Drive [h.f-t. & j.l.] (COMPLETED)

Chapter 15 - Be There

be there - seafret
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josephine's pov

Dad and I are sitting in silence at the breakfast table, for what felt like an eternity. Early-morning rain patters on the window, the only sound that could be heard as Dad slides a printout over to me, the traffic cam photo of me driving my car, with Jenny in the front seat. I couldn't even bring myself to look at him, instead just staring at the picture as I tried to gather the courage to speak.

"Dad, I... I can explain-" I start but he cuts me off.

"Can you? Can you explain who this is?" He taps twice on Jenny in the picture and I swallow hard.

"She's a friend." I say quietly and my dad chuckles, the kind of bitter chuckle.

"Oh, I can see that from the way you're smiling. Facial recognition ID'd her. Did you know she's an ex-con who served time for grand theft auto? A suspect's member of the Mercy Park Crew?" He says and I finally look up to find him staring coldly at me. When I don't answer he just shakes his head. "Of course you did. I.. don't know how this happened. I don't even know what you could tell me that could possibly explain this but I'm gonna ask you anyway. Why, Josephine? Why?" He says and I open my mouth but the words die in my throat. Do I tell him about Stephen, that he knows and let it slide? What will happen if I do? But no, the real reason why I stayed has and still is Hero.

"Dad, I fell for someone." I finally say and my dad's eyes widen for a second before his expression into a confused and angry scowl. Angrier than I have ever seen him.

"You what?"

"I met someone that makes me feel a way I've never felt before. I know I let that cloud my judgment, I know that, but I don't care." I say and Dad slums back in his chair, watching me.

"Josephine... I know yore young. It's easy to let your feelings take over, but.. this is so much worse than a crush. I taught you better than this. Better than sneaking around with criminals. What hurts worst is that you didn't come to me. We've always trusted each other, Josie." My dad says and I frown at him, shaking my head.

"You never trusted me." I say and he just blinks at me for a second.

"What did you just say?" He says and I swallow hard, raising my voice a little.

"I said you never trusted me! You've kept me on a leash for five years!"

"Josephine, I did no such-"

"Yes, you did, Dad!" I tremble as my voice gets louder and the tears start to pour. "I did everything you asked! Day after day! And you never once gave me an inch of freedom!" My dad seems taken aback, never have I talked like this to him.

"You're saying this is my fault?" He asks and I shake my head, wiping at my face.

"No, I.. I'm not saying that. I'm saying that I wanted to make my own decisions for once. And when they went wrong, I was terrified of telling you." I say, almost feeling kind of relieved as I finally said what I wanted to say for so long. For a moment my dad's face softens but it only lasts for a second before he scrunches his eyebrows together.

"Apparently, I was right not to let you. My god, look what you've done." Dad looks away from me and I follow his gaze to a framed photo of my mother on the side table, the one that was taken only a few days before her death. Her smile so bright and her light blue eyes sparkling as the wind let her shoulder-length blonde hair whipping around her face. Dad seemed to lose himself in the picture for a second. "...Where did I go so wrong?" He finally says, quietly.

"Dad..." My dad turns his gaze back to me.

"The other night... I took you driving. I thought it was just like old times, you and me together. But you already had your license." He shows me a second printout: my DMV record. "Josephine, you could've been arrested! You could've thrown away everything you've worked for! Christ, you could've been killed!" He says loudly and I look down, pressing my lips together.