Finding the Light (OTH Leyton AU)

5

"Peyton, Nathan! Dinner is done!" I hear my mom call from the kitchen. I put down my sketch pad and walk to the kitchen. There I find Nathan already sitting with my father across from him. I tense up, uncomfortable by his presence. "Come sit next to Nathan, Peyton." My mom says while filling my plate with spaghetti. I do as I'm told and sit down. Mom puts the pot with the left over pasta on the stove and sits down with us. We all begin to eat silently. I focus on my food avoiding eye contact with my father at all cost. I felt him staring at me and I cringed. My mom then breaks the silence. "So how was shopping today guys?"

"It was fun Haley joined us. We had a great time, it was good bonding." Nathan says. I then look up and smile at my mom.

"Get me the salt Nathan" my father orders Nathan and he does as he's told. He then adds some salt to his meals and ignored our conversation.

"Well I'm glad you two had fun." She smiles at us. "How much money did you guys blow?"

"$634," Nathan says slowly not sure what his mom reaction would be.

"You dumba** wasted $634 dollars on that piece of sh*t! Ellie why the hell would you do that, she's not even our own frickin kid!" My father shouts. He was going to continue but my mother stopped him.

Tears filled my eyes. I quietly left the table and walked to my room. "Peyton!" Nathan yells at me as I hear him leaving the table to follow me.

I closed the door but Nathan opened it anyway. I sat in the empty corner of my room and curled into a ball, bringing my knees up to my face. I cried into my knees as I felt Nathan brush against me, sitting down next to me. He didn't say anything. For a moment he just sat there but then brought his arm behind me and rubbed my back in circles. We remained like that for at least 3 minutes. "I'm fine" I mange to say. "No you're not. As hard as it is you need to learn not to care what he says. His comments are empty and arrogant. He's just an a** who ruined his life with alcohol." He says sympathetically. I lift my head and look at him. He studies my face for a second and then instantly pulls me into a tight hug. I didn't expect the hug and it took me a moment to hug him back. I begin to cry again not so much about my stepfather but that someone finally really cares for me again.