Page 3 of Drawn To You

I’m angry about the drugs, the fights, watching my mom cry, all the times I was scared because of the dangerous situations we were in because of my Dad’s choices, and all the messed-up crap I’ve had to witness.

I know he is sober now. But for how long this time? I just can’t find it in myself to forgive him yet, or my mom for being weak and dragging us through the mud with them. I know they were young when they had me and they were not prepared to be parents, but my way of thinking is that I never asked to be born and shouldn’t have had to suffer because they were ill-prepared. It’s not fair.

I know underneath it all my Dad loves me. But he is such an asshole most of the time and the hurt and disappointment I feel after everything that he has done is overwhelming for me. I don’t know why I feel the need to defy them, but I refuse to back down on this matter and it infuriates my Father, who expects his every command to be obeyed. To say we butt heads is the understatement of the year.

I involuntarily stiffen as I hear the sliding glass door open and watch as my Grandpa walks in followed by my Dad’s huge intimidating figure. Most people are cautious around my Dad because he looks like someone you don’t want to mess with. He is tall and built like a bear, with sideburns and a mean beard. He looked like he should be riding down the highway on a Harley. In fact when he got arrested the last time the cops had stereotyped him as a biker gang member and kept asking him who he rode with. Something he found amusing because he doesn’t even own a bike.

My Dad immediately fixes his hard gaze on me and for a moment I feel like a deer caught in headlights before my stubborn streak kicks in and the feeling quickly fades. I’m prepared to fight his fire with a fire of my own.

“Where have you been, girl? Do you think that you just get to come and go as you please just because your mother and I aren’t here? Because I’ll tell you what, you’ve got another thing coming.” My Dad bites out his first attack.

“I was just at the bookstore in the mall. I didn’t think it was that big of a deal.” I snap back. I didn’t feel like I had done anything wrong. Besides, it wasn’t like it was the first time I’d gone to the mall by myself.

“Get your things, you’re coming home with us.” My Dad issues the order and I instantly feel my guts knot up as the tension in the room rose to the point it wouldn’t so thick it could be cut with a knife. “No,” I reply and wait for the explosion, I know my answer just lit the fuse too, and just like I knew he would my Dad doesn’t disappoint.

“What the hell did you just say to me?” his angry voice booms. When I don’t respond fast enough he takes a step toward me. “I asked you what the hell you just said to me?” he repeats, just as harsh as the first time.

Feeling brave and annoyed, I let out a laugh. “You heard me. I said NO!” His long legs stride towards me and he rips the books I’m still holding in my hands and he chucks them across the room. My mind is whirling, I’m not entirely sure what he is going to do next. I know he is furious. He can’t hit me with the belt. I’m too old for that now, aren’t I? I swallow back my fear at the thought.

He bends down and gets right in my face and says so low only I can hear. “You’ve got five seconds to get your ass in gear and get your shit together and march your ass out to the car or I’m going to carry you out of here kicking and screaming if I have to but I promise you’re not going to like what happens when we get home if you make me do that.” he threatens.

“I said no, I’m not going anywhere with you!” I manage to choke out even though I am terrified, my pride not allowing me to back down now. I was going to see this though come hell or high water.

I watched something snap in his eyes at my continued defiance and in the next second the explosion went off. He picked me up off the ground and flung me over his shoulder like I was nothing more than a sack of potatoes and marched toward the door. I started pounding on his back and kicking and trying to wiggle out of his hold. Which only infuriated him more. I could hear my mom screaming at him and one of my little sisters crying. But it was all background noise.

“I hate you!” I screamed at him. “I swear if you make me go with you I’ll just leave. You can’t make me stay no matter what you do!” My Dad stopped and dropped me. I hit the ground with a jarring thud. “He just looked at me with what looked like hatred and disgust in his eyes. Which pissed me off even more because I wasn’t the one who was wrong in this situation, He is the one who messed up in the first place.

“You know what?” he says and jabs a finger into my chest. “Fuck this, and Fuck you. I’m DONE with your ass! You’re not getting shit from me from this point on. We’re done. Do whatever you want from now on but don’t come crying to me when you need something. You’re not my daughter from here on out.” with one final look of disgust he turns and walks away from me. “Molly, get in the car, we’re out of here,” he calls to my mom without looking back. My mom scrambles to get my sister and brother in the car and tries to say something to me as she passes, but I snapped at her. “Just go! I’ll be fine.” So I watched as she simply nodded and with tears running down her cheeks she turned and walked away from me too.

I was hollow inside.

Four

Teenagers

Abigail - age 15

Everybody has a person, someone with whom they will laugh, love, and cry with, when things get bad. That person who will support the decisions you make; encourages you to keep going after massive failures, and love you despite all your flaws. We cherish the relationships we build and the friendships we have because, without friends, we would be alone. I met my best friend when I was fifteen years old. At a time in my life when I really needed a friend.

I’ll always remember the first time I met my best friend Rain because the first time I saw her she flipped me off. We didn’t know each other because we both went to different schools. But my somewhat friend at the time, Tiffany was worried her boyfriend was cheating on her and talked me into going with her to confront him at the bowling alley after school where he was rumored to be meeting up with the other girl.

Sure enough, Jack was cheating on Tiffany with Rain. Later on, I would come to find out that Rain didn’t know that. As far as she was concerned Jack was her boyfriend and according to what Jack had told her Tiffany was just some girl from our school who was stalking him.

So when Jack spotted Tiffany and me at the bowling alley that day he had a quick decision to make and he chose Rain and tried to say we were there to stalk him. So they had both turned and flipped us off, and Rain had warned Tiffany to stay away from Jack. I had ended up walking a crying Tiffany home before heading home myself.

As fate would have it the very next day I went to spend the night at my friend Samantha’s house, who happened to go to school with Rain. The last thing I expected to find when I walked into my friend’s house was the girl who had flipped me off the day before sitting on her couch.

“Abigail, this is my friend Rain. Rain, my friend Abigail.” Samantha introduced us, unaware of the events from the day before. “You’re the other girl from the bowling alley.” was all Rain said and I nodded not knowing what to say. I didn’t have a problem with this girl and I didn’t know her.

“Yeah, I go to school with Tiffany and Jack.” is all I say, and see her spine stiffen a little at my words. “Well you need to tell your girl to stop stalking my boyfriend, he told me how she won’t take a hint and just leave him alone.” she snaps back, not what I was expecting.

The genuine confusion must have been evident on my face because I could tell she believed me right away when I shook my head and said, " That’s a lie. Jack and Tiffany have been dating since the beginning of the school year. We only went to the bowling alley yesterday to see if the rumors that he was cheating on her were true. He’s lying to both of you,” I finish matter-of-factly.

I could see the hurt and anger on her face and felt bad to be the bearer of bad news. But I didn’t know what else to do in this situation other than be direct. I wasn’t going to cover up for Jack. The cheating prick that he was.

“That bastard!” Rain spit out and pulled out her cell phone and dialed Jack’s number. When he answered, she let him have it and told him to lose her number and that they were done.

After Rain was done breaking up with Jack, Samantha and I consoled her and the three of us talked about what a jerk Jack was. The more we talked the more I realized what a cool person Rain was. We had a lot in common and I genuinely liked her.