Highschool Dreams - a danisnotonfire fanfic

Chapter 11 - I'm Not Your Daughter

Ann's POV

   A week after my memory came back, I'm doing okay. I am now able to make it up the stairs without giving up two steps in. My dad is supposed to be here tomorrow, and I am dreading it. But mostly, I'm wondering how I'll convince my father to let me (at least) stay here, somehow. I'm inviting Dan to come over as support, and he'll defend my case. Right now, Dan's in the living room with my mother, discussing how things will work between us because if we do leave, things will be very complicated in our relationship.

   I have opted to start using crutches now, and I'm actually walking more than my doctor recommends. But I'm fine; it hurts like hell, but I'm fine, and I want to get back to normal. Exiting the kitchen with my own fresh-made cup of coffee, I awkawardly limp over to the chair next to the couch. Most of my stitches have come out already, and my doctors are kind of amazed at how well my wound is healing. The part that I hate the most is changing the bandage every night. It's not as big and gaping as it used to be, the wound, but it is turning weird colors and it aches because it has started to finally bruise.

   "So, Ann, are you ready to see your father tomorrow?" my mother asks me.

   "Thrilled," I reply sarcastically. "You know, why do you even stay with him? You're barely around him. You don't know what he's doing without you around. The most he has ever done for this family is provide money."

   "Ann!" Dan scolds.

   "It's fine," my mother sighs, "Ann, we'll just have to see how he turns out to be when he comes back tomorrow."

   Dan, confused, inquires, "Why are you two so casual about that? Divorce?"

   "Because it doesn't seem like such a bad thing anymore," my mom honestly answers, "and her father has become more...cold...through the years."

   Dan then nods understandingly and adds, "I really am sorry that it has to be like this for both of you. I wish that there was something I could do."

   "Thanks for always being there, sugar," my mom smiles to Dan.

   "Mom, your Southern is showing," I laugh. Dan laughs as well, revealing his dimples once again. I can't help but blush.

   

   The Next Day...

   I sit next to Dan on my living room couch, praying that my father won't show up. I really don't want to go through the pain of seeing him again, just for him to leave another time.

   "You okay?" Dan asks, looking at my face.

   "Yeah...just nervous," I lie.

   "What do you have to be nervous about?" Dan furrows his eyebrows, slightly smirking.

   "You'll find out soon enough," I groan unhappily as I hear the doorbell ring. My mom answers it, of course, and I soon find my dad standing before me.

   "Hello Ann," my father greets.

   "Hey..." I grumble as Dan helps me stand.

   "I'm Dan," Dan introduces himself, holding out his hand. My father is very reluctant to shake Dan's hand, and that disappoints me more than you'd think.

   "Yeah, cool. Uh, let's just go eat," I hurry the words out of my mouth. 

   At the dinner table, my mom sits opposite Dan, and I sit opposite my dad. My parents are on one side, and Dan and I are on the other. Everyone else is eating their spaghetti, but I'm just twirling mine around with a fork. I don't want to eat tonight.

   "So, Ann," my father begins, "what's this about you refusing to move?"

   I clear my throat and sit up straight. "I'm tired of moving around and losing my friends just because you want us to be close to you."

  "But you have lots of friends! And you'll meet plenty in--" my dad tries to say.

   I stand up and cut him off sternly, "I have virtually no friends! This is the one place where I have actually felt like I fit in, and like I actually belong. I am not giving up my friends and breaking their hearts because you want mom and I to move again!"

   My dad boils in anger, rises from his chair and almost yells, "You will not dare talk to me like that! After all the things I have done for you! Ann, you cannot stay and that is final!"

   "Wrong! You have not done anything for me! You have never been there for me. It was always mom! You will never be my dad, and I am not your daughter!" I scream at him.

   "You never were likable! Ever wonder why I am gone all the time?" he yells at me, getting closer to me.

   I am so pissed off. "Because you never gave a shit in the first place?"

   My dad takes his hand, and he smacks me across the face so hard that I see stars, and I tumble to the floor.

   "Get away from her," Dan almost growls at my father. I cup my cheek in my hand and I taste blood in my mouth.

   "I only hit her because I love her!" my dad lies, almost evilly.

   "You have no clue what love is. And she deserves so much better than you," Dan tells my father hollowly. I then spit the blood out of my mouth, and I flip my dad off. Then, I run (with a limp, of course) out of the house. It's raining outside, but I don't care. I sprint across streets, not caring to look for cars as I go. I then lose my breath entirely and collapse on an empty street corner. Soon, I can feel Dan's arms holding me up.

   "Are you alright?" Dan asks softly.

   "No. Not at all," I start sobbing. I can't hold myself up. My legs are shaking and they wobble badly. Then, my vision shifts, and I get weaker in the knees than I already am. "I feel like..." I barely say before fainting.

   Dan's POV

   "I feel like..." Ann sighs before passing out.

   "Fainting," I finish her sentence for her. I grab her legs, and I carry her to my house. When I enter through the front door, my mum and my brother gasp when they see us.

   "What happened?" my mum asks.

   "I'll explain after I change my clothes and call her mum," I answer, going up the stairs. I gently set Ann on my bed, and I try to wake her up. "Ann. Hey, you there?" I smirk, shaking her shoulder lightly. Her eyes open slowly, and she shivers from her wet clothes.

   "Did I faint?" she asks me.

   "Obviously," I smile, "Here, I'll get you some different clothes to put on." I sneak in to my parents' room, and I get Ann one of my mum's old jumpers and some of her sweatpants. I then walk back in to my room, and I give the clothes to Ann.

   "Thanks, Dan," she smiles.

   "You're welcome. I'm going to go change in the bathroom, and you can change here," I tell her before leaving the room.

   "I love you," Ann whispers as I close my bedroom door behind me, making me blush.