SkaterGirl

Chapter Three

It'd been two weeks since Luke and Cayla moved here and already Luke was one of us. Cayla was doing her very best to not flirt with Danny, but it was in her nature, I guess. Kyle and Vince were talking about how single they were and how they wanted a girl.

And me? Nothing different.

I still made it home by eight, cut my thighs till I bled with a comb, didn't eat, and nothing changed with my dad either. He still yelled at me for my skating, kept blaming everything on me. And since he got fired from his job, things escalated very quickly.

He didn't hit me, but I was pretty sure it was coming. He was beginning to get so mad he'd ball his hand into a fist and then unclench. He drowned himself in alcohol all day every day. It was a miracle he was even alive, honestly.

"Abs," Kyle nudged me. "You okay?"

I nodded. "Just thinking."

"About what?" He asked.

"Not much," I shrugged.

"Well, come on. We're going to McDs!" He said happily.

I laughed and we all rode to McDonalds. Cayla was having a hard time keeping up, since she didn't ride, so I slowed my roll so she could walk by me. I was probably best known for my "ice queen" reputation, but I wasn't going to let her walk by herself.

"You didn't have to slow down for me," she said.

"I don't mind," I said.

"So, how long have you known the boys?" She asked.

"Feels like forever," I said.

"Well, they're really great," she said.

"I know," I said as I hopped off the skateboard and put it in my bag. We walked into McDonalds and sat at our usual table. I got a sweet tea and everyone else got almost the whole menu. Even Cayla got lots of food.

My phone started ringing and I answered. "Hello?"

"Hi, is this Abigail Winters?" A lady asked.

"Yes, who's this?" I asked.

"I'm Dr. Scone from Lake Memorial. I have your father here and since you're the only family he has listed, you need to come by. We have much to discuss," she said.

"Okay, I'm on my way," I said.

I hung up and stood.

"Hey, where you goin?" Kyle asked.

"My dad needs me," I said and left.

*

"What?" I asked in disbelief.

"I'm really sorry," she placed a hand on my arm.

I stepped back and sat down. "So, remove it! He's my father, you can't let him--"

"I've already told you," she sat next to me. "there's nothing we can do. We already removed as much as we could, but there's nothing else we can do."

"Th-there's treatments and medication,"
I said.

"At his age, it won't last long," she said.

"It's worth a try!" I screamed.

"We'll tell him, but just know, it's his ultimate decision," she said as we stood to visit my dad.

I nodded and we went into his room. His skin was yellow and he was groggy. I stood at the foot of the bed and his head followed me.

"Abigail?" He asked weakly.

I nodded.

"Mr. Winters," Dr. Scone said. "you have a decision to make. We can give you kemo and radiation to treat your liver cancer, or we can release you."

"I don't want any of that kemo shit. Just let me go," he said.

"He's not fully functioning," I told her. "He doesn't mean it."

"Yes, I do mean it!" He hollered at me. "We're going home!"

He yanked his IV out of his arm and blood went everywhere. Doctors piled in to keep him down and they kicked me out of the room. I sat in the hallway and looked at the floor. Danny was calling me. I hesitated, but answered.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah," I wiped a tear from my eye.

"Watcha doin?" He asked.

"Just helping my dad. Look, I gotta go,"
I said and hung up.

My dad was dying of liver cancer. Fan-damn-tastic. What was I gonna do?