Shards of a Heart

Chapter 19

Chapter 19 - Now

My dad was gone when I get home, but later that night I hear the door open while after I finish emailing Jade about the events of the day.

"Dad?" I call out hesitantly. No answer. I open my door and head down the stairs carefully this time, fixing a single picture hung at the turn in the stairs. I hit it the last time I ran down and forgot to fix it.

"Cee? Is that you?" I here my dad say, and I sigh as I turn the corner. He's standing in the kitchen with a box of takeout. It melts my heart, thinking of the old times, but his face isn't the same. His eyes are dark, not unlike Alec's. They're filled with guilt and pain. The only difference is that my dad has something missing that Alec had - the cloudiness. My dad isn't hiding anything.

"Yeah," My voice cracks a little, so I smile it off. He mistakes the crack as fear and not sadness, and brings his hands to where I can see them.

"I'm sorry, about this morning. Celia... it's been really hard for me lately, you know how that gets and -"

"Dad, stop making excuses. I forgave when you said sorry." I smile a sympathetic smile, but a tear is threatening to break from my eye. "Just, I threw out all your beer. Don't buy anymore. I know you're not an alcoholic, but you can't stop once you start." My throat burns after I spit out the truth and my dad looks down as his face falls.

"I deserve that." He mumbles before heading into the living room.

"Hey Dad?" I call after quickly.

"Yes Cee?"

"What are you going to do about work?"

"I begged them to let me come back. I'll be back in a week, with no pay, and if I can show them I'm good enough, they'll start paying me again. Just a small pay cut for the inconvenience."

"You're very lucky" I clench my jaw as he leaves again, before grabbing the box of cold takeout and heading up to my room.

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The last party I went to was a 'celebration' for the basketball team in Seattle. Camdon didn't even need to convince me to come because although I wasn't into drinking or hooking up with strangers, a friday night party was my scene.

But for some reason, this friday night's party is starting to freak me out. Francis hadn't mentioned it at school, and I was going to surprise him by coming. But now that I'm here, I'm regretting it.

It's held at a beach house, and the backyard can be seen from the street. There's a big bonfire, music, lights and tons of people. Almost double what I was used to. Apparently it wasn't just a highschool party either because there were groups of students in the front wearing college spiritwear and arguing about which was better.

I step into the house, but since the weather is so nice, it's not too crowded. I decide to be bold, and start asking people is they know where Francis Laine is. A few shook their heads, another girl laughed at me, but the last person I asked pointed outside. I say thank you, though I'm sure he didn't hear me and head out.

The deck has a pool, even though the ocean is not even a hundred feet away. Rich people, I tell ya.

There's plenty more people out here, but Francis' golden hair shouldn't be too hard to spot. I get an uneasy feeling that he didn't show up, but the guy I just asked I had seen with Francis at school, so he had to be here.

I then notice the blond from the other day dancing up next to another girl, her ponytail even higher than before, and her long hair dangling close to the bonfire.