Late Nights and 99 proof

Chapter Eleven- VIVIAN & NARRATOR

  Vivian's POV:

Flashback

I don't wake up to a familiar sound of Brandon and Kasey running up and down the halls, but my alarm, screaming at me to come and shut it off. As I spin out of bed, something doesn't feel right. It's too quiet.

When I flip the switch on the wall the light doesn't come on. I try again. "Ma!" I yank my room door open, storming down the hall dodging Brandon and Kasey playing with action figures. "Ma, why is the power off?" I post up with my hands on my hips.

"Vivian, can't you see that I'm on the phone?"

"You're always on the fucking phone..." I mumble.

"Excuse me?" She challenges but it's too late, I'm already back in my room. I brace myself against the door, gathering myself. I can't believe she didn't pay the power bill. Then again, I also can't believe I'm so surprised. Before I started working she wouldn't pay the bills for months except for her cellphone bill and we'd have to call dad begging him to pay at least the power bill so we could at least take a warm shower, considering the winter weather.

I'm numb to the cold shower but I still make it quick, Richard will be here any minute to give me a lift to school. "You better not be coming home with no babies..." My mother notices Richard in the driver seat to his old pickup.

"Good morning Mrs.Ozark," Richard smiles politely.

"Morning, Richard" She sneers and I don't bother saying anything to her, just climb into the passenger seat and instruct him to drive quickly.

"Why in such a hurry?" He turns his screaming music down. "She didn't get any groceries again?"

It's embarrassing to admit that your parents are complete assholes and are irresponsible pieces of shit. "Powers out again..."

He looks at me for a moment without a response but when he rests his hand on my knee, I know it's coming. "Things will get better, Viv, I promise." I know even if we weren't sitting at a red light he would still find it necessary to hold this intense eye contact, he's just that reassuring.

"I just really can't wait to get out of here," My forehead is pressed against the window and with every bump in the road, my head bangs the glass.

"AH! That reminds me, get everyone together after practice. I have a plan that will work this time,"

"What kind of plan?"

"You'll see, just get everyone together, after practice tonight." We're in the parking lot now and the engine's off. I'm distracted more than usual because usually right about now I'd be in his lap getting in a quickie, contemplating skipping homeroom. But today, this morning, I'm too disappointed that Ma couldn't do a simple thing like pay the power bill. Maybe that's why dad left. She drank up all the money he gave her for the bills, forgot to go grocery shopping because she was so busy conversing with her sisters about nothing worth talking about, or because she'd blame us all for her physical insecurities, we'll never know.

My father doesn't even answer us directly anymore, he makes us speak with his assistant first, just like anyone else. His new wife and children are really beautiful and for the first time in his life, he actually looks like he belongs. They all smile full and vivid like it's actually real. I hope it is. I do. I love that he found a wife that will appreciate him, he deserves that but I wish he wouldn't have left us behind. Especially Brandon and Kasey, they most certainly didn't.

"You good?" Richard takes my chin in his fingers, claiming my heed. "Why are you looking at pictures of your dad? Are you crying?" I look down and I've pulled some of the only pictures I have left of him when we were a family, into my lap. They're all stained with tears I didn't know I still cried for my father to come back home. I thought I had moved on. "You should tell him how you fell, he still has you all fucked up,"

"I know I'm fucked up, Richard! I don't need you to remind me of that!" I snap and when I reach for the door handle, he crosses me to hold the door shut.

"You know I didn't mean it like that. Stop running from me every time we start to argue, we have to be able to talk about things. Even argue sometimes."

I look straight ahead with my arms crossed at my chest. "Will you talk to me, please?" He whispers. "You can tell me anything." My eyes are drawn to him without any control. I'm lost within seconds, taking a trip to a place I know is just for me. They say, If you look into a person's eyes, you can see their heart. Or something like that. I just know one thing for sure, that when I look into his eyes, I can see his entire heart shining, blinding me with his love.

How could a girl like me deserve him? As fucked up as I am.

"I just need some air," I push his arm away, with my fist tight around my bag, I storm out of the truck, avoiding him. Wiping my face, I check the time noticing I have fifteen minutes to get breakfast. I'm not used to having this much time when I finally climb out of his truck.

"Vivian!" He calls after me. "Okay, fine!" I stop in my tracks. "We don't have to talk!"

I spin around. "You'll shut up the whole time?"

He shrugs. "If that's what you want," smirking at me from the roof of the truck. He zipped his lips shut, throwing away the key. But it was unnecessary, I was already walking back toward the truck. I can always count on him to get my mind off of things.

"Miss Ozark?" Principal Henry stops me. "You aren't leaving, are you?"

"No, sir!" I keep my eyes on the ground.

"Alright, school starts in ten minutes," He rocks from his heels to his toes. "Good morning Mr. Sapp."

Richard freezes because he didn't think he'd been seen. "Morning Principal Henry! Great day, isn't it?"

"Ten minutes!" Principal Henry reminds us as he turns to go the other direction.

I'm in Richard's lap with his face in my hands within seconds of Principal Henry's turn around the corner. "How do you think he saw me?" Richard pulls away from my grip. "I don't know, Maybe because you're the only person in the history of people who would still drive a Sweptside from 1945!"

"Vintage!" He corrects me. "1956 and this baby runs perfectly fine. Better than any of that plastic..." I cover his mouth.

"No talking, remember?" He shakes his head, agreeing to stay quiet. I go for his belt, aware that we have about five minutes now. It's expected that I wear a dress or skirt every day he brings me to school but this morning I wore jeans, the tightest pair I own. We settle for 3rd base and as his alarm goes off, we go for another minute ignoring it.

Principal Henry taps on the glass. "Miss Ozark, Mr. Sapp, you are going to be late!"

We both jump so hard we almost come out of our clothes. "Thank you!" I smile, rushing to the passenger seat. Richard just waves him away and when he's out of sight again, we laugh as our chests pounds, trying to catch our breath.

It's well past eight-thirty when we finally decide to go to class. Principal Henry was right, we were actually late. "See you later?" Richard stops me, holding both of my hands.

"After practice!" I chant playfully and he lands a sweet peck on my lips.

"Don't forget to tell everyone," He runs off down the hall and I turn to open my homeroom door. "Hey Vivian," I hear him call. "I can't wait to run away with you! I love you!"

"I love you, too" I blow him a kiss and he catches it, pushing it into his pocket. My giggle is uncontrollable but it dies as I see Mrs. Henry's face.

I've skipped this class so many times I forgot I had the Principal's wife as my instructor.