Double Or Nothing

Chapter 3 ~ Just Visiting

It was as if someone had slapped me in the face. I was in shock, I couldn't move. I could hardly breathe. I wasn't expecting that. In fact, I was expecting the exact opposite. I forced myself to move and sat back in my seat, looking away from the man that had destroyed my life.

'What's up?' Josh asked, looking thoroughly freaked out.

'There's a man outside my house. I can't really face him right now. I don't know what to do.' I told him, speaking a lot more calmly than I felt I should be.

'Want me to get out and ask him to leave?' Josh asked.

'No, then he'll know I'm in the car.' I said, sighing. 'Oh God what am I supposed to do?'

'Can't Caleb tell him to leave?'

'No, he's still at work at the moment.' I said, shaking my head. 'However, Max and Leo might be in.' I pulled out my phone and dialled the number of the landline in the house, hoping for someone to pick up. No one answered, but I thought they might not answer because it's not their phone.

'Max, Leo, are either of you there? It's Ryan, if you're there please pick up.' I said, knowing that our machine played messages out loud as they were being recorded.

'Hey Ryan, it's Leo, what's up?'

I breathed a sigh of relief. 'Hey Leo, I need to ask a favour. My dad is currently stood outside, and I'm in a car opposite. I can't face him right now, could you come out and get him to leave for me?' I asked.

'Oh! Of course! I'll do it now, I'll see you in a little bit.' Leo said, he hung up the phone and within a minute I saw him walk out of the door and confront my dad. I couldn't hear what was being said, but Leo looked furious, and my father looked like he was about to punch something. He swung for Leo, and Leo moved out of the way, causing him to miss and stumble. It looked like he was drunk, which wasn't a surprise in the slightest. Leo ended up restraining him and physically walking him down the street, pushing him away and around the corner. He watched as my dad walked away and then walked back toward the house. He noticed the car and put his hand up, indicating that it was fine for me to come out now.

I got out of the car and walked toward the house. 'I'm sorry Leo, I didn't realise he was drunk.'

'No worries. I always assume your dad is drunk. It's how he tends to be most of the time.' He shrugged. 'Are you okay though?'

'I'm fine. It was just really unexpected. He was here a few days ago, but I didn't expect him to come back. Normally when he leaves he disappears for at least a few months.' I sighed. 'I'll feel better once we're inside. I keep getting a horrible feeling that he's going to come back around the corner.' I shivered.

'Okay, let's go.' Leo put his hand flat against my back and steered me into the house. Leo was one of the very few people who knew my entire history, and why most of my issues existed. I rarely confided in people, but Leo was a good person, and a rather good confidant, in that he didn't know anyone that I knew, as he lived in a different country, so I knew whatever I told him would never make it's way back to any of my other friends.

I heard Josh's car drive away as I walked into the house and I felt bad, as I realised he didn't know what was going on, really. I felt like I should explain it at some point, but for now he would have to wait. I didn't have the emotional capacity to go through it all right now without having a breakdown.

I headed into the house and Leo directed me toward the living room and told me to sit down while he made me a cup of coffee. He knew I didn't drink tea, which is usually the drink of choice for people in shock, so instead he thought a hot drink in general might be a good idea.