She'll Never Be My Mom || (n.j.)

Chapter 3

"Remember, you have a test Monday! Have a great weekend!" My Math teacher said to us all right as the dismiss bell rang. We all filed out of classroom quickly, ready to get the weekend started. I sigh as I open my locker and grab my backpack, putting my Math notebook and folder in my bag so I can somewhat study over the weekend. I get to go home after a stressful school week of getting picked on. I've never told Dad, or anyone for that matter, but I get picked on because everyone knows that I basically don't have a Mom. I've tried to ignore it, but it's just so hard. Ally has tried to defend me, and it's worked in some instances, but it's even hard for her. She's not going to get how I'm feeling, because her family is almost, to me, 'perfect'. But every family has its ups and downs, right?

"Bye Brook. See you Monday." Ally comes over by my locker, startling me out of my thoughts.

"Bye Al, see ya." I wave, not looking at her. I hear her walk away and I grab my bag, shutting my locker. I sigh and walk out to the bus line. When I get on my bus, number 17, I think of the time when I was taken from Dad for about a month.

*Flashback*

It was a year after Mom died. Dad had been acting weird lately and I'm not sure what's going on. Maybe he's just grieving.

"Daddy?" I ask him, stepping into the living room.

"What is it baby?" He replies, taking a big drink of something that looks to be alcohol.

"What are you drinking?" I cock my head to the side, Dad still drinking.

"It's nothing. I'm fine just go upstairs to your room." I obey, and go upstairs and shut my bedroom door.

A couple of hours later, I hear yelling downstairs.

"I'm fine Sam! Just leave me alone, I want to be alone!" My Dad shouts.

"Nick, your eight year old daughter is upstairs, not having a clue of what is going on. She just lost her mother you want her to lose her father as well?!" Sam yells back at him. I just stand at the door, finding myself still listening.

"Ah shut up! I didn't ask for your two sense!" I hear Dad say, then the door slams.

"Brook?" Aunt Sam knocks on my door sometime later. I'm on my bed, my knees pulled up to my chest.

"Yes?" My little voice calls.

"I want you to come with me for a little bit. Pack a bag please." She leans against my doorframe. I hear crashing and banging downstairs, but try not to pay much attention to it.

"What's wrong with Daddy?" I ask Sam, getting my DS packed in my bag with its games.

"He just needs sometime by himself." Aunt Sam puts her head down, hands in her pockets. I put my bag on my back and follow Sam out of room and to the front door of our house.

"Where are you taking my daughter?!" My Dad yells behind us. Sam turns around and looks at my Dad straight in the face. I just stand by the door, fear in my eyes.

"Somewhere safe." Her voice is cold and harsh.

"She's fine here with me." Dad rushes over to me and grabs my arm, hard. I try and pull out of his grasp, but it tightens every time I try.

"Daddy." I whisper, tears welling up in my eyes.

"It's fine baby." He starts to bring me over to the dining room and I'm not sure how to react.

"Nick. Let me take her. You're drunk and you need time to sober up," Aunt Sam glares at my father," without your eight year old daughter here." Dad just looks at him, sits on a chair, and puts me on his lap, pulling me close.

"Daddy." I whisper again......

"Jonas! This your stop hun!" The bus driver, Ms. K, yells to the back. My thoughts are disrupted and I rush to the front of the bus.

"Anyone home honey?" She asks me.

"I'm sure..." I look to the driveway, not seeing Dad's black Escalade by our garage.

"Okay. See you on Monday." Ms. K smiles and lets me off the bus. I walk to the house, reaching the front door. It's locked. Back to my thoughts, Sam took me to a foster home temporarily. I was away from Dad for a month to, I guess, get better. Sam had told me that Dad was heavily drinking for awhile after he got home from work. After I got home back to Dad, he apologized to me for about a month straight. Occasionally, he still apologizes to this day. I've moved on from it.

"And no one is home." I sigh and walk straight up to my bedroom. I plop down on my bed and look at a picture that's on my bedside table. It was taken in DisneyWorld when Dad took Mom and I there to vacation. We were all standing in front of Cinderella's castle and I was in the middle of Mom and Dad. We were all smiling widely and Dad's arm was around the both of us. I decide to go into my closet and grab my photo album of family pictures. I open it right to a picture of Dad and I. I'm on his lap, he's kissing my cheek, and it looks like I'm giggling. I remember that. It was on my fifth birthday and Mom and Dad took me to Chuck E. Cheese.

"Brookie, I'm home!" I hear Dad's voice downstairs. I quickly shut the photo album, and rush downstairs. To my dismay, Olivia is standing next to him, his arm wrapped around her. I roll my eyes and then put on a smile.

"Hey Daddy." He ruffles my hair and smiles at me.

"How was school honey?"

"It was great."

"That's awesome, homework?"

"Nope. Pizza and Monopoly?"

"Sorry sweetie." His gaze goes to Olivia walking upstairs. Dad gives a smirk before looking back to me.

"It's okay. I'm gonna go reheat some Chinese from last night." I slowly walk into the kitchen and open the fridge.

"Honey, I promise it'll just be you and I next weekend." Dad comes and takes a water bottle out of the fridge.

"Okay Dad." I don't look at him, but just continue to get myself fixed dinner.