Achieving A Grades (GirlxGirl) (Student/Teacher)

(16) Guilty Repercussions

Peyton's POV

It was the day after my father hit me, a Friday, and it was the early morning. I had gotten up early to eat and drink and whatnot without being disrupted by my dad or my mother. Slowly, I crept down the stairs, wincing when it creaked, and made my way into the kitchen. As I passed, I looked into the lounge and noticed a figure asleep on the sofa - my father.

So my mother had heard it, then. She heard the slap. That didn't mean that this should cause marital problems, but it made me happy that my mum was just as upset about this as I was. After all, he had treated me terribly, come home after a few beers down some greasy bar and returned only to slap his own daughter. The remorse that coated his face afterwards only made it all the worse. He regretted it, so what? He still thought that in the moment slapping me was some sort of sick solution. 

My dad snored, and I jumped out of my skin. Oh, so he was alive. It was good to know that guilt (or me) hadn't suffocated him in his sleep. I moved on into the kitchen, quickly boiling the kettle which, thank God, wasn't a whistling kettle, and plonked some toast in the toaster. I was going to walk to school today. Sure, it took a while longer than a lift from Sebastian, but I was majorly early and the time to think would be good for me. Maybe I could evaluate this messed up situation and figure out why my dad did what he did. 

 Or maybe I'd just get more angry with him, who knew?

Either way, I was walking. Thinking about it, I probably could call Aubree and ask for a lift, seeing how she is a teacher and would need to arrive early, but I thought better of it. There is such a thing as being too dependant on someone, and I most certainly didn't want to cross that line. Besides, she'd want to talk about my father and what happened, which I most certainly didn't want. So, I was going to walk, and I was honestly happy about that.

I sent Sebastian a quick text telling him not to bother picking me up, before buttering my toast and quickly downing my coffee, ignoring the whole burning sensation that filled my mouth, turned my face red and made my eyes water. The coffee was direly hot, and soon the burning filled my chest, filling me with endless amount of pain. It was still so worth it.

Sucking the air through my teeth and waggling my burning tongue around in my mouth, I picked up my bag, walked to the door and left, my hand getting coated in butter at the way I carelessly held my toast. After the pain had died down, I ate my toast carefully as I walked, because my tongue was now ultra sensitive.

I didn't know what to do - not about the toast, that was unimportant - but about my father. Should I forgive him? Forgive him just to have him yell in my face again and ban me from the people I love? It didn't seem like a good choice, but staying angry was just so much effort. I mean, I was very, very angry at him, but more disappointed. Sad. How could he do that to me?

The heat of the moment, I think. I don't know if he was in control of his actions as he did them. I think he was affected by his anger, it transformed for only a second, a second where his anger was unleashed like the Incredible Hulk - just a lot less green and not as 'let me destroy the city rawwh'. 

Still, it was a good analogy. 

I hoped it were true. If it was I think it would make things a little better. I don't think in the slightest that it excuses hitting your own child, not at all, but it almost made me feel sorry for him. Almost. I could easily get over the slap if he wasn't still so adamant about me not seeing Aubree - he removed the idea of not being able to see Sebastian, claiming the 'damage had been done' - but Aubree? Aubree he still practically spit on.

I looked down at my watch to notice it was twenty past eight, and the school was now in sight. I was early, sure only ten minutes early, but early no less. It felt weird to be early, usually I was practically jumping out of my bedroom window and into Sebastian's car to be on time, so this was a weird sensation for me. The closer I got to the school the more I just didn't know what to do. Seriously, ten extra minutes in a place I can't stand?