Seen Not Heard || BOOK 1

Why Did You Do It?

Chapter Twenty-One ~ Idina

His voice stings, causing a giant lump in my throat. I turn to see a man I haven't seen in what feels like forever. I feel tears of sadness and fear escape my eyelids.

"D-Daddy?"

"Idina," he repeats, the horrid man standing before me, my father. I turn to see him, my cheeks starting to be stained by faint tears. I force the rest back in. He doesn't deserve my tears. He deserves my anger.

"How did you find me?" I angrily ask.

"I found an add. You know I love to visit the hill country near Austin. I found an add for this boy, Friar was it?"

"Lucas Friar," I almost whisper he snaps his fingers.

"That was it! It said that the city boy was coming back from New York. I thought by some miracle you might be here, and a miracle happened!" he tries to hug me, but I push him away.

"Get your hands off me!"

"Idina, I am your father, I just wanted to see you."

"What do you want from me?" I whisper. He has his hand on my shoulder.

"I want you and your mother back, baby I'm so sorry. I know why you two left. I'll never do it again, I promise."

"Don't use that word unless you mean it!" I push his hand off my shoulder, and look at him dead in the eyes, "You know, I use to wonder why you would hurt her, hurt me. Was it fun for you? Did you find something about it amusing? Watching her scream? Hearing me late at night cry myself to sleep? Seeing me slam the bathroom door shut? And you banging on it when I would refuse to come out? What kind of sick person does that? Oh right, you."

"Baby please it won't happen again I swear."

"Mom's not even with me here, so I can't speak for her, but I know I would stay up at night, wondering if it was something that I did. Maybe God gave me you as a father because I did something wrong. Now I know it only made me stronger, but that doesn't mean I deserved it in the first place! I know it wasn't something I did now. It was just your selfish cruel heart. Why don't you just leave me alone? Let me live my life without you."

"And how am I supposed to do that? I'm your father, you really think I can just let you go? What kind of parent, let alone man, would I be if I did that? Why can't you just forgive me? It would make things so much simpler. Everything could be the way it was."

"You know what would make things so much simpler? You back in Houston, and me and mom back in New York. That's my life now. Without you," I unclench my fist, which has clenched from standing up to one of my demons, "I'm sorry, well not really, but I can't forgive you. I know your words are as empty as ever. Goodbye Dad, have a safe trip back to Houston, and I hope another 'lovely' encounter like this doesn't happen again." I push past him to the door, but he grabs my arm as I'm about to leave. He grabs it hard. I turn back to him, struggling to escape his grasp.

"What are you doing? Let me go, now!" I say.

"I didn't want this to happen. Why couldn't you just agree with me? You stupid girl. I thought you were smarter then that. I told you that we could do this the simple way, but I guess we'll have to do this the hard way."

"What do you mean?" fear escapes me. His face gets closer to mine.

"I'm not leaving without you." and with that he tugs my arm towards the door along with him.

No! This isn't how it's going to end. I push my wrist up against my skirt, and the friendship bracelet Maya, Riley, and I made floats to the ground.

Good, now at least maybe they'll know something's wrong. Or, at least they'll have something to remember me by.