Off Limits

Country Towns and Jerk Face Fathers

Off Limits

Chapter One: Country towns and jerk face fathers.

My heart pounds in my chest as my grip on the suitcase in my hands tightens. I try to take a calming breath, but it ends up as more of a shaky gasp. I have to calm down; I can’t meet my father like this. I won’t let him see me as a week little girl, I want to prove to him that I’m strong, that I’m brave and that I can cope perfectly well without him. I’ve been doing for the past seventeen years after all. If it weren’t for the fact that my mother had died, I’d still be doing it. Coping without him, I mean. I let out a loud sigh as I think of how much my life had changed in one week. First, my mom dies, second, I have to move from the most amazing city in the world, to some boring old country town in Georgia, and now I’m moving in with a man I’ve only spoken to a handful of times over the phone. Has he remarried? Do they have a kid? What if it’s a girl? What if she’s my age and is evil? Stepsisters are supposed to be bad right? What if she makes my life hell? But what if she’s nice? What if she wants to help me out? Nope, that’ll never happen. No one has ever deemed my mother and I worth helping. I bite my lip to stop the tears coming to my eyes; I really need to stop thinking about my mother. It’s just making everything so much harder.

“Hey there darlin’!” A chipper voice speaks up, causing me to jump in surprise. “Well don't you just have the biggest brown eyes I have ever seen! Lord, I bet you're Timothy's daughter you look just like him. You know, ma’ big sister went to school with him, and my mom went to school with his mom, and her grandma…” The women drawls off. I note she looks a few years too old to be in school, maybe mid twenties. That’s a shame; it’d be nice to know someone before I have my first day at school. “Anyway, you looked a bit lost, standin’ here in the middle of the street with your bag in your hand and lookin’ all worried. So I though to myself, ‘Holly, you go up there and get acquainted.’” She smiled, holding her hand out. “I’m Holly Griswald, Roswell High’s receptionist. So you’re Annika Forbes! The school’s been talkin’ about you non-stop all week! You see, in a small town like Roswell we don’t normally get new people, it’s generally the descendents of the original settlers here.” She smiles and I hold in a sigh. Barely been here for two seconds and I’m already the favored topic of conversation. Great. I peek at the inside of my hand, where my dad’s address is written, only to find a sweaty palm and smudged black ink. Holly’s brown-eyed gaze follows down to my hand and frowns slightly before smiling again. “I could give you directions if you want?” She says warmly and hesitantly I nod.

 “That would be great, thank you.” I murmur.

 “No problem sweetheart, you keep going straight until you reach Westland Lane then take a left. Timmy’s house it at the top of the lane.” She finishes, tucking a caramel colored curl behind her ear.

 “Thanks, Holly.” I smile.

 “No problem! See ya’ later, Annika!” She calls as I start following her instructions.

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By the time I’ve reached my dad’s house I’m slightly out of breath, the street is less like a lane and more like a hill. Of which my house happens to be on the very top. My eyes can’t help but go wide as I admire it. It’s a two-story Victorian styled house. The walls that are painted sky blue, with a white door and wrap around porch. It even has one of those swinging porch benches and a box filled with vibrant red flowers in front of every window. I walk up the front steps and stand in front of the door, hand raised and ready to knock, when the door flies open and I’m pulled into a tight hug. The smell of apple pies and cinnamon fills my nostrils as I’m finally released. I pull back and see women in her mid-forties with shoulder length dirty blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes.

 “Oh you must be Annika! It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’m Lorrie, Timothy’s wife.” She smiles warmly and oddly enough, I see tears in her eyes.

 “Are you okay?” I ask awkwardly, not having much experience when it comes to crying stepmoms.

 “Oh sweetheart I’m fine! I’ve just been wanting to meet you for so long!” She laughs light-heartedly and I freeze when I hear anther set of footsteps. I look up, for the first time in my life, meeting my father’s eyes. Holly was right; we do have the same eyes. His face remains blank for a second before he breaks into a grin.

 “I’m so pleased to see you, Annika.” He smiles before his eyes study my face carefully, “Wow, you look just like, Sarah.” He says softly and I bite my lip, feeling tears start to well in my eyes again. I do look really similar to my mother; we have the exact same dark brown shade of hair and olive complexion. But now, seeing my father for the first time, I’m noticing new things too. Timothy and I look somewhat similar, sharing the same nose and chin. Not to mention the exact same eyes.

 “If you are so pleased to see me how come you never visited me before, Timothy?” I snap and the question leaves my mouth before I can stop it. My eyes widen as what I said registers through my mind, I’m about to apologise when I remember what my mother always used to say. Never apologise for the truth. So instead of apologising I bite my tongue and step inside the house when Tim gestures for me to. Lorrie looks between us then walks away, knowing it’s best to leave us alone to talk.

 “Firstly, please call me dad, or at least Tim. Timothy is what my mother calls me.” He starts but I cut him off.

 “I won’t call you dad because you are not my dad. You haven’t been and you never will be.” I say harshly, feeling all of my anger rush to the surface. The amount of it surprises me, since I thought I had gotten over not having a father. Apparently not.

 “I understand Annika, I get that you are upset and probably mad-” He starts again, but I cut him off again, unable to stope the rage flowing through me.

 “Probably mad? Are you freaking kidding me? I grew up with not knowing a single thing about you because mom said you wanted nothing to do with us! All I ever got was the occasional phone call or a card for my birthday and I don’t hear anything else for the next five years! How do you think I felt when I had to spend my eleventh birthday alone because mom had to balance four jobs to pay the rent, because you didn’t bother pay any child support? Or when I spent all of seventh and eighth grade being bullied for having not having my dad show up at my primary school graduation!” When I look into his eyes again they’re wide, but not with anger or regret like I had thought they would be, but with pity. This jerk of a father actually pities me. I feel my anger return in full force as he tries to talk to me. “No!” I snap and he looks startled, “Save it for someone who cares.” I hiss at him, before walking right out the front door and slamming it in his face.

Hello everyone! This is the first chapter of my new story and I really hope you liked it! I’ve had this idea in my head for ages and figured I may as well publish it, so here it is. I’m sorry if this chapter is too short or boring, I promise the storyline will pick up in the next few chapters! About the length….well… I normally write pretty short chapters, around two and a half word document pages. I know! I know! I’m sorry! But it’s just how I write. Anyway, please please please enjoy, vote and comment!