I'm Fine (#Wattys2015)

33

"We need to leave! Now!" Dad says loudly. His face is pale, like he saw a ghost.

"Why?" I ask. This is so confusing. Like seriously...Mom just woke up twenty minutes ago.

"Cuz I was stupid and di-" he pauses and looks at me. "We do not have time for this now so I will tell you later."

"Ugh. Fine. Where are we going?"

"Well.... Someplace no one can find us."

Okay...

This is getting even weirder. Like what exactly did Dad do?! Was he in the mob? Did he murder the president? The last one is a no because we would have heard it on the news.

"And we have to leave now?" I ask, skeptical about what is happening.

"Yes. Now. I know both of you have your suspicions and I will tell you answers later. I am going to do the sign out papers. When I get back you must be rready to leave." Dad says and walks out the door.

"Wow." I somewhat breathe out.

"Yeah. This is getting crazy. First my husband goes missing. Second I get drunk. Third I get drunk. Fourth we fight. Fifth we don't talk. Sixth that repeats. Seventh Kylie..." Mom pauses and looks at me. "Eighth you make a new friend. Ninth your father suddenly appears at our doorstep. Tenth we fight. Eleventh you flee. Twelve I get drunk. Wow I get drunk a lot." I laugh and so does she. And then I see a single tear roll down her cheek.

"Mom...?"

"Yes, Sweets?"

"Are you alright?"

"For now. Yes. But I plan on making everything up to you. I want us to have a healthy, loving relationship. I know that this will take time. Hell, a lot of time. But I know that it will all be worth it." Says my mom sincerely.

"I will try to help with this dream."

"Aww...thanks Sweets. Now I have got to get ready. You father could barge through that door any second."

We laugh a second time and then I suddenly stop. "Wait!"

"What?"

"What about Nick?"

"Nick...? Who is Nick?"

"My new friend."

"Oh. Sorry, Sweets."

"It is fine. But what about him? I just met him and now we have to leave. I cannot and will not lose another friend. No. I can't! I can't!" I have raised my voice by the end and am yelling but who gives a fuck? I have only ever had two real friends and have lost one. I am about to lose the second one.

I feel myself being pulled into my mother's embrace. I had been sitting on the edge of he bed but am now more toward the center. "Hey. Whatever your father did probably was not that bad and you can stay in touch."

"Promise?" It sounded immature coming from my fifteen year old mouth but I wanted to know. I needed a friend. And Nick had been there and now he is stuck on my wild ride until I get off for good.