*knock knock*
I open my eyes squinting from the incoming brightness from the window. I should have closed the blinds before I slept. The smell of roasted garlic and onions fills my nose. I look around to find myself in a new room... I almost forgot that I am at my dad's house.
*knock knock*
"Umm. Come in." I say too tired and lazy to get out if bed. I see Robert come into the room.
"Hey Christina. Victoria says that lunch is ready."
"Ok." I say getting out of bed fixing the duvet (covers). I give him a fake smile, as usual, and he smiles back and leaves. I look at the clock and its one thirty. I never thought I'd be living in the same house as my father. Let alone be in the same vicinity as him. If I'm being honest, the move isn't all that bad. I thought I'd be more mad and upset, but I'm actually kind of happy? I have a nice place and I couldn't be more grateful. I miss my little.cozy house. I miss my old room. I miss the small kitchen that my mom and I used to cook in. The small room where we'd watch America's Next Top Model together on a little box TV sitting on a single loveseat couch. I miss home. I miss my mom. I miss the Kospers too. But, I finally get to be away from Justin, and that's the best part of moving. I'm not sure how much longer I could have stayed with him before going insane or doing something stupid. But now, I have a new problem. My dad. In some ways he reminds me of Justin. He drinks, and smokes, and fights. Well used to. Supposedly. I still don't know if he's truly changed. I mean, he seems different. Like he seems happier and more put together... and sober. But there's still a part of me that doubts him even though he says that he's changed.
I walk down the stairs into the kitchen. Its beautiful kitchen with red walls and grayish-black glass cabinets and a stainless steel fridge. I see my dad setting a few more plates on the table and I see the table stuffed with food. I see lasagna, spaghetti, eggplant parm, salad, and bread on the table. There's so much food and its only lunch.
"Wow. That's a lot of food." I say taking a seat.
"That's what I told her." My dad says smiling.
"Oh hush. You're the one who told me to make Italian."
"I said to make Italian. Not a buffet." My dad says sarcastically.
"Well we can have it for dinner as well." Victoria says becoming sassy. "Is that ok?" She asks turning in my direction.
"Yeah. I love Italian food."
"That's what your father told me." She says smiling. He still remembered? We sit down and put food on our plates.
"Would you like some wine?" Robert asks Victoria and she nods and he pours her some. He looks to me. "Would you?" Is he really asking me this?
"Um... No thanks. Kind of under age here."
"Right." He sets the bottle down. I can see he still drinks. That's one thing that hasn't changed.
I take a bite of the lasagna.
"This is good." I tell Victoria while eating another bite.
"Thank you." She says smiling. "So, are you excited for school?"
"Um.. Yeah. Actually, I'm kind of nervous going... in the middle of the school year and all."
"Oh, you'll be fine." Robert says taking a bite of eggplant parm.
"What?"
"You've never had a problem before." He would know how? He was never there.
"And how would you know?" I say kind of harshly.
"I'm your father. I know. I've lived with you for a long time."
"Yeah and you haven't been there for a long time."
"It wasn't that long." He says kind of hushed now.
"Because five years away from your daughter isn't long."
"It wasn't my fault ok?" He says raising his voice now.
"Wasn't your fault. Ha! You left me and mom because you couldn't stay sober for 24 hours!"
"Christina stop."
"Stop what? Telling the truth?"
"You know what I'm talking about." He says sternly.
"I'm not sure that I do." I can see Victoria looking back and forth between us just staying silent.
"This is our first day back together and you're arguing with me already! This wasn't how it was supposed to go!" He is yelling now.
"How was it supposed to go? Did you expect me to just forget everything? You expect me to forget the fact that you were never there for me or mom even when she had cancer?!" Victoria looks like she's about to cry now.
"Listen, that was the old me! I told you I have changed and I want to make things right and better between us!"
"Right. Sure you do."
"If you'd just listen to me and give me a chance I can prove I am a good father. I can fix this."
"I don't want to listen to your lies. I have gone through so much and you were never there! I called you crying telling you mom had cancer! You didn't even call me back! I got nothing!"
"I know you have. And I'm sorry for leaving you with that. I can fix this though Chrissy. I can. I promise..."
"Don't call me Chrissy. You have no right to call me that! And don't even promise me to fix this. Don't make promises you can't keep!"
"But I can."
"No. You can't. It's too late for that."
"You know what? I'm done. I am making an attempt to make things better and she isn't making this easier." He gets up and walks to his room.
"He really is trying to make things better." Victoria says through tears.
"I um... I'm going to go. Thank you for lunch." I grab my plate but I'm interrupted by someone grabbing my hand.
"You can just leave it. I'll take care of it." I nod setting the plate down and she lets go. I felt bad that I was letting her take care of it, but I really just needed to get away from my dad. It hasn't even been 24 hours and we have already had our first argument. If he expects me to forgive him or to forget what he did and didn't do, then he is wrong. I won't forget and I won't forgive him that easily. I mean, I will eventually.... won't I? I walk upstairs to my new room and grab my backpack and walk back downstairs out the front door. I'm not sure where I'm going. But anywhere is better than here.
~~~~~
I'M ALMOST DONE COMPLETELY UPDATING THE OLD CHAPTERS. JUST ONE MORE AND WELL BE UP TO DATE. PLEASE COMMENT, VOTE, AND SHARE. IT HELPS ME. xx Alyssa
