This Is England » Freddie Highmore

29.

BEER BOTTLES AND the stench of nicotine filled the apartment, giving me an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach. It showed how much of a man my dad was, how much he loved to drink; to smoke.

"Come get yer shite," he stated bitterly, tossing boxes to the carpeted floor. I quickly picked them up, briskly handing them to Freddie.

"Go put these in the car," I said, trying to control my quivering voice. Freddie said nothing, only following my orders.

I waited for another box to be carelessly thrown, but what I saw was a woman entering the living room; her attire and age to be quite young. She handed me a bunch of pounds, some quid, and a necklace that I had left here years before when I visited him.

"My father wishes that you are to never return," she spoke, her accent filling my ears. "He states that you belong in New York, where that whore of a mother is."

I slapped her across the face, leaving a red mark linger on her pale skin.
No one talks about my mother that way.

"What the Hell is going on in here?!" my father marched into the room, noticing the reddened mark on his daughter's face. He then told her to go to her room, and that's when he pushed me onto the ground; kicking me and hitting my body left and right.

"Dad, stop!" I cried, cowering my face into my shaking hands. Before I could feel another blow course into my body, I heard a crash. Looking up from my current position, I saw Freddie in front of me; my father staggering from the wall.

"You don't hit her, understand?!" Freddie roared, his fist clenched so tightly that it began to shake. "She's your daughter! Not your punching bag!"

"She's just like that mother of hers, son," my father slurred. "I don't know why you hang about with her."

Freddie turned back to look at me, then extended his hand out as he helped me up. I was so scared, my breath was shaking vigorously.

"I might not like her mother either," he squeezed my hand. "but without her, Amelia wouldn't exist. I like Amelia, and you had missed your chance at getting to know her after all these years."
He took the last box in one hand and walked us out the door with the other before it was laced against mine.

We got into the car, and said nothing.

-

"Are you okay?" Freddie asked as we turned to the next street. It had been an hour since we last talked.

"No." I blinked my eyes away, trying to prevent myself from crying. "After all these years, I still can't believe my dad doesn't love me."

We were now at a stop light, Freddie reached over and grabbed my hand that was resting against my thigh.

"Amelia," I turned to look at his face that was covered in black bags under his eyes. "he might not like you, but I like you. I like you and that's all that should matter."

He meets my gaze and soon we find ourselves leaning closer, but we pulled away once the lights changed.

"Go into the glove compartment," Freddie instructed. I looked at him quizically and did as he told me to do. I reached inside a pulled out a small bag full of weed.

Great. Just fucking great.

"Why do you have weed in my glove compartment?" I cocked my head to the side in annoyance.

Freddie smirked, the dimple on the right side of his face in full view once his lips curved into a mischievous grin.

"Figured you'd need it," my eyes widened. "I think we need to find ourselves again, Amelia. We used to be close, despite the fact our what we had only lasted for two months."

He found an old park and took the baggie from my hand, pulling out a small, white paper as he broke the Cannabis into tiny pieces.

He lit the joint's end and gestured towards me, the lighter's flickering light shining off the side of his face.

"Fine," I said with a sigh. "if it'll get me to forget about everything."

Freddie laughed as I sucked my lips while I inhaled the Cannabis smoke. I held it in, then exhaled it out.

"We used to be so close," Freddie said in a raspy voice as he held in the smoke. "I also remember that you used to have a rebellious streak to your personality." he took another drag, "I liked that,"

I took another hit, exhaling the smoke a couple of seconds later; the Cannabis taking its effect on my body.

"I like you, Amelia."

I laughed, my eyes squinting from the amount of smoke that was surrounding the car.

"I like you too, Freddie."

...