Give Me Hope [Teen Wolf] (Wattys2014)

4 - Blood

   Dinner is always my least favorite. Mainly because I'm always the one that ends up sitting the closest to dad. Every movement he does makes me flinch. I haven't done anything wrong, but I feel like he'll just hit me for no reason. It wouldn't be the first time.

   I push my food around on my plate. The idea of eating anything right now makes me sick. Isaac has completely given up on eating. His plate pushed to the side.

   "Chloe, what are your grades?" Dad peers through his glasses.

   His voice sends goosebumps down my back. "M-My grades?" I stare at my glass of water.

   "Yes. Your grades."

   I pick up my water to take a sip. "Um– so far it's an "A" in French and a "B" minus in Econ."

   Dad nods, cutting a piece of meat. "Oh. What about chemistry?"

   Oh shit. My chemistry grade is way too low. He'll lose it if I tell him. I can't tell him. For once, I don't want to end the day in the freezer. "I-I'm not sure. Uh, midterms are in a few days so it could go up."

   Isaac watches the two of us, carefully and quietly. His grade is just as bad as mine.

   "Well, what's it at now?" Dad scoops some food on his fork.

   My palms begin to sweat. "The g-grade?"

   "Uh, yeah."

   I place my shaky hands in my lap under the table. "Uh, I'm not sure."

   Dad narrows his piercing eyes. "But you just said it could go up."

   "I just–uh, I meant generally."

   "You wouldn't be lying to me, would you, sweetheart?" Dad uses the dreaded nickname.

   My heart rapidly beats against my chest. Tonight is not going to end well for me. He basically just promised me that I'm going in the freezer. "No."

   His face grows colder, like he's plotting what to do with me in his head. "Then tell me your grade."

   "She just told you, she doesn't know." Isaac stands up for me.

   Dad points a warning finger. "Don't get involved, Isaac." He focuses his attention back on me. "You wanna take this little conversation downstairs?" I shake my head, eyes wide with fear. "No? Then tell me the grade, sweetheart."

   "Dad, this semester's only half over." Isaac speaks up again.

   Dad heavily glares at him. "Chloe?"

   Isaac comes to my rescue for the third time. "There's plenty of time for her to-"

   "Chloe." Dad says in a harsh voice.

   I flinch. "It's–it's a "D"."

   Dad sighs and I stare at the white tablecloth. "All right. It's a "D". I'm not angry." Lie. He's always angry. "You know I'm gonna have to find a way to punish you though. You know, I have my responsibility as a parent." There it is. I'm going in the freezer. I squeeze my eyes shut, terrified. "So, we'll start with something simple, like, uh– Tell you what, you do the dishes and you clean up the kitchen, okay?"

   My eyes flash open. What? He's letting me off that easily? He never does that. "Y-Yeah."

   Dad nods and lifts the little teacup up to his mouth. "Good. Because I– I'd really like to see this place spotless." Dad tosses the teacup to the side.

   The cup shatters on the floor not too far away from me. I flinch at the loud crash. My heart stops at the sudden change in my dad. I fearfully peek up to see him staring. Isaac's hand searches for mine without being seen. I desperately grab his in mine.