A/N-This chapter will include quite a few text messages. The way I have written them are in slang style etc...In order for you to differentiate between the main text and the messages, I have put the text messages in bold font with the name of whoever sent them at the start. The texts are also in order of the time they were sent. Hope this makes sense! :)
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I arrived home to find my dad's car parked on the driveway. As much as I knew I had to face the music at some point, I didn't think it would be so soon. My head is in such a mess at the moment that I can't even think straight. Firstly, I catch my dad snogging Mrs. Diamond and then I find myself kissing Finn, which has just added a whole level of confusion to whatever we are but right now, I've got bigger things to worry about.
I took a deep breath as I climbed the steps to the front door and inserted the key inside the lock and turning it, loosening the door from the frame.
"Lindsay?" I heard as I stepped inside, closing the door behind me.
I hung my jacket up on the rack and removed my shoes before I headed out the kitchen where I saw my dad sat at the breakfast bar with a glass and bottle of Single Malt Whiskey in front of him. Judging by the sound of his voice, it sounded like he'd had more than one glass already and it's not even 6pm yet!
I rolled my eyes as I grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge, shutting the door after me. I was just about to leave the room until I was stopped by my dad asking:
"Can we talk?"
I turned around to look at him. By this point, he was now slouching on top of the breakfast bar, hugging the bottle of whiskey. He's absolutely wasted and in no fit state for talking, especially about something as serious as this.
"Look at the state of you!" I exclaimed as I tidied away the whiskey and tipped the remaining liquid in his glass down the sink.
"Look darling, I didn't mean for you to witness what happened earlier." He slurred, head still rested upon the breakfast bar, eyes glossy which I wasn't sure was down to crying or drunkenness.
I poured him a glass of ice cold water and placed it down in front of him, watching him eye the clear liquid.
"Drink!" I ordered as I took a seat opposite him.
"I'm fine." He spoke as he leant to the side and almost fell off the stool. "Look, about me and Sian..." He added, causing me to sigh unenthusiastically.
"It really isn't any of my business." I told him as I looked down at my hands which were situated in my lap.
"I never wanted you to find out like that." He admitted, making eye-contact with me, his gaze faltering ever so often.
"Of course you didn't!" I responded sarcastically considering this whole situation is a joke. "By the sounds of things, you didn't want me to find out at all!"
"Of course I did!" He justified, mumbling ever so slightly. "What me and Sian have is..." He began to say before I cut him off.
"You and Sian shouldn't have anything! She's a married woman in case you'd forgotten!" I yelled, flailing my arms in the air.
"Well, it's over anyway." He replied, sounding somewhat upset about the situation. "She broke it off."
Is he expecting me to feel sorry for him? He's been having an affair with a married woman!
"Aww...poor Sian felt guilty did she?" I asked, attitude etched on every word.
"Please don't take your hate out on Sian! If you're going to be angry at anyone, I'd rather it be at me. I was the one who instigated the whole affair." He confessed, taking small sips of water from the glass in front of him.
So, just because he was the one who started the whole affair, it makes it acceptable for a married woman to agree with it? I don't think so!
"Sian is just as much to blame as you! It's Mr. Diamond I feel sorry for. He doesn't even know that his so called 'amazing' wife is cheating on him!" I exclaimed as it was within that moment, my dad seemed to have miraculously sobered up.
"Lindsay, you can't say anything to anyone! Please!" He cried, pleading with me but I couldn't help but laugh ironically.
"Yeah, well, it's a bit late for that." I replied nonchalantly as he sent me a confused look. "Finn knows everything." I simply replied as I took a sip of my water, trying to whet my throat.
"Since when were you and Finn Sharkey friends?" My dad questioned, causing me to scoff.
"Well, if you spent less time shoving your tongue down married women's throats and more attention to my life, you would know that me and Finn have been friends for weeks!" I exclaimed, somewhat disgusted about how little my dad knows of my social life.
"What did you tell him for?!" He yelled, obviously annoyed that already someone knows about him and Sian.
"He saw me in the corridor and comforted me which is more than what you did!" I spat, anger increasing within me.
"Hey, that's not fair! I tried coming to look for you but..." was all he managed to get out before I interjected.
"Didn't look hard enough though did you?" I asked rhetorically. "You were too interested in coming home and getting drunk so you didn't have to face your responsibilities!"
"You need to tell Finn not to say anything to anyone!" My dad bellowed but in a way that sounded as if he was begging.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing right now. Is he for real? I mean, I have made Finn promise not to tell anyone but I don't need to let my dad know that small piece of information.
"Have you heard yourself?" I quizzed in disbelief at how desperate he sounded. "This is your mess...it's down to you to get yourself out of it!" I added as I stood up from the stool I was sat upon, grabbing my bottle of water off the breakfast bar as I did so.
I headed for the door until I felt my dad grab my hand and turn me to face him. What more is there to say? To me, this conversation was over and done with after my previous statement.
"Please Lindsay...both myself and Sian could lose our jobs over this!" He pleaded, his eyes begging me to reconsider.
I studied him for a while until I decided that I wasn't going to become involved in something that doesn't concern me anymore. I confided in Finn as a friend because he was the only one who showed concern and would actually listen to me when he saw I was visibly upset.
"Well, maybe you should have thought of that before you started seeing one of your married colleagues." I told him as I removed my hand from his and left the room.
As much as I loved my dad and would normally stick by him through anything, he's made a really big mistake here. One that only he is able to sort.
Michael's P.O.V
Well done Michael! Not even your daughter is willing to help you here. I have tried so hard to do everything right by Lindsay but I feel she resents me in some way after the whole divorce, even though it was her mother Hayley's fault that we got divorced in the first place. She was the one who cheated on me and moved away, leaving me to pick up the pieces with Lindsay. I'm hoping that this situation just blows over naturally and me and Lindsay can make up.
Finn's P.O.V
I'm trying to focus on doing some coursework towards my exams but all I can think about is the kiss I shared with Lindsay earlier. I feel so guilty for kissing her when I know that there were no romantic intentions on my part but I have no idea how she feels about me. We've never really spoken about our feelings beyond friendship. If anything, I don't really know why I kissed her. Was it to make her feel better? I honestly have no idea but I feel like such a crap guy for potentially leading her on.
I picked up my phone and found her contact. I think it would be good of me to send her a text just to straighten out this whole situation so there are no awkward feelings when we see each other tomorrow. I just need her to know that there were no malicious intentions behind it.
Lindsay's P.O.V
I'm currently sat in my room, trying to come to terms with this coursework for Mrs. Diamond. Part of me wants to write the worst assignment in the world just to spite her but I'm not a childish person and deep down, I want to do really well in every aspect of my education.
As I was finally getting into the swing of things, I heard my message tone sound at the side of me. I stopped typing mid-sentence and picked up my phone, seeing that Finn had text me. I opened the notification and read his text and I couldn't really believe what I was reading.
Finn: Hey. About earlier, didn't mean for it to happen. Soz if I gave u wrong impression.
I re-read the message a few times over before it eventually sunk in what Finn was trying to say. I guess that confirms that he doesn't have any romantic feelings towards me but that has only made me more confused as to why he would kiss me. You don't just randomly kiss people for the sake of it!
I sat for a while, typing and deleting words because I really had no idea on what to say back to him. I thought a simple reply would be the only response that would be sufficient.
Lindsay: Hey! It's cool. Forget about it! :)
Now that I was aware of Finn's true feelings, it saves me the embarrassment of nearly admitting mine to him. With my reply sent, I placed my phone down to the side of me again and picked up from where I left my assignment. Although, after receiving that text, I have lost all motivation now because of his admission. Come on Lindsay, you can find it again! However, moments after it came back to me, another text on my phone stopped me for the second time.
"Ugh! Why can't people leave me alone?" I screamed but picked up my phone anyway.
I was half expecting it to be Finn, replying back to my previous response but on my screen was the word 'Anonymous'. Who has managed to get hold of my number without me giving it to them? I was debating whether or not to open the text but curiosity got the better of me so I couldn't resist in doing so.
Anonymous: I know ur dad's dirty little secret :)
Who the hell is texting me and how did they get hold of my number? I knew I had to reply back to see if I could get any sense out of who was messaging me these rather unusual messages.
Lindsay: Who r u and how did u get my number?
I stared down at the screen, eagerly waiting for a reply. Within a few minutes, I received a response but it wasn't the one I was hoping for or expecting for that matter.
Anonymous: Ur worst nightmare. 2morrow the whole school is gonna find out exactly what ur dad is!
Reading those words on my screen, my eyes were fixated, feeling slightly threatened and scared because I was still none the wiser as to who was texting me these messages. I took a deep breath before replying, feeling I had to stick up for my dad against this total stranger(or supposed stranger).
Lindsay: U leave my dad alone! I will find out who u r and when I do, u will regret ever crossing me!
Within seconds, I was sent the simplest of replies, which I have to admit, sent chills up my spine.
Anonymous: AHAHA
Someone is obviously laughing at both mine and my dad's expenses and I don't feel comfortable with it. I placed my phone down to the side of me and just sat at my desk, replaying everything through in my mind. Well, this day has just gone from bad to worse! No-one threatens a member of my family and gets away with it! I will get to the bottom of this...
...Even if it means getting into some trouble along the way!