The Guy Who Gave Up His Jersey (New Version)

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I regretted the interaction I had with my dad. A mixture of anger and hurt were intertwined and it was a matter of time I would explode. In my head I expected for myself to say things with ease and for them to understand their children can't continue being place between the thread snapping between them. For the sake of Xavier and I, it was best for my parents to split up, their relationship has become toxic and their poisoning us now. Words were supposed to spill out without hate or anger and the complete opposite happened last night. I told him things I shouldn't have. Although I'm angry and hurt at him, comparing him to my father was out of line. My intentions were to hurt him last night, the same way he hurt me Saturday but deep down I didn't want to do that. I grew sick and tired of the same excuses--the same outcomes.

I didn't sleep much last night, I stayed up crying, I must have fallen asleep sometime between sunrise. My alarm had gone off and it was time for me to go to school but a throbbing headache told me otherwise. I turned off the alarm, got out of bed and locked my door. I wasn't sure if my mom was going to try to wake me up for school or if my cries were loud enough for her to know I didn't sleep at all. Eventually, I'd have to return to school and I wasn't looking forward to that.

My friends would be wanting to know why I left with Alejandro and what happened. I didn't want to talk about what happened, was it not obvious? I ran for the hills with him and return back. Whatever happened in Florida it isn't any of their business. I didn't have to explain myself and of course, my friends wouldn't understand that.

I slipped back into bed and threw the covers over my head. The sudden chime from my phone forced me to snap my eyes open. I grabbed my phone and with one eye open, I saw a message from Xavier.

X: I'm disappointed in you and not for running off with Alejandro but what you told dad. He isn't the best father but he loves us. He loves mom. He's more of your father than the man who made you. As mad as I would get with mom I would never compare her to the women who gave birth to me. Last night you came with the intentions to hurt his feelings and congratulations you did it.

I locked my screen and placed my phone back on the counter. I didn't know what to respond to him. Everything he said was true, I shouldn't have said what I said to my dad. There were many options for me to take: listen to them yell at me and go straight to my room or explain how hurt I was for what he did. Yelling and telling him how much of a bad job he was doing as a father and husband wasn't the right choice. I wasn't thinking rationally last night.

I sighed heavily and covered my face again with the blanket. It is too late to take back what I said last night. All that is left for me to do is try to fix things.

I slept the morning away in sections. Every time I would go into a deep sleep the events of last night would flash in my dreams. Eventually, I gave up on trying to sleep and got out of bed and got ready. If my conscious wasn't constantly bothering me about my behavior towards my father I'd have gone to the cafe to work, instead, I found myself walking into the fifteen story building.

Passing through the metal detectors the officer handed me a visitor badge and directed me to the elevators I needed to take to get to my father's floor. Since he's one of the four chairmen for the company they each had a floor secluded for themselves. Only their team works on the floor and a secretary who directs visitors to the proper people. Entering the eleventh floor, I was greeted by young women with her brown hair slick back into a nice high ponytail. She continued to type on her computer as she spoke to me.

"What can I help you with?"

"I'm here to see Mr. Richardson, he's my father," I said politely.

She quickly stopped typing and her brown eyes met mine. "Juliana? He speaks a lot about you. At the moment he's in a meeting but you can wait for him in his office. He should be back in a few minutes." She smiled.