Haven

Chapter Thirty Four

Jaida

I was lying on my stomach, hating the fact that it's Saturday tomorrow and I couldn't go to school so as to escape from dads over strict ass for a few hours when I heard commotion downstairs.

As I tried to figure out who had came into my sanctuary, note the sarcasm, I heard dad yell upstairs for me to come down. Nope.

My inner battle of whether to pretend to be asleep or risk being caught snooping at the top of the stairs when he inevitably came upstairs to tell me how much he hated to repeat himself, was short lived.

Just as I stood up to risk a peek, he appeared at the top of the stairs, a brow raised as he tries to figure out what my game was.

"What are you doing?" He chuckles, and I shake my head, caught out. "Listen, Madison stopped by unexpectedly," he tells me, rubbing the back of his neck almost nervously.

It's my turn to cock a brow, as if Maddie being here was anything new.
"With her sister." He finishes, and I feel my lips form a hard line. Nope.

So I turned around, and headed back into my room, feeling extremely put out.
Alex follows me, and I roll my eyes. What did he think I would do? Come downstairs and say hi. Thanks for telling everyone at school about my very private business and attacking my friend while I got jumped by two of your friends? Yeah fucking right.

"Maddie obviously wants to attempt to clear the air, it's coming up to the holidays," he explains, shrugging and I roll my eyes again.
"I. Don't. Give. A. Shit." I look him in the eye, enunciating each word.

He straightens up, and I scoff. "Watch your mouth Jaida," he spits. "And your tone!" He adds, pointing a finger at me.

"You go and play happy families with her, if I go down there I might be tempted to show her what usually goes down when people think they can walk all over me." I tell him, not understanding what he expects from me here.

He has the same look of determination I'm sure is plastered across my face. "You held your own that night, you're gonna hide upstairs this time?" He smirks, knowing I'll take that challenge.

I glare at him, knowing I can't take anymore punishment but also not willing to be treated like I'm the one in the wrong here.
"Fine, but let it be known here and now that I will not be held responsible for my actions if I get so much as a disgusted look." I tell him and I hold my hand up to shut him up as he tries to respond. "You will meet a version of me that's only written in those stupid files your girlfriend spoke so much about behind my back, and there'll be nothing anyone can do to hold me back." I say, gesturing for him to lead the way, and he does look slightly taken aback, and unsure if he wants to proceed.

He sighs deeply, nodding to himself. "Fine, okay." He says, leading me downstairs. What a reassuring answer. He has been hell bent on undermining me ever since I arrived, inviting multiple females intending to challenge my position in his life. I'm his daughter, do normal daughters have to reiterate that multiple times or is this exclusive to daughters only discovered 15 years post birth.

Before I was guilt ridden and scared of being put back in the system, now I knew where I stood with my dad, so I was not being pushed around or being made to feel any type of way.

When I followed behind Alex into the living room, I instantly nodded to Madison, but I could feel just how hostile both my expression and body language were.

"Hey Jadey." Madison smiles enthusiastically, and I have to hold back the scoff at the nickname. I didn't even try to smile. I'm sick of everyone double crossing me and trying to force me into situations I don't wanna be in. "I thought you guys should meet under better circumstances and clear the air, in the spirit of Christmas!" Madison enthuses and I roll my eyes quite dramatically, hearing a scoff from her sister.