Hoping For the Best but Expecting the Worst.

Chapter 11

     I wake up and text Connor right away. I shower and get dressed. I get prepared for whatever may come. Connor and I both agree that the sooner they talk the better. We agree on 10:30 for the phone call of the century.

     I head downstairs and I see everyone eating breakfast. It’s about 10:15.

     “Dad, Connor is going to call in about 15 minutes.” He nods and walks away so he can get some orange juice.

          Connor calls at exactly 10:30. I answer it and say hello. We both sound scared out of our wits. I hand the phone to dad when he sees that Connor called.

          The first thing my dad says is, “Hey, Connor right? What’s up man?” Then a short pause. “I’m Dan, Ashley’s father. I think we need to talk for a little bit.” I can tell he doesn’t want me listening to “the talk” so he starts to walk upstairs.

          What do I do now? Wait? Try to go listen? I guess Caleb, my other brother, could see I was anxious about something. “What’s wrong sis?” He says as he walks up to me.

“Um, its mom and dad. They are freaking out about this guy I met at Vidcon.” I reply.

“Ohhh. A boy! Take it from me sis, when I was your age, they made me take some stupid test to make sure that I actually wanted to go out with a girl I wanted to date. It was SO stupid! I had to take it until I turned 18. I guess they finally realized that I was my own person” He says as he drinks a cup of coffee.

“Yeah, well I had one guy hit me, and suddenly no guy is worth trusting… But this one is different. He really gets me. He is so nice, and caring.” All Caleb can do is smile. I know he gets it. I know he sees how happy I really am this time.

          By the time Caleb and I are done talking, dad is back down with Connor still on the phone. Dad is just smiling at me. I take the phone out of his outstretched hand; I put the phone up to my ear.

“Hey baby… so I guess your birthday is in a few days…” That is the first thing he says to me, not an ‘Everything was fine!’ not a ‘He hates me’ What the hell?

“yeah, August 29th. How was it?! What did he say? Are we okay??!” I say eagerly.

“It was good, but first Ashley, we have to talk. Explain the last guy you dated to me. Then I will talk about your dad and me.” He says seriously.

“Um, well his name was Robert. I thought I was really in love. He was so nice and caring for about a month and a half. He protected me from everything bad in the world, but then he went overboard. I couldn’t talk to any guy. Only my dad when I had permission. If I disobeyed, I was punished. Simple as that. The punishments were a little weird at first, I couldn’t talk to him for 24 hours, but then it got more intense. I still remember the day that it happened,” I start to get a lump in my stomach like I am going to cry. “I had gone to the mall with Robert. When we were in Dicks I saw my friend with her boyfriend. I walked over to her to say hi. I didn’t even think to ask Robert if it was okay. When I walk back over to Robert, he doesn’t say anything, just walks away from me. I follow him back to his car, trying to get him to talk to me. He ignores me, like I don’t even exist. He finally turned to face me when we got to his car. ‘Did I tell you that you could go talk to that girl?’ he said to me. ‘Her name is Franny, and she is my friend, what is the big deal?’ I say. He doesn’t say anything. I watch as his face gets red. Redder than I have ever seen in. Before I know it, I see his hand, and then the ground. My left cheek stings as I grab it and start to cry. We don’t talk the whole ride home; we just stare at the road. He drops me off at my house, kissing the cheek he had previously hit. I thought that maybe that it was just a punishment. It was my fault for not asking him if I could talk to Franny. But he kept doing it, and each time his hits got harder and harder, more anger, and more disappointment in me. I could feel it. I let this go on for almost a year before I told my parents. I had an excuse for every bruise. When I told them, they called the police and he got arrested. I went to the hospital and they said I should go to a mental hospital. I spent 2 years there.” I am now bawling, barely chocking words out.

“Ashley, I am so sorry.” He says. I can tell he is crying. “You know I would never do that to you right?”

“I know Connor. Now tell me about this conversation with my dad! What happened?!”

“I have to go, my flight leaves in a half an hour, and I still haven’t gone through security. Love you Ashley.”

“Bye?” I say.