Wish

Chapter 12

So it's been way longer than I had intended since my last upload and I have no excuses. I just didn't quite have the motivation but I'm trying to be more productive. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

~~~~~

On Tuesday I really couldn't face going to school. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford time off. Especially since I basically skipped school all day yesterday. When Mum came home and asked why school had rang to tell her I didn't show I told a little white lie. I told her I had a stress induced panic attack and needed to go home but that I felt better. Of course, I didn't feel better though. Anyone who's ever had a panic attack knows that more often than not you feel like you've been run over with a truck and not slept in a month.

When I went down for 'breakfast' my Mum was on the phone. The conversation sounded serious and she sounded less than happy. I guessed right away that it was my Dad on the other end. While I knew it wasn't polite to eavesdrop on the conversation, I couldn't help it.

"You're living with her? Don't you have any respect for us?" Dad's moving in with his mistress? There seemed to be a long response on the other end of the phone which ended in Mum abruptly hanging up. I couldn't see what was going on but I could hear her choke back a sob.

"He's a dick. He doesn't deserve us." I said when I entered the kitchen. Mum wiped a tear away from her eye.

"He left me, love, not you." She said. That's why I love my Mum, even though Dad hurt her beyond words she still doesn't want me to hate him.

"I don't see him making any effort to check in on me. We haven't spoke since he left. So, by my standards, he left me too." I said folding my arms over my chest. He really messed up our lives. When I looked at Mum, she looked defeated. Without saying anything I walked over and wrapped my arms around her. What do you say to your Mum when this happens? I'm just a kid I haven't a clue what to do. I broke away from the hug when my phone rang. I looked at my phone confused; I didn't recognise the number.

"Hello?" I said answering the call.

"Sup babe, wanna go for a ride on this d-" I hung up the call. I'd forgotten about my number being plastered all over the school "Cold call." I told Mum.

I left my phone off for the duration of school. At lunch Phoebe had apparently been calling to ask where I was and when I told her the reason, she was furious. "Just block their numbers. They'll give up eventually." Easier said than done. I left the conversation at that and made an excuse to leave. She just didn't understand.

After school I turned my phone on just in case I had any messages from Mum. I had a bunch of missed called off random numbers, all of which I took the opportunity to block. I knew it wouldn't fully solve the problem but at least I was doing something. When I was walking home my phone rang again. I groaned in annoyance expecting it to be yet another prank call, but instead the screen read Dad. I debated whether or not I should block his number too, but then I thought about what Mum said this morning 'he left me, not you' so I answered the call.

"Hi." I said tentatively.

"Hi Amber, I wasn't sure if you were going to pick up. Your Mum said you were pretty angry with me." He said sounding relieved.

"Can you blame me? I haven't heard from you in weeks." It was actually getting to be more like months but I didn't think being so blunt would help things.

"I just wanted to talk about things. I know you heard about me moving in with Carol-"

"Wait you've talked to Mum again since this morning? Is that the only reason you called? Because she told you to." I said angrily. Of course. Why would he ring me of his own accord? Of course Mum told him to make the effort to talk to me.