Love's Tangles: All You Need is Love (TEACHER / STUDENT - continuing as of 2017)

Home Isn't Where My Heart Is

Ashlyn's POV

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I got home later than usual today. The twins would be home soon as well. After school, they went over to the neighbours house to stay for a few hours with their school friend. It wasn't a permanent arrangement, but as old friends of my mother, they felt the need to look out for us. I was really grateful towards them for all the help and the amount of times they had saved the twins from experiencing abuse by being home with my dad was astonishing. 

My heart was still beating hard from detention with Mr.Hale. My cheeks were visibly flushed and some strands of hair clung to my face as I had rushed to get home before I exploded. I knew I was smiling but at the same time I wished Alex was here to slap it right off my face. What was I doing? I had  boyfriend who loved me and was committed to me. And here I am playing fantasy in my head with my HISTORY teacher. 

"No Ash, you can't do this." 

I put a hand over my heart. The beating had stabilized and all thoughts of a fantasy were broken because I could see Kyle's face if he ever found out how I was feeling. I didn't want to break his heart. But things between us were different. It wasn't how it used to be. When we first started talking, it was romantic, my heart would beat the same way it did today out of sheer excitement. Out of shyness too, no guy had ever paid much attention to me the way Kyle did.

In the present, I felt that Kyle and I were drifting apart. And we were trying so hard to keep it together but earlier today...that kiss..it finally made sense to me. He was feeling urgent. Maybe he could sense it as well as I could and had tried to step out of our little routine of seeing each other and not really doing anything. 

"Don't get me wrong, Kyle makes me feel safe. Heck, I could see myself married with him. The twins love him, what more could I ask for? He loves the girls too...and he loves me. I don't want to ruin things with him."

In my mind, I kept seeing beautiful green eyes, looking into mine.

"You're home late, girl." 

A haunting voice was picked up by my ears and the very moment I heard him, I gasped, dropping my keys on the floor. 

"D-dad." I stuttered, immediately feeling uncomfortable. I took my shoes off, so that my eyes could focus on anything but his face. I didn't want to look at him. 

"What are you doing home?" I asked, hastily trying to regain my composure. 

I took my phone and swiped to unlock, cautiously eyeing my dad out of the corner of my eyes. I texted the person I had last texted, assuming it was Kyle or Alex and quickly typed in "S.o.s dad." I couldn't move anymore after the text was sent. I was scared. And he knew it too because he smiled. 

"It's my house." He shrugged, his whole behaviour screaming 'drunk'.

I hated him. I hated everything about him, even the fact that half of my DNA consisted of his. I think he could tell how much I disliked him just by the way I watched him, weary but scared. If he touched me I was ready to pounce. 

"Please God...someone, please just come and rescue me." I prayed to myself, mentally attempting to prepare myself for the struggle that was about to go down. 

Something would piss him off and unleash that drunken rage of his. I didn't want to involve the police. Maybe I was too much of a good person towards him. Because I didn't want to see his drunken ass in jail either. The twins didn't deserve that. "

What about you Ash? What do you deserve?" Man, my subconscious sometimes really did a good job making my second guess myself..

"You look at me the same way your mommy did. I hate it." He grumbled to himself, just loud enough for me to hear.