Anger Issues

twenty nine

Jessica

I introduced Austin to everyone, then let them take the conversation wherever they wanted it to go. Luckily, it was starting off great.

"Did you meet at school?" Uncle John asked. Austin nodded his head. "We had a few classes together," he explained.

I internally smiled. Dad hadn't said much, but in this case, I didn't mind.

"How have you been, Austin?" Dad asked.

"Good," he nodded.

"Any trouble recently?" Dad chuckled.

Everyone at the table looked at him strangely.

"Dad," I looked up, speaking lowly. "It's okay," Austin whispered.

"No," he answered.

Silence filled the air after that. The sound of the silverware against the dishes was the only noise.

I mentally rolled my eyes. Austin literally sat down, and my dad was ready to fire at him.

I reached for his hand under the table, and intertwined our fingers. His soft squeeze around my hand assured me that he was "okay."

In attempt to lighten the mood, Uncle John stepped in again.

"You say that like he has a prison record," he smiled. Everyone knew he was joking, but Dad might have thought otherwise.

Dad shrugged. "Not that I know of."

"Dad, stop," Noah quietly said.

My eyes remained glued to the table, as I noticed my dad's glass.

He wasn't drinking water, it was vodka. That's why he wasn't keeping his mouth shut.

"I'm just joking," Dad laughed. "As long as he doesn't hurt my daughter, I'm alright with him."

"I wouldn't," Austin assured him. "Really?" Dad asked. "You sound very confident," he added.

"Because I know that I wouldn't," Austin said. Nikki and Lily exchanged tension filled eye contact with me.

"How do you know?" Dad asked. "Dad, stop," I said. "I'm just cur-" "No, you're drunk." I cut him off.

"No I'm not," he laughed, ironically taking a sip of his drink.

I pushed my chair back, standing up. "Let's go," I spoke loud enough only for Austin to hear.

"Jessica," Dad called, as well as Mom.

With Austin's hand in mine, I ignored the two calling my name and stormed out the front door with him.

Nothing was said until we reached the half point of the block, considering it a safe distance from the house.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, at a loss of words for Dad's actions. "It's okay," he shrugged.

I looked up, unable to see his full expression through the darkness of the sky. The street lights shone dimly on parts of his face. Even so, I knew he was hurt.

I wanted to argue with him and tell him that it wasn't okay, but I couldn't. The words were scattered in my brain and I couldn't find any to speak.

I skipped the turn we'd usually take to get to his house, and instead went towards the pizzaria a few blocks down.

"I owe you something to eat," I quietly said. "You don't owe me anything," he said.

The quiet, yet peaceful walk soon came to an end as we entered the warm restaurant.

While we waited for our food, we sat in the same silence as we walked in. Nobody was at the restaurant, except us.

"He shouldn't have said any of that," I said. Austin rested his elbows on the tables, making a fist in front of his mouth.

"You shouldn't have invited me to dinner, Jess," he sighed. "I just wanted you to meet some people," I leaned into my seat.

He did the same thing, visibly thinking of his next response.

"I- I know," he said. "Your dad hates me," he added. "My dad can't hate you," I whisper-yelled, leaning forward again.

"He hasn't given you any fucking chances, he can't hate you before knowing you," I argued. "No but he knows who I am and what I've done. Plus, you're his daughter. His only daughter," Austin said.

A waiter brought our food to the table, slowly setting it down. We waited in silence until she left again.

"That doesn't mean anything," I shook my head. "It means that he wants to protect you, Jess," he said.

"And if protecting you is not allowing you to be with me.." he trailed off. I looked at him, not believing where he was going with that.

"Then what?" I asked. "I don't know," he sighed. "But it's what he wants," he added.

I was confused about everything we were saying, but it all somehow made sense at the same time.

"I need your dad to like me, Jess," Austin said. "Why?" I asked. "He's done nothing but prove himself to be some.. incompetent jerk to you," I explained.

"Because, that incompetent jerk still trusts me with you," he said. "Because he knows you're not psychotic," I rolled my eyes.

By the time we finished eating, the conversation had continued.

"My dad was drunk, Austin," I mentioned, as we walked. "He still had no right to say what he said," I added. "I'm sorry."

"Will you please stop saying that?" Austin begged. "No, because I am. You're such an amazing person and I just don't understand why my dad doesn't see that. Lily and Nikki knew it immediately but it's taken him months," I sighed.

"I would do the same to my daughter," he said. I shot him an unconvinced look. "Okay, maybe not as harsh," he smiled.

"I love you, babe," he told me, walking behind me with his arms around me. "I love you too," I said. "And that's why I need him to give you another chance."

He didn't bother arguing this time, though. Eventually, we reached the block of my house.

"I'll walk from here in case my dad is still awake," I told Austin. "I can walk you-" "I'm fine. You've dealt with enough of him today, I don't want you to have to deal with more," I explained.

He nodded his head, wrapping his arms around my waist as I did his neck.

"Goodnight," I said against his neck. He pulled away and softly kissed my lips. "Goodnight."

Our grips slipped away as I began walking, and he continued watching. He stood in his spot until I reached the gate of my house, and even then, waited until I was inside.

I couldn't see him anymore but I knew for a fact that he waited an extra minute or two to make sure I was inside safely, before he walked home, alone, in the dark, in the streets of New York.

And that, is merely one of the reasons he deserves more than he gets.