cuffed • g.d

25.

His stare made me feel bare, and cold.
"dad.. hi I-" I begin to explain but instead of letting me finish he begins.
"You left, you. Left! YOU PROMISED YOU WOULDN'T BUT YOU DID! AND FOR WHAT? SOME BOY WHO DOESNT LOVE YOU AS MUCH AS I DO!" he snaps. he stomps toward me with anger and grabs my arms and begins to shake me. "DONT KEEP PROMISES YOU CANT KEEP!"

I choked on my tears. His grip got tighter and I felt paralyzed. "Dad I'm sorry, I'm sorry please, please let me go." I say. I try to keep my calm so things wouldn't get more heated. He loosens his grip and unfrowns his face, realizing what he has done. He let's go of me and walks away muttering under his breath. I wanted to be mad at him for hurting me again but I knew why he was upset. I follow behind him and explain, "dad I'm so sorry, I lost track of time and I just fell asleep." I touch his shoulder to try to get him to turn around. He wouldn't budge. "do you think I'm an idiot?" He mutters.
"What?"
"DO YOU THINK IM AN IDIOT?"
"No dad I-"
"I KNOW YOU WENT OUT WITH THAT BOY, I KNEW IT. YOU'RE TAKING AFTER YOUR SLUT SISTER AND GOING OUT LATE WITH BOUS AND SLEEPING WITH THEM!" he begins to foam at the mouth with anger yelling and screaming. All I could do was stand there and take it all in because I knew if I fought back I would get hit. Suddenly a knock came at the door, my hero. Whoever it was came just in time to stop the overbearing tears falling down my face. My dad stopped yelling and made his way to the front entrance. I followed moments behind him wiping the tears from my now very red cheeks.

It was Lani. She got on her tip toes to see me standing behind dad. She barges in past my dad bumbling shoulders with him angrily. "Taya, I'm so sorry. I got the taste of freedom
and took advantage of it as did everything I wasn't supposed to and I didn't know how much it hurt you. So today is gonna be girls day. Just me and you." She grabs my head and lifts my head up, seeing how I'd been crying until there hasn't been anymore tears left. "Are you okay? W-what happened?" She suddenly turns and glares at my dad who was still heated from our previous argument. I sniffles and nodded my head. "A girls day, is like that." I lied. I didn't want to be with her, but I didn't want to stay here with him. I just wanted to be with Grayson, the only person who can pull me from reality. But another part of me wanted to stay away from him, after what Jake said I don't even know who he is, or who he might be. We walk past dad who is at a loss for words but as soon as we leave he slams the door and locks it behind us. Lani rolls her eyes and takes me to the car. The car reeked of cigarettes and old pizza. But I didn't really care. I put my head against the window and stared out of it.

"Where to first?" She says happily gripping the steering wheel. I shrug my
shoulders and played with my hair. She scoffs at me, "Taya I get it if you're still mad at me but can we please have fun today?"
I suck it up and nod. "I could use something to eat." I whimper.
she smiles and begins to drive around, I roll down the window to air out the disgusting smell of the car. We stop at a stop sign and as I look over I see Jake and some of his friends hanging out at a small diner, he notices me and bites his lip and signals me to come over.
I hesitate. "Take a left here... I-i wanna try out this new diner." I lie. Lani nods and turns at my command.

We get out the car and as Jake sees me get out the car, he heads in the diner. Me and Lani follow him in shortly. We sit at a booth by the door, it was still covered with crumbs. Jake and his friends beside us at a table, we make constant eye contact but no one speaks.
"Hey I'm Eli I will be your server today, can I start you with something to drink?" The waiter ask pulling out his notepad.
"Can I have a Diet Coke please." Lani says smiling at him. I roll my eyes at her. "I'll just have a lemonade." I say quick. We look through our menus and as soon as Eli leaves, Jake scoots his chair next to me. He waves at my sister then turns back to me.

"Hi Jake." I mumble avoiding eye contact and looking at the menu.
He takes it from my hand and grabs my face to look at him. "Hey Taya. I bet you're wondering why I called you over here, well it's because I think you're cute and this can be our date." He bites his lips. Lani raises an eyebrows then laughs. Jake glances at her quick then continues, "I know you're probably whipped on Grayson, but that's what he does. He gets girls to like him right before he gives them to me. So let's just skip that middle part and get to the good stuff." He smiles.

I rip my hand from his. "What do you mean 'gives them to you'?" I ask suspiciously. He lifts his eyebrows and laughs. "He still hasn't told you? Classic Grayson. Let's just say..." he pauses then begins again, "let's just say Grayson will do anything for drugs."