We can hurt together

~ Darren ~

DARREN

*8 years later*

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

I shut my clock up and got out of bed. It was 5:20am. Yes, it's early, but I should prepare Hannah's lunch. I started heading towards the bathroom to take a shower. Warm water is the best. After my shower, I got dressed. I had tight jeans, a bit ripped with a Thrasher shirt, olive green, with black vans.

I checked my watch and it was 5:45am. I headed downstairs towards the kitchen and went straight to the fridge. Started getting all the ingredients for Hannah's favorite fruit salad and chicken sandwich.

After making her lunch, I went back upstairs, going in to Hannah's room. Once I opened the door I stayed in the door frame just to simply look at her. She's grown so much. I love her to pieces. I then walked over to her bed, she was hugging Spike, her stuffed husky, tight. I gave her that stuffed husky at the age of 5. Let me tell you, she was the happiest 5-year-old that day. She has been bugging me to get her a real husky for her 9th birthday this year. I've been saving money to get her that dog.

"Baby," I shake her a little bit. "Hannah, it's time to wake up, babygirl." I kissed her forehead. She mumbled a few words before yawning. She sat up, rubbing her little eyes.

"Good morning, babygirl. Ready for your first day of school?" I asked her, giving her a kiss in the check.

"Are they home?" She asked, hoping that they weren't.

"No, they are not home." I gave her a smile because I knew what she wanted to do.

"Good morning, daddy." She said very cheerfully. She wrapped her little arms around my neck, hugging me tight.

I chuckled, wrapping my arms around her. "Ah, my beautiful little pumpkin." She giggled when I tickled her. "I missed you." I looked at her beautiful, bright face and smiled.

"But you tucked me in bed yesterday, daddy." This time she laughed, hard. I couldn't help but laugh at her. She's my world, reason I keep going with myself.

"I don't care. I'll always miss you. Even in school, I miss you." I kissed her check.

"Really? Even in school?" She says very amused.

"Yes, pumpkin, even in school I miss you." She smiled so big, it's like the first time she went to Disney.

"I miss you too, daddy. Even in school." She kissed my check and hugged me again. Her warmth makes me happy.

"Now come on, go shower, I'll make you your favorite."

"Waffles with Nutella!?" She was eager. I chuckled at her excitement.

"Maybe, I don't know. Guess you'll have to find put, don't you?" I said, making her run to the bathroom and take a shower.

I walked out of her room and went to the kitchen, once again. It's been eight years since the car accident, eight years of torture. Our parents have been treating us like shit. I don't mind me, but Hannah doesn't deserve that. She was bare 2 when he died. She needs her parents, to guide and protect her. They made that choice and look, Hannah doesn't even see them as parents. She sees me as her father, and according to her I'll always be her father figure. Sometimes it breaks me that she looks up to so much. It's like I can't ever let her down, because if I do it will be hard to get her back. She's been hurt too much.

It started when my dad almost hit her at the dinner table for not having too many friends. Before he committed the biggest mistake of his life, I stopped his hand. Hannah was in the verge of tears, when I saw that little face of her it broke me to pieces. I wish I could just put some sense in to them but it's like talking to a rock. Ever since that happened, she's been afraid of our parents. I'm happy that she has someone to call father, who's me. It makes me happy that she's happy.