Blue Christmas

Chapter 5-"What does Dad have to do with anything!"

I open the front door to my house, Zeke right behind me. I follow the smell of burning food to the kitchen where I see my mom looking in a cookbook, attempting to cook something new. "Hi Mom," I say quietly as I enter the kitchen.

She jumps at the sound of my voice and looks at me, a wide smile on her face, "Ally, I'm so glad you're home. Where were you?"

She walks towards me, but stops in her tracks when she sees Zeke, "hey Mrs. Johnson," he says awkwardly.

My mom gives a glare, "Ally! I told you that you couldn't see him anymore!"

"Why," I ask quietly.

She sits down and places a hand on my cheek and lifts my head so that I face her, "because he's too old for you."

"That's not what I mean," I yell louder than I mean to. "Why are you telling me now? You were completely open to me being with him whenever I told you and Dad about him!" My mom's face turns into a frown, but she doesn't say a thing, "well?"

"Ally, I just, I miss your father just as much as you do..."

I bite my lower lip, "what does he have to do with anything! He's not even here!" I let my face fall to the ground, not wanting to make eye contact with my mom.

"It's just, your father-"

"What does Dad have to do with anything," I shriek again, slamming my fist on the table, causing everything on it to shake.

My mom looks at me, mouth agape. I feel Zeke's hands on my shoulders, an attempt to get me to calm down. When my mom doesn't say anything, I get up and head out of the kitchen, "where are you going," she finally asks me.

I stop in my tracks and turn around, hatred present on my face, "I'm leaving! I'm going with Zeke and you can't stop me!"

"You can't do that, you're still a kid."

"I don't care," I stomp off to my room before my mom can say anything else. I walk to my closet and grab a suitcase and start throwing things in it, as much as I can fit.

I hear a knock at my door and scream, "what," my voice going up two octaves because of my mood.

I watch the door creak open slowly and Zeke pokes his head through the door, "can I come in?"

I nod my head and continue to pack my bag, oblivious to anything that he might be saying to me. I snap out of it when I feel his hand on my shoulder, "what," I say bitterly.

He puts his free hand on my other shoulder and guides me to sit down, "are you sure you want to leave your mom? This isn't something that can just happen."

I look up at him, stare right into his eyes, "I'm sure, if she wants me to break up with you, I don't want to see her. Now, if you'll let me, I need to finish packing my bag."

I get up and continue to pack my stuff into the giant suitcase. Zeke goes to my bookcase and grabs a handful of my books that I haven't read and places them strategically into the suitcase. I run a hand through my hair and stare at him, the muscles in his back tighten and loosen with every move he takes. He turns around and looks at me, "what," he asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm helping you pack."

"No protest? You're just going to go along with this?"

He walks to me and wraps me in his arms. He places his chin on my head and I feel his jaw move as he talks, "I'm not your dad, or your mom, I'm your friend and boyfriend. I believe you can make choices on your own."

I lean closer to him, so that I'm relaxed in his arms, "thank you."