For My Aching Soul

Chapter 7

My body rode the waves exuded by the passionate music resonating throughout the studio. I kept my eyes closed as I moved my arms loosely, letting out all my emotions from earlier.

The music suddenly stopped and I initially thought it was just the old radio acting up. But my eyes flew open when I heard the voice of my father.

"I just knew y-you'd be h-here you little b-b-brat!" He stuttered and slurred his words, a clear sign of his drunkenness.

I stared at him dumbfounded.

"W-well get your shit and lllet's g-go," he gestured for me to come over to him but I didn't move.

"Don't you hear me Nicole?!" he yells.

I laugh and shake my head before going back to dancing to the silence, trying to contain my disgust.

Suddenly my father yanks my arm from above my head and begins pulling me with him.

"Let me go you asshole!" I spit at him.

"You better shut up and come with me Luanne!" He retorts.

My eyes water immediately, "What the hell are you talking about? I'm not Luanne, I'm not my mother." I try to break free from his grasp but it only gets tighter.

"Of course you aren't. Luanne left me to deal with you, my bratty daughter."

I gasp and the tears begin to roll down my cheeks, "Is that why you wanna demolish the place she called home? Because you're holding a grudge?!"

This earns me a slap right across the face,"You don't know anything Nicole!"

I respond immediately, not bothering to tend to my burning left cheek,"I know enough to know that you are a selfish sad excuse for a man!"

This drives him up the wall,"SHUT UP!"

He releases my hand suddenly and I fall onto the floor,"I loved your mother and she loved this place more than me. I love you and you do the same. What is it with you women and this dump?!" He throws his hands up incredulously.

"You don't love me," I spit out, looking at him with utter disgust.

"Of course I love you Luanne! You left me, you left me!" he calls me my mother's name again before walking over to the mirror and taking a firm fist to it. The old structure came crumbling right down. Shards of glass flying everywhere.

He kneels in a pile of broken glass and begins to sob.

I scramble to my feet and grab my bag before he can get a chance to get up.

I slept at Abriana's house that night. She didn't pry. She ran me a warm bath and, after I was dressed, got out the mint chocolate ice-cream.