The Willow Tree

Chapter 7

It had been almost a week since I had last seen Jake. Almost a week where my Father had not left the house. Almost a week were I had sat in my room, too afraid to leave, just watching and waiting.

It was late on Friday afternoon and it was the first time that my Father had left the house all week. I sat gazing out of my window watching as the leaves started to gradually fall from the trees and float towards the ground.

I checked my watch. I knew that Jake's bus was due to arrive any minute. After spending every day with someone for a couple of months it was hard to not see them for a week. Especially when you don't have anywhere to go, or anyone else to talk to. It was like I was a prisoner in my own home.

I watched as the bus pulled up on the road, just outside the only houses in the area for miles around, and I watched as he got off. I watched as the bus pulled away and my heart sank into my chest as Jake walked into his house without so much as a glance in my direction and closed his front door behind him.

Sighing, I walked away from the window and flopped down onto my bed, burying my face in the pillow and curling up into a ball. I almost screamed when I heard a knock at the door. I ran down the stairs fast as lightening opening the door, revealing the brown haired boy I had missed so much. 

'Someone's missed me,' Jake laughed as I threw my arms around him.

'You don't understand how awful it is here,' I say as we sit down together on the sofa, my head resting against his shoulder as I take a deep breath.

'Then tell me,' he said, sitting up and turning to face me. 'Tell me why I'm only around here when your Father's out? Tell me why you push me out the second you hear his car coming back? Tell me why you are so terrified of your own Father?' He asked me taking my hands in his. 

'I can't Jake,' I said looking away from him, 'I want to, but it wouldn't help anything.'

'What's the worst thing that could happen?' He asked, lifting up my chin to look me in the eyes.

'You have no Idea,' I eventually whispered. 'Please just trust me that this is the best for the both of us.' I carried on.

'But you promised that one day you would tell me,' Jake said.

'I know.' I replied. 'One day I will. But today is not that day. Okay?'

'Okay.' He replied, clearly not satisfied with my response.

I rested my head against his shoulder once more and relaxed as he gently kissed the top of my head. 

'Do you want to do something this weekend?' Jake asked me.

'Yeah maybe,' I replied, 'I'll just tell you when I know about...'

'Yeah about your Father,' Jake replied clearly annoyed.

'Look, I'm sorry,' I replied, 'but if you knew then you would underst...'

'Then tell me!' Jake almost shouted. 'Please just tell me!'

I felt tears in my eyes, but there was nothing that I could do to stop them. 'Jake I can't, please.' I stood up and walked out of the room, running into the kitchen and closing the door behind me. I slid down the door until I was sat on the floor, tears streaming down my face.

There was a quiet knock from the other side of the door.'

'Willow, I'm sorry.' Jake said, his voice more relaxed now. I stood up and quickly wiped my eyes opening the door to see Jake looking at me, a sense of pity in his eyes.

He wrapped his arms around me tightly.

'How come it always ends with you hugging me as I cry?' I asked through sobs.

'I really don't know,' Jake replied slightly laughing.

'Look, I know it's not fair on you Jake,' I told him. 'But this is all I can say for now.'

'I understand,' Jake said the sound of sympathy in his voice. 'But you have to understand that it is really frustrating for me.'

'I know,' I replied.

I looked up into his eyes and he smiled. Wiping a tear from my eye and resting his hand on my cheek. He leaned in to kiss me and I quickly followed our lips meeting.

The silence that followed wasn't awkward. It was nice. I hugged him tighter as the silence distracted me from all my thoughts and the sounds around me. But it was quickly broken. The sound of the front door being slammed closed made me jump up and scream.

'Jake you have to go,' I whispered.

'But...' He started.

'Willow,' I heard my Father shout from the hallway and I could tell by the sound of him stumbling that he was anything but sober.

'Go,' I tried to push him out of the back door, but it was too late, the kitchen door burst open revealing my Father. 

He looked awful. I hadn't even noticed the change in him over the past few weeks, maybe it had even been the past few years, but it was obvious now. His dark hair had started to change to a silvery grey colour, he had dark circles under his eyes and stubble had started to grow on his chin. I could smell the alcohol on his breath from across the room. 

Jake obviously could as well, as I felt him tense beside me.

'Who the hell is this?' My Father shouted towards us.

'Jake,' I whispered trying to push him out. 'You need to leave now.'

'Yes, I think you should get out of my house!' My Father carried on shouting.

'I'm not leaving you alone here with this drunk bastard,' Jake hissed back. 'Who knows what he will do to you.' He said his hands forming into fists at his side. 

'Jake, get out of here now!' I still tried to whisper but it was hard, I felt the terror building up inside of me. It took a few moments until I had finally managed to get Jake to leave, with the promise that I would come and see him as soon as I could.

I took in a deep breath trying to calm my fear before turning to face my Father who was stood towering over me. 

'Look Father I can explain...' I started to say before he cut me off.

'Explain what?' He shouted. 'That you are just letting strangers come into my house.'

'He's not a stranger.' I insisted, but he wouldn't listen. I walked to push past him but he grabbed my arm stopping me from leaving.

'I don't want him anywhere near my house, do you understand?' He threatened menacingly.

'What do you want me to do?' I turned back to face him, now shouting as well. 'Do you just want me to sit in this house alone every minute of the day? Do you want me to be trapped in my own home?'

'Yes.' He shouted back at me. 'It's safer in here.'

'Since when have you cared about me being safe? You don't care about me at all. You only care about yourself. You know, sometimes I think that you blame me for Mother's death. That you're still upset about what happened so you take it out on me. But you know what it doesn't help anyone.' I shouted at him, tears streaming from my eyes, all of the emotions that had built up inside of me for the past few years. 'She's dead and it's been over fifteen years so why don't you at least try to move on?'

I turned to walk away once more, but not before I felt the blow against the side of my face. I sunk down to the floor as he pushed past me and stormed out. I heard the sound of the front door locking and then footsteps heading up the stairs.

I placed my hand against my cheek, feeling the pain. The tears were gone and all I felt was anger.

Once again I was a prisoner in my own home.