Fighter

Chapter Six - Changed

"April, how nice of you to join us today." My English teacher sarcastically stated as I walked through the door to my class late. It was ten thirty now, and I just woke up half an hour ago. I missed three of my classes already because I spent half the night arguing with people I used to call my parents instead of finding comfort in my bed and going to sleep.

"Sorry, I'd make up an excuse but I really am to tired to do anything." I stated as I plopped down into my seat and yawned. The teacher and students looked at me with jaws dropped and golf ball sized eyes. I looked around before shrugging. 

"What?" I asked, the teacher cleared her throat before walking towards my seat. She looked me up and down before slightly bending down to talk quietly in my ear. 

"Are you okay?" She whispered, her voice full of concern. I threw my head back and laughed, ignoring the bewildered look on her face as I did so. 

"I'm dandy, Ms. Perri. Just peachy. Now go back to teaching class, it's English class, not the guidance office." She straightened up and walked back to the front of the class room, throwing looks my way. As she started droning on about an author of a book, I zoned out, thinking of last night and the stuff that was said. 

---

I got home at quarter past one, thinking that they would've left by now, since I basically threatened them off the property, my property. I didn't want to go straight to my room, even though I was dead tired, I wanted to see if Ann was okay, I know seeing her previous employers shook her up. Especially since they couldn't order her around anymore. 

Once I got to the kitchen doors, I froze, my breath stopping, and my heart dropped. They were still here, and they were bitching Ann out. Badly. I could hear her sniffling, trying not to cry in front of them. Anger quickly filled me, as I clenched my fists and stomped into the kitchen letting them know I was here. They came to a quick stop at bitching Ann out as I stepped in front of her and they could see my anger. I scowled long and hard at them, looking them in the eyes until they dropped theirs to the floor. I crossed my arms and turned back to Ann, quickly softening my features, letting her know I wasn't mad at her. 

"Go to bed, Mama, it's late. I'll come up and check on you when I'm done here, okay?" She nodded silently, letting a few tears flow down her cheeks as she kept looking over my shoulder. I took my hands and wiped her tears away, rubbing my thumbs slowly across her cheeks to calm her down. I gave her a kiss on the forehead before turning her towards the stairs, and giving her a slight push. I watched her walk up the stairs, watching the tension drop from her shoulders as she relaxed the further away from them that she got. I watched until I couldn't see her anymore before turning to them, I took a deep breath to think clearly, and turned my vision to look at the two people who were donors to me, nothing more. They took a step away from me as I started walking towards the island. I pointed at the two seats before looking at them pointedly. 

"Sit. Now." My tone left no room for objections. I wasn't going to let them walk all over me now, they may be my parents but they lost that title when they told me they didn't want me anymore and left me for Ann to raise. They missed fourteen birthdays, my accomplishments in school, my sports games and wins, they missed all my Christmas', and every other holiday. They never came home for Thanksgiving, even when I begged and pleaded for them too. They ignored phone call after phone call from me, they even ignored their phones when the hospital called saying I had been in a bad accident and I was in a coma. Ann came to my rescue every time I needed them and they weren't there. She was there when I was five and the hospital found a quarter sized hole in my heart and I needed immediate surgery. I grew up without them, I don't need them. I don't need their money, and I certainly don't need their bullshit of calling my bluff or testing my limits. 

I let them sit before I cleared my throat, gesturing for them to explain themselves. David cleared throat before he stared at the counter before opening his mouth. 

"We don't know how to explain it to you, we probably never will, but we do know that we love you. We really do. We've made a lot of mistakes, we know that, we own up to them, but we just want you back into our lives. We're lost without you now. We didn't know you felt like that, we would've done something for you or to prove to you that we loved you, or love you. Just please give us another chance." I scoffed. Sara had tears falling down her face already and David look about ready to break down, but I knew them well enough. 

I knew this was a show so I would have sympathy, take them back and no one would find out about this. The press wouldn't bash their names and they wouldn't lose business or be threaten on losing business. That's all they wanted to kiss ass for, so their names wouldn't be tarnished. I knew them better than they knew themselves and if they think for one second that I'll believe this act, they have another thing coming. Their bitterness towards me in my early life, leaves me bitter in the heart towards all things about them. I have a walls, I have a defense of bitterness and I act like a emotionless bitch so no one can hurt me like they've succeeded on doing again and again. 

"Don't bullshit me. I'm not stupid. You seem to forget that you missed countless things in my life. The hospital called you when I was calling for you, screaming your name, balling my eyes out because mommy and daddy weren't there. They left me. I was terrified, the doctors had to tell a five year old that mommy and daddy weren't coming and I was alone before and after my surgery. That you didn't even bother paying for. Ann worked her ass off in a second job to pay it off. You missed birthdays, the double digits, my sweet sixteen, and you'll miss my eighteenth. You missed holidays. You were supposed to be here, telling me that Santa was coming on Christmas eve, and that I'd have present Christmas morning. You were supposed to pretend that Santa was real, teach me all the holiday carols so we could sing them together, and have hot chocolate after coming inside after making snowmen. We were supposed to call the family together for Thanksgiving and tell each other what we're thankful for. Although, you know what I wanted every Christmas? What was number one on the list, for year before I realized I'd never get it?" Silence met my question, and they refused to look at me. So I continued. 

"You. I wished every Christmas eve to wake up to find my mom and dad in the house. But you weren't there. You never were. So you're not going to be now. All you want is to make sure that the press can't bash your name for not being the parents you said you were. Or for losing your property, house, and loyal staff to a seventeen year old girl. Which the press already knows about, I made sure of that. They know all the details except for the extreme personal, they're just waiting for my word to publish it, which maybe it should be tomorrow's headline. You want to come in here and pretend, shed fake tears, say false things to get my sympathy? You'll get it. When all your fortunes are lost, when your businesses start failing and you can't keep up with anything. And when that does happen, don't come running to me, because I won't be there, just like you weren't there." I had called security during my rant, they were waiting behind them, so I signaled to escort them out and they stepped forward. David and Sara looked at them shocked, before looking at me with exactly what I expected; hate. 

"You'll regret this! YOU'LL REGRET THIS!! You think you can get rid of us that easily?! Just wait till you hear from our lawyers!" David screamed, grabbing the door frame so security couldn't continue dragging them. 

"Oh, you mean the lawyers that helped me with everything? Including proving that you're unfit for your money, thirty or so condos, and an island named after you, and had the court change the names of ownership to mine? Oh yea, have fun with that." I said laughing, his lawyers were mine, they didn't want to be his slaves, and I didn't treat them any less than how a human should be. To me, they're family, so that's the way I treated them. He yelled in fury, making George, the security guy, call for backup to bring him out. 

"By the way if you trespass again, I'll have you and Sara arrested!" I yelled after him, right before the door slammed shut. I yawned and looked at the clock, it was already four thirty in the morning. I sighed, heading upstairs, quickly checking on Ann, seeing her asleep before heading to bed.