Hello

Two

It had been a week and Andrew still hadn't returned home. Tori knew why Dad left in the first place but she didn't want to tell her younger sister, it might be too much to handle. After the Dashwoods lost an incredible and inspiring wife and mother to a FBI inccident (Mary was one of the best agents), the family had been low. Tori took on the role of being mother of the household and grew more independent over the years, while Zoe who already was shy before her beloved mother's death, lost friends and refused to go out in public situations. Andrew became an alcoholic.

He wasn't aggressive but when he drank, he became sad and mournful and didn't do much but cry on the couch, sipping booze. Zoe hated seeing her Dad this way, the Dad that was once cheerful and told the worst jokes that never failed to make her laugh. Tori would often stay up all night taking care of Andrew, cooking and helping Zoe at anything, while also maintaining top grades. She didn't sleep at all.

But on Zoe's seventeenth birthday, Andrew had made an effort to stop drinking and to help the girls out more. He began cooking his famous pasta bolognese and helping his girls with homework.

It worked for a little bit but tiny things like seeing couples in the streets or families with smiles on their faces would trigger him and he would go away for awhile to drink. It must of happened again.

The Dashwood's were once the talk of the street, always being criticized by the grumpy old neighbour-Ms Grey- about how Mary Dashwood would laugh too loud at Andrew's horrible jokes and how Tori and Zoe traumatized Ms Grey's precious cat, Molly. Even though Ms Grey held a strong grudge against the Dashwood's years ago, you could always see the faintest smile when she heard laughter coming from the house next door. But that was quickly replaced by screams and curses to no one in particular. 

As Zoe sat on the stool in the kitchen, she thought about all of these things. Of course she missed her Mum and now her missing Dad and she knew it wasn't anyone's fault for her mothers death, but her dad could've stayed. Andrew had complete control over what he did but he decided to leave his children alone and not be there for them. Especially Zoe. 

 Zoe moved these thoughts aside and tried finishing her assignment for English. Normal kids in her class groaned and whinged when Mr Drew told them that their task for this semester was "to create a story, a story filled with twists and turns, ups and downs and a moving plot that could bring tears to the readers eyes or make them swell with bravery, maybe even make their heart flutter with romance- absolutely age appropriate, Gordan!". Sometimes her English teacher was a bit dramatic at times. 

"Hey, what you doing there?". Tori walked into the kitchen, her high heels clicking on the tiled floor. Zoe closed her notebook and looked at her sister.

"Um, just my English homework, what's with the dress?". Tori looked down at her clothing. She was wearing a formal black dress that looked like it was made for her. It was one of Tori's gift, Zoe thought, to always look good in whatever she wore.

"It's Lachlan's birthday party tonight ". Tori bent over as she opened a cupboard and grabbed a glass. Zoe felt a pit in her stomach.

"I thought it was girl's night tonight?, you were going to help me with the...the you know". Tori stopped drinking from the glass of water she just got and opened her eyes wide as she remembered that she did promise to stay home with Zoe.

"Oh Jesus, I forgot didn't I?". Tori groaned and slapped herself in the face. "I'm so sorry, I'll say I can't make it. I would never miss a girl's night! God I'm such an idiot..". Tori rested her elbows on the table and covered her face with her hands.

"No, it's okay Tori. It's your boyfriends party, you can't miss that. We can always have girl's night another time". Zoe quietly said, feeling selfish now that she almost stopped Tori from going out tonight.