Keep Me Close

I Find Him Obnoxious

"Damnit!" I heard my father shout in the kitchen. I snapped out of the trance of doing my reading for english class. Father stood there in the kitchen, frustrated with the chicken he was attempting to cook.
It wasn't going in his favor... He continued to mumble under his breath and groan at the the bird in the oven.
"Curse this damned bird" is what I could make out. He had admitted to me earlier in the week that he had never cooked in his life. It was a pitiful sight to see one of the most brilliant men on the planet struggle to roast a chicken. I did however, admire that he was trying for me, after I had said something about growing tired of eating carnival food far too often. He didn't know any better.

"Oh, hell!" He screamed then. I was trying to conceal my laughter behind my text book.
"Oh you think this is so funny don't you" he said switching his glance to me.
"Father, you are screaming at a dead bird. Yes, I find that quite amusing" I giggled.
"How in the nine rings of hell did Madame Giry always manage to make something quite difficult look so easy" he sighed. I smirked as he gave up on dinner.
"That's because she's a woman. We have a funny talent for things like this" I said getting up from the couch. He exhaled in his defeat. I looked inside the oven to see the bird was burnt to a crisp completely.
"How did you even manage to do this?" I asked him, baffled at the chicken charcoal he had created.
"In all honesty, I haven't the slightest idea" he said resting his chin on his hand leaning up against the counter.
"Oh father..." I sighed at him. My stomach rumbled with hunger, he too heard it and glanced at me.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I really am" he said standing up straight. He had grown even skinnier from the lack of food. I had never once seen my father eat. It was rather worrisome. I understood that he was the one who should be watching out for my well being, but it didn't hurt for me to care for him as well.
"Listen, why don't you run along to the cafe down the street and bring something back for yourself" he said reaching into the pocket of his waist coat and handed me a few coins. I could tell he felt badly.
"Yes, Father" I said, complying with his wishes. I ran to the closet grabbing my deep red cloak he had bought me. I tied around it my neck and scampered out the door.

I returned about an half hour later, hoping father wasn't worrying about where i had been for so long. I had run into Meg in the cafe, she and Madame Giry were having evening tea, they had invited me to stay but I knew i had to return to Father. Madame Giry insisted that I  something home for father to eat, after saying he was beginning to look like a walking skeleton which had made me chuckle knowing how true this statement was. I bid my good byes and made my way back home. As i was about to walk through the door of the theater i heard someone call my name,
"Lily!" The only Canadian I had ever met stood across the street waving aggressively as if I wasn't going to see him. He ran across the street to me although I wished he hadn't though. I had already in the first few weeks of school had tried so hard to avoid him, however he always somehow ended up in front of me.
"How do you do?" He asked sweetly.
"Fine, thank you. I hate to be rude but-" as if not even hearing i was trying to speak, he then interrupted me. How I hated how obnoxious he was.
"Why are you going into the the theater? Its Monday. They don't do shows on Monday"
"Yes well, I live here" I said rolling my eyes. It was true, i did have my Fathers attitude.
"Wait, really?" He asked looking at me puzzled.
"Is your mom or dad a performer?" He asked. I had remembered how he told me his father worked at the stables, therefor he must know who my father is.
"No my father is-" I was cutoff yet again by the door swinging open to reveal my father standing there. He looked down to see me and Ramin standing next to each other. I looked at Ramin looking at my father with his mouth hanging open.
"Lily, won't you introduce me to your friend?" He said. I was more expecting him to be angry with me for talking to a boy he didn't know however it was the opposite.
"He's not my-" i felt fathers hand grip my shoulder rather tightly, realizing i was about to say something unkind to Ramin. I sighed,
"Um, Father this is Ramin Karimloo. We go to school together. He's in my homeroom and my music classes" I said. Ramin closed his mouth, looking sheepish. I couldn't blame him, as my father was an intimidating man.
"I am Mr Destler, or Mr Y as many here address me" he said.  "Karimloo? Your father works in the stables, correct?" My fathers deep voice asked him.
"Y-Yes sir. Dante Karimloo sir" Ramin stuttered. For once in my live I had seen him rendered speechless. Finally.
"Good man, you come from good stock Ramin. Now I hate to steal my daughter away but it is time for dinner." He said.
"Yes sir. I'll see you at school tomorrow Lily" he said wandering away from me. I attempted to walk inside only to have Fathers hand grab me again.
"Say good bye. Be polite like i have taught you" he said in a quite tone. I sighed, and tuned around to look at Ramin,
"Bye Ramin" I said to him. He smiled at me and waved good bye before turning and running down the street.
I stomped inside and father followed me, I walked into the living room under the theater and plopped on the couch.
"Young lady, what on earth has gotten into you? Have you forgotten your manners?" He asked in a stern voice. He rarely spoke to me in this tone. I only ever heard it when I was out of line, like in this instance.
"He's an obnoxious boy, Father" I said looking away from me. "He's loud, and clumsy and- and-"  it infuriated me speaking about him. Just last week he had placed a toad in my backpack, and did the same to Noel the next day. He was immature and I loathed him.
"I see" he said running his fingers through his slicked back hair. "Well, you must remember boys often are much less mature than girls at this age. Just because you dislike him, doesn't mean you are allowed to be ill mannered towards him" he said scolding me. I huffed knowing he was correct. "Do you understand me?" He said.
"Yes father" I said through my gritted teeth, barely audible.
"Excuse me?" He said, wanting me to say it so louder as if i meant it.
"Yes father" I said rolling my eyes. He smirked and walked towards me. He bent down to my level at the couch,
"Ok, maybe now without the eye roll, or sass, miss" he said. This was a strange side of him to me. He was really pushing it on this one.
"Yes Father dearest" i said with a cunning grin sassing him. He gave me almost the identical grin back.
"Good, now go eat your supper, take a bath and then read until you fall asleep. I still have some work to do in the study." As he went to leave the room as  cleared my throat,
"Problem?" He said stopping in his paces.
"I saw Madame Giry at the cafe, and  she insisted I got you dinner" i giggled. I could hear him sigh,
"I'm really not hungry but I will sit with you while you eat" he said coming back to me.
"She made me promise that i would get you to eat something. She says you've started to look like a walking skeleton" I laughed.
"Oh Madame Giry" he sighed with a smirk. I wasnt sure if he actually would join me until he said.
"Set the table please, I wont have us eating like heathens " he said sounding exactly like Madame Giry.
"Yes Madame Giry" I said joking with him. He only shot me a look of distaste, followed by a smirk he attempted to hide...
Oh father dearest....