I Want It All

Chapter 17

  "I hope my parents don't kill me," I whisper to myself as I quietly open the front door, doing the same when I close it. I turn around to see my dad, standing in the doorway with his arms crossed and a look of anger on his face.

  "Um, sorry?" I say, walking passed him.

  "Where have you been?" he asks, walking after me.

  "I was out, you knew that. I left with the boys," I answer, walking to my room. I throw my dress in my hamper.

  "Where'd you go?" he asks.

  "We went shopping, then went out for supper then to the club," I say, walking back out of the room.

  "Where'd you stay?"

  "Dad! I'm old enough to leave whenever I want!" I yell.

  "True, but you still live under my roof, you want to do whatever you want, live somewhere else," he growls, his face turning red with pure anger. "Now where did you stay?"

  "I stayed at Nathan's house," I answer. "Which is a two minute walk away from here. We left earlier than the others, we... crashed early."

  "Your mother and I have been worried sick about you. We lost one kid, we don't want to lose another. I am very mad at you, you know better than to leave and stay somewhere without telling us."

  "Dad I was with my friends! It's nice to get out of the house once in a while and have fun! I haven't been so happy before," I tell him, sitting on the couch in the living room.

  "That's good, but I just don't like it when you hang out with Nathan so much. He's changing you, turning you into the worst version of yourself," my dad says, looking deep into my eyes. The look of disgusted ringing in them.

  My mouth drops. "Are you fucking kidding me? Dad, four months ago you liked Nathan!"

  "Yes, because he was making you happy. But now he's got you going to clubs, coming home the next morning, going to gigs, smelling like cigarettes and alcohol...it's not you!"

  "Tom smokes! I didn't smoke! And I smell like alcohol because people were drinking in the club! I didn't drink! And don't you DARE blame Nathan! He's not doing anything wrong. He saw what happene dwith the paps and the mall and the boys wanted to take my mind off of that stuff and just have fun. And I go to gigs because I want to support him, I go places with him becaue it's my way of paying him back for saving me..."

  Shit, I didn't tell my dad that. I stare at his stunned and confused face. "What do you mean?"

  "Wow, some father. Dad, you knew I was depressed. Nathan got me to stop cutting and you're hating on him! He was doing your part dad! You should've been the one to stop the cutting, but no, you didn't even know about it because all you care about is yourself and your dead son. Dad, he's dead, and deep down you hate me for it because it was my fault. I'll make this easy for you, I'll fucking leave so you don't have to look at me ever again. At least Nathan cares about me in ways you don't as a parent,"

  "Emma get your ass-"

  "No!" I yell, running to my room. I lock my door and grab my suitcase, throwing stuff in it. I ignore the knocks from my father. I grab my phone, my beanie, my sunglasses and my car keys as I open my door, walking passed my dad.

  "Where the fuck are you going?" he beams at me.

  "None of your business," I answer.

  Suddenly, a hand flies to my head and smacks me, but not hard enough to knock me down. When I look up, shocked to see the hand came from my father. I inhale, and am shocked when I smell alcohol. He was doing so good...

  "Did you just hit me?" I cry, tears flooding my eyes.

  "Yes, you're being a little bitch," my dad growls.

  And with that comment, I storm out of the house and begin to walk. I can't take my car because if he drives around to try and find me, he'll see it. I speed up my pace as I think about him chasing after me.

  I run down the street, ignoring the stares coming from people driving and walking passed me. I continue to run until I reach his house. The boys' cars are gone, but Nathan's is still in the driveway. i hope he's home.

  I don't even bother knocking, I just storm in, sobs escaping me. A shocked Nathan runs around the corner, but relaxes when he sees it's just me. He walks closer until he sees that I'm crying, and runs, putting his hands on my face. "Love what happened? Are you okay?" he asks, his voice filled with worry and fear.

  I shake my head, tears flying from my eyes as I do so. "No...I'm not okay. My dad is drinking again, and...he hit me," I cry, burying my face into Nathan's chest, letting the tears soak his shirt.

  Nathan's arms wrap around me, rubbing my back. "Shh, shh, you're safe now, you're with me. It's okay shh," he soothes, but it doesn't work. I begin to shake, and heavier sobs escape me, filling the room. "Babe relax, I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere, shhh," he soothes again, this time calming me down when he said 'I'm here.'

  Nathan walks over to the door, locking it and shutting the blinds. He grabs my suitcase, then my hand and pulls me to his living room. He pulls me ontop of him as he lays down, and pets my hair. "Talk to me, what happened?"

  I tell him what happened. I tell him that my father was mad that I was out, all the way up to when he hit me. "Nathan, I'm scared he beats on my mum," I cry.

  "We should call the police," he says.

  "No, if he finds out I'm here, he'll probably kill me, or hurt you. If he hurts you I swear to god I will not live with myself."

  "Emma, if he hurt you, I will kill this bastard," he answers, tightening his arms around me protectively. "Has he done this before?"

  "Well, when Jack died, he started drinking, and he would hit me and my mum. But then he got better, or at least I thought he did. But I think he beats on my mum, she's so jumpy around him and protective over me.." I cry.

  "If he's done this before you should definitely call the police," he repeats.

  "Nathan you don't understand. If they don't accuse him of anything, he'll probably kill me and my mom. She's at work right now, maybe I can call her.."

  "Yes, call her and put her on speaker," Nathan says, sitting up.

  I dig my phone out of my bag and dial her number. "Hello?"

  "Mum! Thank god you're okay!" I cry.

  "Emma? Sweetheart what's wrong? What happened?"

  "It's dad...he hit me...and he's drinking and yelling. Mum please don't go home."

  "He hit you? He...he hit you?"  my mum's weeps fill the phone, making me cry. "Emma I'm so sorry, I wanted to get you away from him but he threatened me, and told me that he would find you. Emma, where are you?"

  "I'm at Nathan's house. Mum please don't go home!"

  "Honey, I have to, to keep him away from you. I love you Emma, be safe."

  Then the phone goes blank. "Mum? Mum!"

  Nathan's hand rubs up and down my back. "She's protecting you babe, it's what mother's do."

  "She's putting up with his beatings for me Nathan...this is all my fault. I'm...I'm sorry."

  "Don't be sorry. Everything is going to be okay, I promise, I won't let him get to you ever again," Nathan says, hugging me.

  How can a perfect morning turn into your worst nightmare in a few hours?