Taking Control

Jacob

*crash* I rolled over in my bed. I already had trouble sleeping, but it didn't help there was some obvious racket going on downstairs. I'm already awake, the least I can do is to settle my mind and see what it is, I thought.

     I stepped downstairs into the kitchen.

"A-A-And-drea-a?" My father stuttered my name, barely choking it out. If did not take me long to realize that I had just walked into a moment that was going to haunt me for the rest of my life.

     Oh lord. I looked at my father. His normally soft dark red hair was unbelievably knotty and ratty. His shirt was stained and ripped on the left side. His jeans had dark red spot- HOLY-

     I had begun to interrupt my own thoughts. The realization hit me like a brick; my father had blood on his jeans. His hands. His arms. The floor. Everywhere. And I wasn't supposed to see any of it. I was to be in bed, after all, when I slept (rarely) it was a near impossible task to wake me.

     "Just get out. Now." My father's stare told me that if I did not leave, and right that second, I was going to have no life left to try to put back together.

*ding* "Hey, An. I know it's really late, but I wanted to tell you that whatever you are going through, you know I'll always be there for you, and I'm here whenever you need me." I read the text under my breath. Whenever things happened in my life, I knew that I could fall back on my best friend, Jacob. He had always been there for me, and I mean literally always.

I sat down at my desk alone with my thoughts for a few minutes before coming up with an idea. I knew I was always welcome at Jacob's and I could not stay home with my father. I was not even sure what was going on with him. I texted Jacob asking if I could stay there for a few days while my family situation was sorted out. I told him not to worry, thought I knew he would not listen to me.

I tried to recollect everything from the past few weeks that I knew about my father.

I was about to give up, (I had not remembered anything), right when I remembered something odd happening about a week ago. My father had been on the phone with someone. And it was not just any call, it was a yelling and arguing type of phone conversation. I had only eavesdropped for a few seconds when he had the conversation; But I did hear him say a name.

Collin North.

I remembered hearing that name somewhere. Tomorrow was Monday, and I knew I had to do some personal research at school.

--

*BRING BRING BRIN-* I slammed my fist down Jacob's old-fashioned alarm clock. I knew I needed to give myself more time to get ready this morning. Today, I had a plan to carry out.

I took off my plain grey t-shirt to pull on a black sweater and leggings. I brushed through my unbelievably knotty brown hair and grabbed my toothbrush. I stuck the toothbrush into my mouth and gagged. "Andrea! What in the world are you doing with my toothbrush in your mouth?!" Jacob could have fit 2 sandwiches in his mouth with how wide it was hanging open.

I spit and began to clean off the toothbrush. "You came a little late Jacob. It's done and over now. I was super sleepy and just grabbed one by accident. Chill yourself." I continued my morning routine the best I could, and proceeded to use the correct toothbrush.

I walked downstairs to scavenge through Jacob's pantry. I entered the kitchen but I didn't have a chance to do anything before he interrupted, "Jeez, you look gorgeous, An." He looked me in the face with the cutest smile and his green eyes sparkled.

"Don't get too excited, Jacob. It's just a sweater and leggings." I knew I couldn't let his compliments get to my head. I had work to do today, and after all we were nothing more than friends, I told myself.

Grabbing some cereal, I sat down at the table with Jacob. "Where are your parents?" I inquired.

"Sleeping," he managed to say the word through a pretty humongous bite of Wheaties.

I took a bite of the cereal only to feel a sudden urge to retch into a trash-can. "How do you even eat these?" I asked.

"Thanks a question for another time, An." He stopped shoveling cereal into his mouth to look straight at me. "The real question is 'Why are you here?' I know you wouldn't just visit on a school day. Also, you said there was something going on at home. And I know you like how I can drive to school, and always manage to stop for muffins at that cute shop on the way, but that doesn't matter right now, and I can see it in you. What's on your mind?"

"How do always cut it so close to 8 o'clock everyday?" I looked up at the digital clock on Jacob's stove. "C'mon. I'll explain on the way to school." I added, "But only if you stop for muffins," I said as I grabbed my bag and headed out the door.