Ghost

Chapter 23

CHARLEY'S POV

Once again, as I reached for my phone, Gems swatted the top of my hand.

"Ouch!" I squealed, as my phone stopped ringing.

"You can't talk from your cell phone! Remember? My dad could track us from it!" Her voice was stern as I remembered the time Fletcher called me and I couldn't use my phone either.

"Well can I call my dad back on your phone, then?" I begged. I had almost forgotten about my own dad and how worried he probably was that I had left home and hadn't returned in a few days.

That's probably why he was calling me right now; to yell at me for it.

Gems sighed. "Sure. But when Harry comes, you need to hang up immediately. Alright?"

I nodded as Gems grabbed her small black phone from the center console and handed it to me. I grabbed it and quickly dialed my dad's number.

"Uh, hello?" My dad's raspy voice spoke from the other line after only two rings.

"Dad!" I nearly yelled into the phone from all the excitement bubbling up inside of me just from hearing his voice.

"Charley? Is that you?" He asked.

I bit my lip and smiled. "Dad, it's me. Yes."

"Well speak of the devil!" His voice was a mix between relieved and annoyed, and I knew I was most likely about to get a long speech.

"I'm sorry, dad, I haven't kept in touch with you about anything these past few days. . . it's just-"

"It's just what, Charley? You have more important things to worry about than your own father?" His voice sounded really annoyed at this point, and I immediately felt bad for what I had done.

I sighed. "Of course not. I just. . . ran into a few complicated things."

"That are more important than me."

"No!" I screamed into the phone, getting very impatient with him now. Why did he have to be so stubborn?

There was a pause before my dad spoke again. "Charley, I want you home. Now."

"Sorry, dad, but I can't come home." I didn't know how to explain the whole situation to him; so I just decided to be general about everything.

"Yes you can, Charley. And you will."

"Dad-"

"Charley, I'm your father for crying out loud! If you think you can just leave the house whenever the hell you want, especially without telling me first, then you're damn wrong! So I suggest you-"

"Dad, enough!" I was almost on the verge of tears now.

I felt Gems put her hand on my shoulder, and I looked over at her. Her eyes were filled with pity, and I could tell she was sorry for everything that was happening.

"It's not your fault." I mouthed to her, and she smiled and nodded.

I looked back out the window and turned my attention back to my conversation with my father. "Look, I can't tell you why I'm not coming home. It's not safe, and you. . . wouldn't understand." I closed my eyes and imagined what it would be like if I told him.

He would most likely get angry and scold me for being 'drunk' or on something, and then tell me once again that I needed to come home.

It wasn't worth it.

I opened my eyes, and immediately saw Harry's car in the rear view mirror pull up behind our car.

Dad sighed. He wasn't one to hold his anger for very long. "Alright. I hope I can trust you, Charley. You're older now and you can make your own decisions."