Paradise City.

Chapter 52: Gallery.

Chapter 52: Gallery.

March 15 2013.

Today I’m celebrating my eighteenth birthday at Johnny’s Saloon. Yesterday I had a nice chat with Jason, who suggested that when I tell everybody I have Phil there with me as a security blanket. I told Bailey a long time ago, she seemed cool about it. But my dad, I’m terrified that he’ll wig out and hate me forever. I wish Bailey was here, Bailey will be staying at home with Alfie and Kier not because she doesn’t want to come or because no one else will come watch them but because she also has to make some business calls. Dad told me before we left that if Phil doesn’t keep his hands to himself, he will be brutally massacred. Phil turned eighteen before I did, he was born in January, and Dan will be eighteen in June. So sadly I couldn’t bring both of my best friends because Dan is under age. But as soon as we’re home, I’ll call him and fill him in on every detail big and small. At the bar the guys made sure I had my ID that I got today so I can sit at the bar and have a couple drinks with my family. Not too many because it’s my first time in a bar, that everyone knows of at least. I wore a pair of black shorts with thick black pantyhose underneath with a white tank top with the American flag in faded print on it. I wore the same red boots she always has. I still had the long blonde hair that I’ve grown up with; it made dad smile to see how much I’ve grown up. I wore a bright pink hat that had eighteen fake candles on top and HAPPY BIRTHDAY written around it. I looked like the Mad Hatter.

“You’re beautiful tonight.” Phil said with a kind smile and a soft stroke on my leg. I smiled weakly at him and shrugged.

“Even with the hat?” I asked unsure of myself. I probably looked like a mental patient. Phil smiled widely at me, his eyes glowed brightly as he gave me a once over. He nodded.

“Even with the hat.” He complimented and kissed my cheek gently. My eyes dashed over to my dad, he wore a dull expression as he kept a very keen eye on the pair of us. I smiled widely and used the straw to stir my Long Island Iced Tea. But underneath that smile I wore a worried expression. I looked over at Phil for reassurance; it made my stomach knot when he nodded carefully. He knew that I was going to tell everyone today and all day he’s been trying to get me to say something. I looked back down into my drink.

“So ugh, guys, I need to talk to you about something.” I said avoiding eye contact with anyone. It made my stomach drop, oh God this is it. My dad probably thinks I’m about to tell him I’m pregnant and Phil’s the dad. Here we go. No! Oh God I can’t do this. I can’t bare the silence I’m putting us all through. Everyone leaned in close waiting for me to tell us the big thing that’s been nagging my mind.

“I’m not going to be attending University in California this fall.” I announced sullenly. I looked up at dad; he wore an expression that said he knew there was more to it than just this. He knew me too well.

“So where are you going to be attending University?” Michelle asked from a couple feet away. I looked at Phil again, he nodded again.

“Nowhere.” I stuttered carefully. My heart dropped down into my ass. Everyone was quiet again. They’re probably thinking the same thing I’m assuming they’re thinking, I’m a smart talented young lady who’s eager to learn and grow academically. I looked up, immediately looking at dad with sheer terror in my eyes.

“I’m sorry dad.” I muttered carefully. My head dropped into my hands when dad’s expression fell and his face paled into sheet white. My heart tore in two when his eyes fell from mine, he couldn’t look at me.

“I’m not going to University because I got a better career offer as a radio show hostess.” I added making dad pull his head out of his hands. I sat there probably looking extremely worried. A dumb smile crossed my dad’s face. Everybody breathed a breath of relief. Oh thank you God! Thank you for not killing me while doing this.

“What radio station are you going to be hosting?” Johnny asked curiously. My smile carefully crept onto her face.

“BBC Radio One.” I said softly. I’ve never heard of that radio station. “-In London with Dan and Phil.” I added. And the smile was gone. My stomach lurched and my heart stopped beating momentarily. Dad’s expression dropped again, I could see the hurt on his face. I could see the disappointment but I knew that I needed to do this. Phil and I are grown up and we’re moving on. I walked over to my dad and my hand on his shoulder with a worried expression.

“Dad, are you okay?” I asked curiously. He sighed and gave me a stern expression.

“We’ll talk about this when we get home.” He warned me. What the fuck? What the actual fuck? We’ll talk about this when we get home?! Did he really just say that? I looked over at Phil sadly. I felt like my heart was stabbed fifty times then ripped from my chest. I know he was going to be in shock but I didn’t know he was going to be this mean about it.

Most of the night was talk about how they found the videos they made and shit like that. My family were infatuated with how our boss’ kid found us on YouTube and how she suggested us to him. The entire night dad acted casual but there was tension between us. It made my stomach twist and turn and knot into tight loops. After we dropped Phil off at home we went directly to the house. We were casual the entire night and then the car ride but as soon as we stepped foot in the house all hell broke loose.

“What is your problem? What do you mean ‘We’ll talk about this when we get home?’ Are you not happy for me? I got a career.” I snapped at him in a loud voice. I didn’t mean to be that loud or angry but all the anger the filled me over the last few hours bubbled over.

“Yes Peasnie, I am happy. I’m so fucking happy that my daughter will be moving half way around the world with two teenage boys. Yeah, ‘cause a father should be happy about that.” He sneered at me in a sarcastic tone. I thoughtlessly curled my fingers up into tight fists.

“It’s about you not being happy not because I’m moving in with Dan and Phil, it’s because I’m not going to be within arms reach of you. I’m cutting the cord and you hate it.” I yelled at him loudly. Just then Bailey walked into the kitchen where we were arguing. She was surprised to hear us yelling at each other.

“Yes I hate that you’re not going to be within arms reach and I hate that. But y’know what I hate more, you didn’t discuss this with me before making a decision to move to fucking London fucking England with your boyfriend just so you can fuck him!” He yelled at the top of my lungs. He just said something that he didn’t mean. He didn’t mean any of that. He knows that’s not why I’m moving. I know I’m leaving to be free and begin a young adult life of my own. My eyes became wide and vision blurred. All of the colour fell from my face and my lower lip quivered before pure anger filled my face.

“I love him and you can’t stop me from loving him.” I snarled at him with a shaky voice that was filled with pure hatred, pure hatred that was directed towards him.

“You don’t know love. You’re too young.”

“How? How am I too young to love? You were eighteen when you purposed to Bailey.” I snapped at him loudly. Bailey didn’t try and get between us, she just let us duke it out until this blew over.

“I know but not all teen marriages work out.” Dad said sternly, straining his voice. I straightened out and looked at him with a displeased look.

“Y’know what, you have two options. I leave and we worked this out, you’re still apart of my life or I leave and you never hear from me ever again. But either way I going to London and you can’t stop me.” I said calmly but my voice was shaky and held anger and hatred in it. I turned and stormed out of the room. I felt like punching a wall. I stomped my way up the stairs and slammed my bedroom door shut so he knows he’s pissed me off. I plopped down on my bed with a loud grunt. After all of that I was exhausted. I can’t believe he’d do this to me on my birthday. I still can’t believe that eighteen years ago I was born. But that was eighteen years ago, I’m not a baby anymore. He needs to loosen his grip on me, I feel smothered. I need to show him that I’m not a baby anymore and he needs to chill out. He needs to let me go and do my own thing.