Sorcery (Louis Tomlinson)

x. Photograph

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing with my daughter?" Dad asked, setting the pot down on a counter top in the kitchen quickly before walking over to both of us. My hand quickly released itself from Louis', digging into my coat pocket.

Dad crossed his arms over his chest as he stared Louis down, making my heart pound and my stomach feel like it was in my throat. Louis seemed to now realize just how much trouble he was in, attempting to smile and hold his hand out for Dad to shake.

"You must be Mira's father. I'm Louis, nice to meet you." He spoke politely, Dad holding up his hand as he turned his anger to me.

"You've been seeing a boy behind my back?" He asked angrily. His usually warm eyes were cold with rage, his condescending demeanor something that rarely appeared when he spoke to me. "I thought I raised you right to where we didn't keep secrets from each other."

"Dad, he's not my boyfriend, he's just a hiking friend I met in the woods." I attempted to explain myself, but Dad wouldn't have it.

"So you met a stranger in the woods and still didn't tell me. Mira what if he did something bad to you and I had no idea?" Dad spoke as if Louis wasn't even in the room, my eyes catching Louis biting his lip and rocking back and forth on his heels awkwardly.

"But he didn't do anything to me." I argued, mirroring my father as I crossed my own arms over my chest. Dad was becoming so concerned with my safety that he was suffocating me, clipping my wings so I couldn't fly anywhere no matter how hard I tried. "I can take care of myself."

"Mira, I think we both know you wouldn't be able to help yourself if your heart had a problem. Especially if he was around!" Dad pointed to Louis, still refusing to address him.

"Sir, I promise I had no intention of harming your daughter." Louis interjected with his hands held up in surrender, the cold look in my father's eyes scaring me like never before as they glared at Louis.

"Get out of my house and leave my daughter alone." He ordered coldly, my jaw dropping in shock.

"Dad, please just listen-" I begged, but Mark Lane only held a hand up to silence me.

"I would have listened had you told me you met this boy a long time ago in the forest, but you never did." He spoke quickly before turning back to Louis, who was attempting to make the situation better in anyway he could.

"Get out. Now." He ordered Louis again, who now looked to me sadly before walking towards the door. Once he left, Dad slammed it shut, making me wince. I bit my lip as I felt the first tear run down my cheek and drip to the floor, my hands balled into fists at my sides. Dad was silent as he walked past me back to the kitchen, continuing to prepare dinner just as if nothing had happened.

He had gotten rid of one of the things that made me happy here like it was nothing. He had told Louis to get out as if he were a dog, and I a petty toddler who brought him home and begged to keep him.

He really was clipping my wings. Louis was out soaring in the open sky and fresh air, and I was stuck in my nest admiring him from afar, unable to leave in fear I wouldn't be able to survive.

I was tired of being stuck in my nest.

"Mira, come and sit down for dinner." Dad spoke plainly, void of any emotion. There was no joking, no silly faces or witty sayings like usual as I quietly walked into the kitchen. I didn't sit at the table though, still choosing to stand in the doorway of the kitchen.

Dad had made Asian food tonight, beginning to scoop noodles, chicken, and vegetables into two bowls. He pulled two forks out of a drawer and set the food down on the kitchen table, placing a fork next to each bowl before sitting down in front of his meal. He finally looked at me, his aging face void of any emotion at all.