𝐈𝐕𝐘 𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐃 || 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐤

☰15- A STARK FATHER

(June 2015)
[BERLIN, GERMANY]

I sat outside the office with my suitcases and bags, which wasn't much since I never stayed on one place for long. Tony was in the office getting yelled at by the headmaster once again, I had already been yelled at before he arrived. He had been in there for an hour before finally coming out, apologizing one last time while saying goodbye and shutting the door.

He put on his sunglasses and stuck his hands in his pockets before turning to look at me, at least that's what I could see out of the corner of my eyes. I knew he was going to lecture me. I wanted to make it short because it was always the same lecture, like he had memorized a script. He didn't, he just stood there looking at me.
I walked past him and waved at the teachers, telling them goodbye in German and waving sarcastically because they didn't really like me at this point.

We made it outside and into the car, he started driving and we sat in silence. I was looking out the window, taking in the scenery so I could come back if I wanted to.

"All right." He huffed and pulled over on the side of the road. "I let the talking back, the ditching, and the riots go! I let them go but you used your blast—"

"It was self defense." I replied and smiled. "Which I wouldn't have to use if you hadn't put me in a school that would allow a teacher to hit her student.
In my defense it wasn't my blast, it was an accidental chemical mix that exploded at a terrible time. She just happen to be caught in the explosion."

He inhales and exhales. "Tell me what I'm doing wrong."

I roll my eyes and open a portal.

"No!" He called but I was in and made the opening really small.

I heard him sigh and continued to drive.

↠ ↠ ↠

I listened to the car as I was doing touch up until we came to a stop, I poked my head out and saw we were at the airport. I grabbed my bags, following Tony onto the jet. I was dreading it it but no one really cared, especially Tony who still didn't let me use my powers to get us 'home' as quickly as possible.
It was silent again between us, that's basically how it always was. I took my usual seat and pulled out my book that Quinn had given me at the beginning of the month.

   When we were free to roam I checked my watch, it wasn't long since we got on. Tony walked over to sit across from me, drink in hand.

"Listen, I've been asking for.. what? Two years now?"

"Two years, five months." I nodded. "Every few months, when suspension comes rolling around."
I place my book on my lap. "Can you send me to like... Egypt? Or London!"

"This is a joke to you?" He asked.

   "To us." I answer. "Father-Daughter bonding type of thing."

   "Amelia, I paid money to put you in these prestigious schools. I send you birthday presents and bring you home during breaks and holidays! I call you—"

"No one asked you too." I cut him off. "You send me away, you then try to buy my love and respect, and you only call the first two weeks then I never hear from you unless it's to tell me you already bought a ticket to send me 'Home' wherever that is."
I scoff and open my book. "You gave that responsibility to Quinn. She actually cares enough to talk to me about more than school. She lived with me when you sent me to Japan and she always lives close to the schools I attend."

"Hey! I'm the adult! I know what's best for you!" He stops screaming, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Tell me what I'm doing wrong, because I'm new to all of this. I've never raised a child."

"You never wanted to raise a child and I knew it from the start." I tell him. "You started sending me to boarding school where they could raise me. I would have been better off in New York all by myself."

"You're my kid! I couldn't just leave you after knowing that. I wanted to make things right."

"There it is." I roll my eyes and look at him. "All guilt. You act like you're new to all of this! I've never had a father! The closest I've had was my Welo and he died when I was six so I'm sorry that I can't walk you through this!"
I get up and pace down the aisle. "What about me?! Huh Tony? What about your own daughter!? I wanted family! After being kept for three years and being told my grandmother had cancer and wasn't going to live. I thought 'I still have my dad!' But everyone knew who you were! Playboy Genius inventor and billionaire and oh yeah, Iron Man!"

Tears filled my eyes. "I told you that I just wanted the money to pay for all Lita's funeral costs." I sit back down in front of him, my throat tightening more and more. "My family was always close, my mom lived with her parents because she was taking care of them after they raised her. We always spent the holidays together, when I was sick mama would stay home to take care of me. Welo took me on picnics. Lita showed me how to cook traditional Mexican food. Family stuff, Tony."
I wipe my tears and look away. "You know something you wish you had." I glanced back at him. "You had a workaholic father but you had one."

"Yeah, one who was rarely ever really there." He looked out the window then his face shifted into shock.

"Yeah." I scoffed and looked at my hands. "I know exactly how that feels."

   We stayed silent, especially him as he connected my childhood with his, they weren't the same in any aspect except for the way he was currently treating me.

"I genuinely believe that you really don't want me in your life." I say and bite my bottom lip to stop it from quivering. "That, the farther you push me away, the less I actually exist to you."
I look out the window at the passing clouds. "You don't want me, you just feel guilty and feel like you have to care for me. Like father like son."

"Amelia—"

I lean back into my chair. "I'm sorry..." I open my book. "Uh... seriously London next. I might come back with an accent."

"Really?" He asks. "You just let everything out and act like it didn't just happen?"

"Do you think I can get an accent in six months?" I ask with an accent. "I might even just stay there until I graduate! I can play some fútbol. I already know how to play."

"I don't want to push you away." He says and I look at him over my book. "I mean... I thought you would be safer gone. Look I'm not some amazing father, I definitely want to be better than my own dad."
I ignore him. "Fine. You're done with boarding school, you're moving back in with me."

I set my book down and look at him. "I want you to abandon me." I tell him with all seriousness. "I can take care of myself."

"No No! You are right!" He speaks like he's going to give some amazing speech. "How can we both be better people!? Family! We spend more time together. How do we spend more time together? By living together!"

"Tony, really think about what you're saying." I told him. "I turned 14 five months ago, you're not fit to raise a teenager."

"I can do all kinds of research online." He told me. "JARVIS download every parenting book to ever exist. No, scratch that."
   He looks at me. "We're past that part. Make it just raising a teenager, any book about raising a teenager or teen girl."

"JARVIS, please don't." I plead.

'Downloading books.' JARVIS announced. 'I sincerely apologize to you, Miss Amelia.'

I glare at Tony who smiles. "I'm never going to open up to you again."

"That's normal." Tony shrugs it off. "Apparently you'll be doing that for a while."

I get up and go to the bathroom, slamming the door shut.

"Teenage mood swings! Get that a lot too!" Tony called, the smile could clearly be heard in his voice.

I balled up a towel and screamed into it, frustrated. It had perfectly muffled the scream as I wrapped my head around what just happened. I sighed and leaned against the door.

How bad can it really be?