Not Your Average Girl

Chapter 7 - The Truth Behind My Father's Death

★ Tori's POV ★ 

MY DAD IS DEAD. 

Now, how he died is kinda personal and I honestly don't remember much.

In fact, I barely remember him. He was gone most of the time. My mom always seemed to go dim when I mention him. Literally, like a light. She goes out and seems sadder. Like the memory of my father's presence is too much to bear.

She would tell me some things, but I still wondered. Who was my father? What was he like? It was almost like there was a hole in my heart where my father should have been but never was. What my mother did tell me seemed to fill the hole, but only momentarily. It would go empty again, just waiting for more information to hold onto.

"Your father was not a trustworthy man. He never stayed home for more than 2 hours a day. He was always out and about doing his own thing. I never knew where he was and I quite honestly didn't really care." She'd always say.

"Your father was rumored to have gotten another girl pregnant and that's where he was all the time. Taking care of the child." Excuses. Excuses. Our town didn't know what to make of Christopher Ramirez. Honestly, my mother and I didn't either.

"Sometimes, he'd leave for weeks at a time. When he'd come home, he was either drunk, tired, dirty, or heartbroken. He wasn't a good father or husband. The whole town knew it too."

"One day, your father left and never came back. He just packed his bags and left us. I thought if I tried to convince myself that he died then it'd be easier. Gosh, what a lie that was."

So my mom did. She told me he died of cancer and that was it. My father was dead and I believed it. For awhile at least, until I had a growing suspicion he wasn't dead. I pestered my mom and eventually when I was 14, she cracked.

Now, I know the truth. My dad is just some man who wasn't cut out to be a father. Maybe a wife, but certainly not a father.

~~~~

My phone buzzes with text messages. Who could possibly be texting me at 7:45 in the morning? I take my phone out of the back pocket of my jeans and glance at my lock screen, now covered in message boxes from Tanner. Sometimes he can be a real pain in the ass.

                         6:30 am
Tanner : Hey, wanna come over to my place tonight? It's been a little lonely here without you!

                          7:30 am
Tanner : Tori? Are you asleep?

                            7:47 am
Me : I was. Why the hell is your ass up at 6:30? Ya know, some of us, are trying to get a decent amount of sleep here!

Tanner : Lol. Sorry. Thanks for reminding me why you don't have a boyfriend. If they so much as text you at 9:00 in the morning, you break up with them for waking you up.

Me : Ouch. That was harsh.

Tanner : Harsh but true.

Me : Oh and ya, I'd love to come over! What time?

Tanner : I'll pick you up. How about in 15 minutes?

Me: Sure! Now that I'm awake. 😩

~~~~

I get dressed into a cute white tank top and a leather jacket with black skinny jeans and my favorite pair of converse.

I brush my hair and curl the ends. I put on light makeup and hear a knock on my bedroom door. I open it, popping a mint into my mouth.

Tanner is wearing gray jeans and a blue collared shirt. He smiles and I open my door wider. He jumps onto my bed, propping his head up on his palm.

"So, this is the bed that I can't seem to get you out of," Tanner says.

I grab a pillow that had fallen onto the floor and throw it at him. He catches it easily, laughing at my horrible aim.

"Ya know, if you want to laugh at my aim, you can leave. I can make plans with someone else." I say, crossing my arms over my chest and smiling like the Cheshire Cat.

"Okay okay! I'll stop!" Tanner says, holding up his hands in pure surrender.

"Good." I say and turn towards the door. We leave with Tanner mumbling inaudible things to himself.

When we exit the building, I'm surprised to see that Tanner drove here. Tanner owns like 3 motorcycles and he almost-never drives. Until today. His car is a white BMW convertible. It's great for the soul, not for the hair.

Tanner's house is like 10 times bigger than mine. It has white shutters and yellow paint. His parents are like never home so we always get the house to ourselves.

He has a guest house and a huge porch that overlooks his own private lake. I love his house.

~~~~

"So, wanna play pool?" Tanner asks, gesturing to the giant pool table in his room. I nod my head.

Tanner is very competitive. He almost-always ends up breaking something at the end due to frustration and/or anger.

When we finish pool, we curl up on his bed and watch tv. I'm so jealous of the fact that he has his own tv in his room. My mom won't let me get one no matter how many times I've asked.

When a commercial comes on, Tanner mutes the tv. He turns to me, his dirty blonde hair falling into his eyes. He brushes away his bangs and crosses his arms over his chest.

"So, find out anything about Ray?" Tanner asks. I shake my head.

"No, but I have a feeling I know more than I think." I say. My eyes scan ever nook and cranny of Tanner's room, until they finally rest on his ceiling.

"What do you mean? You think that you know who he is?" Tanner asks. I shake my head again.

"I don't know!" I say, giving up. "I believe that if Ray wanted me to know who he really is, he probably would have told me already!" I snap. Tanner runs his hand through his hair, making it messy. He lets out a big sigh and un-mutes the tv. It comes back on, but on a dog food commercial.

For now, the room is quiet. Except for the drone of the tv. I sit up on Tanner's bed, my eyes still on the ceiling, wondering still who Ray really is. Once again, I come up with no answer.