Indelible

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Chapter 8 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

"I don't like this body I'm trapped in."

I struggled against the person holding me by my arm but they managed to get me into the backseat. They sat in the driver's seat, locked the doors, and drove silently.

"So, what do you want, Mary?" I said, angrily.

"To explain things."

"So why don't you start?"

"Your father and I met when we were 15. We started dating and he would cheat on me sometimes by kissing another girl but I would forgive him because he said they kissed him first. When we went to college, he stopped cheating. Or at least I thought. That was until I found out he was taking out another girl. She didn't know I was dating him, so when she told me, I confronted him. He told me I was already 9 months pregnant, so we would have to get along."

She took a deep breath and continued.

"So, I had you. He made me stricter. Saying it was the right way to raise you. To make you a puppet. Or he would take you away from me. So I had to. But he took you away from me anyway. I never had the chance to apologize for what I did."

I sighed. What was I supposed to say?

"Sorry, Sav. I-I-" I could practically hear the tears in her eyes forming.

"I don't know. Can I l-leave?" I stuttered and looked out the window.

"Okay. Here, if you want to keep in contact."

"Okay, see you. Don't drive if you can't see clearly at the moment." 

I took the paper from her hand. It had her phone number and address. I nodded and left the car, walking towards the park. I sat down on the swings and stared at the paper, before putting it in my pocket. When I looked up, I saw Derek, grinning.

"Boy gave you his number?"

"Nah, not that great, more like someone who I haven't seen in years because they were a bad person came back into my life and apologized."

"Shouldn't that be a good thing?"

"No, now I don't know if I can trust the other person, because they have different stories to tell about the same thing."

"You're being confusing. Explain?"

"Ugh. I don't know myself, okay?"

"I won't pressure you, but you can talk to me."

"My parents divorced. I thought my mom was a bad person, now I don't know anymore. Maybe it's not her fault, now that I know her side of the story. Things are so awkward between us already. My dad doesn't know she talked to me. Twice actually."

"Hm."

"What?"

"Nothing, that's just weird."

"What?"

"How are they both bad people?"

"Well, either my dad manipulated my mom and made her act a certain way or he would divorce her and take all custody over me, or my mom was just abusive."

"Sketchy. But both could be true," he turned to look up at the colors of the coming sunset, deep in thought.

"I remember when I was a kid..."

「 Flashback: I sat on the stairs, hugging my knees. I listened to my parents argue. "Savannah is our daughter. Not yours only," my mother argued.

"You are terrible at parenting, you don't deserve her."

"You made me terrible."

"MARY. We do not speak about this!"

"She should know the truth."

"Do you want to lose her?"

"You said I already have, so why should I lie?"

I began to cry. My parents heard me sniffle and paused.

"Mary, you are abusive. I love my daughter. Do not do that to her," my father's tone changed.

"Jason, I will tell--"

"Mary."

I ran up the stairs and cried myself to sleep that night. I didn't know who to believe. Maybe I was the reason why they were separating. Maybe I should cook more, never see my friends, and stop doing sports. Maybe that's why they didn't love each other.

」

"I mean, she could be saying the truth."

"That may be what they were talking about. And I live with that."

"Sorry, Sav. You can stay at my place. You'll have your own room, I promise."

I laughed, taking out the paper with my mom's address on it, "Okay. I'll keep that in mind, thanks, Derek." 

"You thinking about going there?"

"Not sure. Dude. If I go there and she was lying, how would I face my dad when I go back?"

"Say you're staying at a friend's place for a bit. Like Sarah or Rand. Make sure it's a girl so he doesn't double-check where you're at and find out." 

I laughed. "Sounds like you've had some experience."

"What are you trying to say?" He narrowed his eyes. I jabbed my finger in the air before his eyes and he jerked away.

"Gotcha."

"Wow. Hey, isn't your dad wondering where you are?"

"He's at work."

Derek nodded, and only now I realized he had a skateboard. I grinned, grabbing it from him and running off. I dropped it on its wheels and put my left leg on the board, the pushed the skateboard forwards. I balanced on top and Derek followed close behind.

"You ever learned manners? Ask first." He shook his head.

"Oh shoot--" I slipped off, but managed to get my feet on the ground. We chased after the skateboard, which was rolling downhill. When Derek caught up with it, we looked up, only to see my dad. He looked shocked.

"Dad?"

"Savannah. Who's this?"

"Why aren't you at work?"

"Answer me."

"My friend Derek. Why aren't you at work??" I looked to his right. There was a young woman, maybe in her mid-twenties, holding his hand. He saw me looking and let go. The woman looked at him curiously.

"I took the day off."

"Yeah right. I saw you leave for work."

"Savannah, let's go home."

Derek turned to me and whispered, "you have my number if anything goes wrong." He turned and began walking the other way when I nodded. I followed my father home as the woman fixed her hair and walked away, looking upset. 

"What were you thinking?" I asked when we got home.

"What, we were talking about work. She's just a co-worker."

"Do you hold hands with co-workers?"

"...Not very often."

"So why didn't you tell me?"

"I just-- go to your room."

"But--"

"Go. To. Your. Room."

"I'm staying at a friend's house," I couldn't take it anymore. What if my mom was right?

"Savannah."

"Her name is Sarah. Rand might be there too."

I entered my room and began to pack my valuables, necessities, and my clothes, making sure I had that piece of paper from earlier.