Perspective

Rough Edges

"Charly? Where the hell did you go?" My father demanded when I stepped into the house. He walked over to me, staring daggers in my direction. 

"I- I just needed some time alone. I'm sorry." I said quietly. "I was just upset." 

"Charly!" My mother cried, running over to me from the kitchen. She wrapped me in a hug. "Honey, we were so worried. You left your phone in your bedroom." She told me, tucking piles of my hair behind my ears. 

"I know mom. I'm sorry." I said. 

"Charly, that was very irresponsible. You could have been hurt." Dad said curtly. "I would think you would remember not to forget your phone by now." 

"Remember... right." I said under my breath. "Well, in case you haven't noticed I can't remember anything!"  I snapped at him. "I can't remember a damn thing and I'm glad I don't but it's getting pretty annoying at the same time. I can't remember how much of a bitch I was!" 

"Charly!" My mother scolded. 

"Watch your tone," My father said crossly to me. I rolled my eyes and laughed but I could still feel more tears. 

"You don't know what it's like to lose your memory!" I screamed at them both. "You have no idea what it's like to not remember anything or who you were before and you have no idea how hard I've been trying to change myself but no, nobody cares. They still see me as the raging prom queen bitch." 

"Hey, watch your language!" Dad scolded. 

"Charly, nobody sees you that way." Mom said, putting her hand on my shoulder. 

"Don't," I said, pulling away. "Yes they do. You don't know anything, mom." 

"You do not speak to your mother that way." Dad interveined. 

"What's going on?" Rhett's voice interrupted. He walked into the entrance room with Vinny and Aunt Ruth and Uncle Rob. 

"What's wrong, kiddo?" Uncle Rob asked me. 

"Just leave me alone!" I cried at the people in front of me. I pushed past my father and I started to dash upstairs. 

"Charly!" Dad cried angrily from the bottom of the stairs. "Charlene Elizabeth Walker! I'm not done talking to you!" I could feel him following me up the stairs and I rushed to my bedroom, slamming the door. It opened as soon as it closed, my father standing in the doorway and I collapsed on my bed. "What's the matter with you? What happened tonight? Answer me, damn it!" I couldn't look at him, I had my face pressed against my pillow. 

"Just leave me alone," I repeated. 

"Where did you go?" He demanded. 

"I just went out into town, I'm fine okay?" I snapped, turning back to him and my cheeks stained with hot tears. 

"Why are you crying?" He asked me. 

"You don't understand. You feel the same way about me as everyone else did before I lost my memory. It's not going to change anything." I said as more tears escaped. 

"You know what the difference is between me and everyone else? You're my daughter. I love you no matter what." He said, sitting down on the bed next to me. I sniffled and sat up straight, staring at him. 

"I don't want to talk about it." I told him. "Can you just stay with me? That's all that I want." I pressed my head against his shoulder and wrapped my arms around him. 

"Hey, honey..." He said gently. The severity and anger had left his tone all together. "Of course I will." He stroked my hair and hugged me back tightly. I couldn't stop myself from crying. I can never leave my past behind, as much as I might want to.