean the whole house.

*****

I was asleep when my dad got home. To make matters worse I was asleep laying with Peter when he got home. We cleaned for hours making the house look completely spotless and we ended up crashing together on the couch. I woke up to mom and dad talking in the kitchen.

"Now who's he?!"

"He's a friend of Angela's. They've been friend's for a long time now. His name is Peter. I've checked him out, he's a good kid."

"Does he spend the night a lot?!"

"Would you stop it. He's here for her. He helped us clean up. He sleeps over a lot but he sleeps in the guest room with no questions asked. She doesn't like him like that. And he gets that one hundred percent."

"He's a teenage boy. Of course he's getting something."
Peter sat up. Apparently they woke him up too. "Maybe I should have left." He stood up and pulled on his shoes, "I'll talk to you tomorrow "

For some reason shy little Angela told to world to get lost, and a new Angela appeared in her place. A brave Angela who cared about Peter and wanted to protect him. New Angela grabbed his wrist and pulled him to look at her. "He doesn't know what he's talking about. Don't listen to him."

All he did was nod. He nodded and forced a smile. A smile that was so fake I could see the hurt behind it. Things at his house were worse then ever. He needed me. Something in his life that wasn't ugly and changing, something that wouldn't be pulled out from under him. I was supposed to be that something.

So new Angela pulled him into a hug. I completely tuned out my parents. All I knew was that we were together. There for each other. The rock in each others worlds. I could feel him pull me in. The feeling of desperation that radiated off him. The first thing I'm doing after this is smacking his parents. I could feel my parents eyes on us. My dad judging us, my mom beaming with pride.

"Can I crash here?"

"Yes." I answered.
"I don't know." Came my moms voice.
"You should head home." Rang the voice of my father.

"Stay. Please stay." But before I could stop it he was already halfway out the door. I couldn't move. My body went into shock from the lack of his warmth and protection. He offered me and smiles before going to his house. "Please stay." But it was too late.