Then Do It

Chapter 8

I jolt awake as something in the other room causes a huge clash of what sounds like dishes hitting the wood floors. "Shit," Karen curses under her breath as I assume she's picking up whatever she dropped.

I sigh and stretch as I rub my eyes, trying to wake up. "Dad's at work isn't he?" I question loud enough for Karen to hear me. It's not that I don want him to work. I getit. We all need money. But he brags that he can go in and out whenever he wants and earn he money he wants. Yet he works almost every weekend I come over instead of spending time with me.

"Yeah," she sighs and I decide against continuing the conversation. Instead I go through the pictures I have on my phone.

Most of them are from Brady taking my phone to take pictures of himself or us. Besides those I have some pictures of Mom and I and one of Brady, Chloe and I, then one of Brady, Mom and I. Deciding to change my wallpaper I set the lock screen to be Mom and I while the home screen gets changed to the picture of Chloe, Brady and I.

For some reason I'm always on the right of whoever I'm taking a picture with.  

"Want some eggs?" Karen asks.

"Sure," I shrug as she sits on the other couch with a plate of eggs.

"The stuff's in the kitchen," she points with her fork and I roll my eyes but get up.

I go to the kitchen and decide to just grab a doughnut stick for the morning before sitting in the same spot I was in before and going on my phone as Karen put on a news station.

I go through random stuff on my phone for a while before Karen tells me she's leaving and locks the door behind her. After she leaves I decide to start learning a new song. Finding a tutorial online, I strum once to make sure my guitar is still in tune before starting.

To start off, I learn the chords and finger placements before trying to play through the first bit slowly. I get through it after a while of messing up and trying again. After a while of going slow I speed it up a little and continue at that speed for the rest of the time no one is in the house.

As I'm putting my guitar away my phone goes off. I grab it and sit on the couch as Dad and Karen walk through the front door. Brady is messaging the group chat again. It's already four in the afternoon. "You guys have plans nxt weeknd?" he asks.

"Not that I know of" I answer as Dad decides to cook dinner on the grill tonight and Karen sits in her spot on the couch.

"Me either" Chloe answers after a minute.

"Why?" I ask.

"Wnt to come over on Friday and stay the night?"

"I'll ask if it's cool with my mom when I get home tomorrow" I roll my eyes at Karen's comment about me being on my phone.

"Sure" Chloe answers

"Dope" we continue talking for a bit before dinner is done and we all sit on the couches to eat.

Dad and Karen start talking about stuff their friends or family are doing and vent about how dumb or annoying it is as I listen and eat the steak Dad made. After a bit Dad's phone goes off and he asks if we want to go to his friend's bonfire. Karen and I shrug but we end up getting in the truck and going.

When we get there it's almost pitch black outside and the fire is blazing with a truck backed next to it with country music blasting from its speakers. A group of guys stand around the truck and fire as we park and get out. Dad and Karen start talking to the group as they open beers and I stand looking at the orange, yellow and red flames in the middle of everyone .

"When did you cut and dye your hair?" Dads friend asks me, taking my attention away from the beauty. I think his name is Kaleb or something like that.

"Last weekend," I shrug.

"Why? It was so pretty before."

"Because I like this better," I shrug again. "It's more me." They all go back to their conversation and continue drinking. I know I'm going to have to either drive them back myself or get someone sober to drive us. Every time I come here Dad gets drunk and either passes out here or has to get a ride back.

I've never had to drive them back but I know how to drive from the lessons Mom and Brady have given me on the back roads. So I could if i needed to. "Still playing the guitar?" One of the other drunk guys questions me. I simply nod.

"You should play something. I can get my guitar from inside," an other suggests.

"I only know one song," I shrug, shaking my head slightly.

"That means you can't play it for us?" The first guy asks.

"I just don't feel like playing right now," I shrug again. It's a lie. I actually just want to relax and start practicing again. They scoff and start a new conversation.

I ignore them as I sit on the grass next to the fire. Watching the flames move is relaxing even with the drunken group going on about random things around me.

After a while of them getting more and more drunk Dad and Karen decide almost two in the morning is a good time to go back. As we're walking to the truck Dad slurs the words, "I'll drive back so I can get up for work tomorrow." I have no idea how driving back will let him work tomorrow.

"No, I'll drive," I pipe up. "I know how to drive and you can barely walk."

"I'm fine to drive," Dad slurs. Karen and I both give him a look. Even if she's a drunk bitch, she still knows not to drive drunk. Dad sighs. "Fine." He gives me the keys and we get in the truck. I pull out of the driveway and start down the road to Dads house.

A cop drives by us as I keep the truck at a decent speed down the road. As I continue driving I almost sigh in relief when the cop continues past us.

I manage to get us back safely and we all go inside. Dad and Karen stumble to bed almost instantly. And I try to get some sleep on the couch with a single blanket with little to no avail.