Gem | Daniel Desario

[5]

Layla looked at herself through the small cracked mirror in the bathroom, running her fingers through her hair. "Where are you going?" A deep, hoarse voice asked behind her. She looked towards the side of the mirror, spotting her father by the bathroom door.

"Out." Was what Layla simply said, tucking her brown hair behind her ear, passing by her father as she walked towards the living room, sitting down on the slightly torn green couch.

"Did I give you permission to go out?" Her father followed her, crossing his tattooed arms over his chest.

"No, and it doesn't matter if you say I can't go out, I can do what I want, I'll find a way to sneak out," Layla grumbled out, tying up her shoes she had just slipped on. Layla could tell her father came home drunk, on the verge of blacking out as he couldn't even stand still, swaying side to side. Not to mention the strong scent of beer that lingered on him.

"I don't give a damn if you think you can do what you want. You are my daughter and you will do what I say." He slurred, placing his hand on the white wall beside him as support. "I will hunt you down if you leave and I'll drag you back by your hair if I have to." He seethed.

Layla stood up, grabbing a jacket as she neared by the front door. "You'll blackout soon. You won't have the energy to search for me." She slipped on the gray jacket, running her fingers through her hair again. "Instead of worrying about me," she placed a hand on her chest. "Worry about that bitch you've been fucking behind mom's back." A car honking caught her attention as she swung open the door, seeing her mother on the other end, her house keys gripped in her hand.

"What did you say?" Her mother asked, looking at Layla then back to her father who stood inside, cursing underneath his breath. Layla inhaled deeply, looking back over to who father who glared back at her. Her mother pushed her back into the house as she slammed the door closed, shaking the walls in the apartment. "Who the fuck is he sleeping with, Layla?"

"Don't listen to your bitch of a daughter, she just likes to cause trouble." Her father rubbed the side of his face, before plopping down on the couch.

"Layla, tell me the truth." Her mother said just as another honk was heard from the street outside the apartment building. Layla knew it was Daniel.

"You know what?" Layla sighed. "I don't care anymore. Yes, mom, dad has been leaving in the middle of the night, when you're gone, to sleep with that twenty-year-old upstairs. You wanna know how I know?" Layla asked, sitting on the edge of a small coffee table that had cigarette burns all over. "Because since I have to sleep in the living room, I always see him leave and come back, smelling like her cheap perfume."

Layla could see her mother shaking with anger, knowing a fight was gonna start between her mother and father, but what's new? As much as Layla's mother was a drunk, she deserved to know the truth, so Layla gave it to her, secretly hoping she would kick out her father, who was way worse than her mother. "Now, if you both don't fucking mind, I'll be out." Layla stood back up, brushing past her mom and out the door, already hearing the arguing start from inside as she walked out.

Rushing down the stairs and out the lobby, she searched for Daniels car, spotting him across the street. Kim was in the passenger seat, laughing loudly at something Daniel had said and Nick, Ken, and Lindsay sitting in the back. Layla sighed, crossing the street and opening the back door of Daniels car, slipping in and already being crushed against the door when she sat down because of how much people were in the back of the somewhat small car. "What took you so long?" Daniel asked over his shoulder as he began to drive.

"Stuff happened."

"Stuff? What stuff?" He asked, looking at the girl through the rear-view mirror.