Lethal Love

13 ; I Don't Care

It's almost midnight and I'm making my way to the kitchen. I halt when I see dad stood over the counter, beer bottle in hand. I consider turning around and leaving but it's too late because he's already seen me.

He looks at me as if he's seen a ghost. "Rose..." he whispers.

I shake my head slowly. "No. Mom is gone. It's just me, Adeline," I say my voice just as low.

He looks at me for a long while, not saying or doing anything. And then, all of a sudden his bottle goes crashing to the floor and I flinch when it shatters.

He lets out a strangled scream and then leans against the counter again. His breathing is ragged.

"Dad."

He whips his head up so fast he probably got whip lash. My throat goes dry and I don't know what to say anymore. I've never seen him this broken. Like he's just a thin shell, about to crack at the smallest gust of wind. And I'm scared. Because what if the shell breaks? Then what?

Dad doesn't say anything. He just starts stumbling towards me and my heart swells when I think he's about to hug me.

But he just walks past me and rip my heart with him.

I shake my head and look up, willing the tears to disappear before they can fall.

My feet carefully walk towards the broken bottle and I crouch down. Shards of the bottle glint from the light coming from the lamp hanging above me.

"You shouldn't have to do that." I lift my head and find Tyler looking at me.

I pick up a few pieces, careful not to let the edges cut me. "Someone has to," I say.

"Well it's not your mess, Addy. Dad should do that."

I let the pieces fall to the ground again. "Did you not see him? He would've cut off a finger if he tried."

Tyler is about to argue but I rise my eyebrows and give him a dead look.

"Fine," he grumbles. "It's not what I wanted to talk to you about anyway. I came to tell you that you need to stay away from Jackson."

Anger bubbles inside me and I stand up. "Why?"

"He's bad news," Tyler says.

I roll my eyes. "You can't tell me who to talk to." I cross my arms.

"Adeline, he's an underground fighter."

"So are you. Do you want me to stay away from you too then?"

Tyler sighs. "I'm your brother."

I shrug my shoulders. "So?"

"Really?" He gives me an exasperated look.

"Fine. I'll stay away from him." He looks at me triumphantly.

"But, only if you fix things with Hailee first." I quickly add.

Tyler looks taken aback for a second but he quickly covers it. "Nothing's wrong with us. We're fine. She's overreacting."

"Bullshit. You're being a dick and you know it."

Tyler rakes a hand through his hair, letting out a frustrated sigh. "That's a totally different situation. Hailee is not the same thing as Jackson."

"I know. So why are you avoiding her?"

"You can't force me to talk to her," he replies.

"Ty, you promised me you'd talk to her."

He lets out another frustrated sigh and kicks the floor childishly. "Fine! If you really want me to talk to her, I will."