No Way (#Wattys2015)

Chapter 6

Antonio

"Daddy!" Ella screams as she jumps out of the car. I watch her run away from me and towards the house. After a moment, I follow her. God knows what could be going on. Her house is surrounded by police for God's sake. I follow her inside the house and go to where I hear voices.

The living room is full of many different people: Ella, Ivy, Andrew, three little kids, police officers, a man, and a girl who just has to be Ella's sister, Justice. Ella is glaring at Justice with such loathing that it actually scares me.

"You called the cops!" Ella exclaims. Justice looks hurt and terrified as she stares back at her younger sister. Ella is shaking and her fists are clenched.

"May, you have to understand. I'm doing what's right. Daddy came here to see you. Andrew called me and the cops. No one could get a hold of you. Are you alright?" Justice says in a shaky voice.

"She won't tell us what happened." I answer. Ella whips around, her scary glare now settled on me.

"Why didn't you just leave! I just needed a ride, God damn it!" She shouts. I jerk my head back, hurt at her words. She turns back around and glares at her father, the man I'm guessing. "What the hell do you want from us? Money?"

"Ella, I came here to apologize-" he tries to say but she cuts him off by slapping him. The contact of skin on skin is loud and fills the silent room.

"You traitorous, horrid man! You will never be forgiven!" She growls.

"Ella, please! Just let him explain!" Justice pleads. She looks truly desperate as she grabs her sister's hand. Ella pushes her away so hard that she falls into the coffee table. Justice pulls herself back to her feet but looks immensely hurt and embarrassed.

"He has nothing to explain. It's all very simple. You lied! You told us you would fix everything! You said you'd be gone for two weeks and then you'd come back to fix everything!" She yells, unaware that she's crying. "Well, two weeks turned into two months pretty damn fast, dad. What happened, did you meet a new prostitute and take a liking to her?"

"Sweetie, it's not like that. Not at all. I love you girls and your mom, I just had business to handle." He too pleads with the angry and fragile girl. I feel bad for the two older January's trying to reason with her. I may not know her well, but I know Ella well enough to know she does not forgive easily. Or forget at all.

"You're such a liar! It was never business in the first place! You're leaving us! You've been leaving us for years. I was just too blind to notice! So I don't know why you're here, but you need to leave! I'm happy with mom!" She says. Her tone isn't harsh or full of venom anymore, it's just full of pure hurt and weariness.

"Honey, you won't be staying with mom anymore and since I can't take you, you're going to live in an adoption center or with a foster home until I can work things out." her dad says slowly. My hate for him grows so much more as the beautiful, strong Ella begins to sob. Ivy reaches out for her, but she pushes her away.

"What did I do wrong? What did we do wrong! Justice and I were always good, so I don't see why you don't want us! I'll be good! I'll quit boxing and try my best in school! Just please, Daddy! Take us! Don't leave!" She pleads, kneeling on the ground by his feet.

He barely looks at her, his lip curling in disgust, as he says, "I can't!" He pushes her away so hard that she falls on the ground and I'm 100% sure his hand made contact with her face as it came back up. I can't control myself as I grab him by the shirt and raise my fist, prepared to punch him.

"Look at her! Look at your daughter! All she wants is her father and you pushed her away! Look at what you have done! You have destroyed that poor girl!" I shout, anger consuming me, Ella's father reminding me of my own good for nothing dad. I can hear Ella's heartbreaking sobs from behind me as my fist connects with her father's face. The police tear me off of him but I continue to glare at him.

Justice and Andrew are trying to coax Ella off the floor but she won't stop sobbing. She has a hand cradling her cheek where he had back handed her. I watch as they handcuff her father and Justice pleads with them not to. Andrew isn't getting anywhere with Ella. I tug on her hand and she looks over at me.

"You shouldn't have said that." she whispers as I pull her into a hug.

"You shouldn't have to beg for your father's love. They're supposed to love you unconditionally." I tell her.

"Both my parent's would kill me if they could get away with it." She mutters before falling asleep, leaving me shocked by her words. 

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A/N: Poor Ella and her family problems. I was crying while writing this whole chapter. This is what I get for writing during my period.

Love ya.

~ry