Montana tuned out the rest of the lunch, though it was less awkward as the two fathers discussed the award they were so excited to receive at Midsummers. She couldn't stop the guilt bubbling in her stomach, her father's words going in circles around her head. He was embarrassed by her, it wasn't new though. Montana never wanted to embarrass her father, she knew he liked Nicholas; they bonded over the past year. The two families had become close and had dinner together nearly once a week, but that was yet another thing she had ruined and she knew her father wasn't done with the conversation yet. So when Rose began clearing the table Montana was up and offering assistance; anything to prolong going home. However, the kind gesture was short lived as her father announced how tired he was and how he must be heading home right this instance.
With that, Jason Summers bid the Camerons goodbye and made his way to the car, beckoning his daughter to follow. Giving her sincerest apologies to Rose, she told Sarah and Wheezie that she'd be over again soon and thanked ward for the invitation Montana hurried after her father to the car. They buckled up and spent the trip home in silence. Montana could tell he wasn't happy with her as his jaw was clenched and his grip on the steering wheel was turning his knuckles white. She knew trying to explain herself would be pointless and probably get her into more trouble so she busied herself watching an ant that was trying to crawl across her window.
The ant was halfway across her window when she could no longer take the silence and decided to break it.
"Dad I-"
"We'll discuss it inside" he didn't even spare her a glance just lifting one of his hands off the wheel to dismiss the girl.
"I just-"
"Montana, I said inside" his tone harsh and raising in volume slightly though he didn't take his eyes off the road.
The girl let out a huff and turned to face the window again trying to spot that ant again. When she finally found the ant the car had come to a stop and her father was hopping out. Taking a deep breath, the girl braced herself for the harsh conversation she was about to have; thanking the gods he hand't had too much to drink yet. She entered the house a few seconds later and spotted her father in the kitchen pouring himself a glass of whiskey.
When he spotted her come into the room his face turned cold but he still didn't say anything, he just gave her a threatening stare as he took a sip of his drink. Montana continued to the kitchen and decided to grab a glass of water, her mouth had suddenly become extremely dry.
"Why would you not tell me about this in private Montana" the older man spat viciously.
"It's not like you let me speak to you this morning" she muttered under her breath; she'd paused her movements and was standing opposite her father with the kitchen bench between them.
"Speak up Montana. I didn't quite catch that" now he was mad, she knew he had heard her and was regrettingsaying it.
"Nothing daddy" she gulped looking up at the man, "I guess I must have forgotten, I'm sorry"
"Would I be correct in assuming that tonights dinner is canceled" he seethed.
"Look daddy, it-"
"Answer me!" he slammed his empty glass onto the counter top, staring at his daughter in disgust
"Yes sir, we arent together anymore and I'd prefer to stay away from him" she said honestly
"God Montana! How'd you manage to screw this up?" he said while filling up his glass "You cheat on him, huh?" he said sipping his glass as he began walking around the bench. The girl was terrified, shed underestimated how much alcohol hed had, he was drunk.
"You a little whore now?" the words stung though she knew they weren't true but her own father was saying them. Did he think so little of her? "Your mother couldn't stand you and neither can I" her eyes glossed over
"You're disgusting Montana, I honestly can't bear look at you right now." he spoke lowly he as he stood over her. She just stared up at him with her bottom lip quivering. "Pathetic!"
"Nothing to say?" he leaned down before shaking his head; he looked psychotic and Montana was terrified as she heard him laugh. "You sure had a lot to say before" he slurred as he sat down on a chair that was next to the standing girl.
"That's the thing with you Montana, you never know when to shut up. I can't believe I got stuck dealing with you all on my own. It's a punishment I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemies." It was like he'd forgotten she was there and was talking to himself now.
"He's the one who cheated on me!" she cut off his rant as he turned to face the girl again and she saw something wash over his face for a second before his expression turned cold again. She was probably just imagining it.
"Sure sure Montana, I really can't bear to look at you right now. I just want to drink in peace, please leave" he waved the girl off, ending the conversation.
With glassy eyes she headed to the back door and straight to their shed grabbing a surf board and earphones thanking her previous self for leaving them there as she rounded the house and grabbed her skateboard and made her way towards the cut, for some odd reason the waves on the cut were better.
'And I hear your ship is comin' in
Your tears a sea for me to swim'
Perching her skate board up behind one of the trees, opting not to get it all sandy she made her way down the beach which was surprisingly empty, bar a couple of tourists. Stanfing her board up she slipped her shoes and socks off and pulled her dress over her head revealing her white bikini. She slipped her phone and earphones into her shoes and covered them with her dress, strapped her ankle to her board and jogged into the water. Once her feet hit the water she felt like she breathe again. it was as if she was on autopiolet since she left her house.
Diving under her first wave woke her up and apparently broke down the flood gates because once she was in calm water, floating, she began to cry. Her father never spoke about her mother, at least not to Montana and here he was using his late wife to cause his daughter pain.
'Your mother couldn't stand you'
Her mother was her best friend, could that have been true if she couldn't stand her. Was this how everyone thought of her?
Seeing a wave coming for her she began paddling with it, trying to get out of her head.
Dissapointment
The wave began to break and Montana was forced under as she started to spin. She kicked up to the surface and got back onto her board .
The water was her safe space, she wasn't supposed to be thinking about her father, she needed to get his words out of her head.
Seeing another wave forming Montana paddeled with it again, this time focusing on the wave, she felt her feet lifting and knew the wave was about to break and popped up just in time to ride the wave. Jumping off at the end she felt herself get lighter and her head felt clearer.
Montana stayed out in the surf for the rest of the afternoon, her fingers were wrinkely and her body was aching as she walked out of the water. She lay her board in the sand and plonked herself on top of it and caught the last rays of sun before the day was over and she'd have to head back to her father who'd mot likely be passed out in his office.
Closing her eyes she thought about everything that has happened over the past few days;
she finished school for the summer,
caught her best friend and boyfriend together,
confronting best friend and boyfriend,
finding an sunken boat with the pogues that belonged to a dead man that she knew,
Topper nearly killing John B,
the blonde pogue that hated her holding a fire arm to Toppers head and shooting it in the air,
having a panic attack,
her father returning home
her father hates her
her father lecturing her
disappointing her father
She needs to get home and apologise. Standing up quickly, dusting the sand off her now dry body she slips her dress back on and laces up her shoes as she walks up the beach and grabs her skateboard and starts her journey home.
Her music is blasting in her ears and shes enjoying the scenery; the calm before the storm. Before she can process whats happening she hears a horn blare behind her and verse to the sidewalk and jumps off her board, taking her earphones out just in time to see the old voltswagon pull up beside her with three of her favourite people inside it.
"Look who we have here" she hears the unofficial leader call to her as a smile spreads across her face. "You went surfing without me Tana?" he questions with a faux pout on his face as the girn nods her head in fake sympathy letting out a small 'I'm sorry' trying not to laugh.
"How'd your diving go B?" She said suddenly remembering what had happened that morning at the Camerons, "Wait do any of you guys even know how to dive?" she questioned as the van door slid open revealing her favourite curly haired girl.
"Pope read about it" she said, "surprisingly none of us died" she said muttering the last part earning a small 'hey' from the other boy in the front seat. She jumped out making her way to the girl who had both her boards now sitting next to her and brought her into a cuddle. "Plus it was only a quarter full" she added as she pulled away.
"That's so dangerous, did you still dive?"
"Of course we did Tana, we're not scared of a few bends" John B said, "Well I'm glad you're okay, did you have enough air?" she said walking closer to the drivers window checking over the boy for any injuries, nodding to herself when she doesnt find any. "I ran out of air when the cops showed up" he let out a breathy laugh patting the girl on her shoulder.
"Who was it?"she looked over at Pope, "Just Shoupe trying to find anything to get us into trouble for".
"But Tana you're not going to believe what we found on the boat" he said reaching into his pocket. "What was it?" she questioned excitement starting to build as she still hadn't stopped smiling; the day with her father had seeming left her thoughts. "A compass that belonged to my father" he exclaimed handing it to the girl who's eyes were as wide as sacuers as she stared down at the compass in shock.
"This is insane B, this has to mean something," she said opening his door, "I'm so happy for you JB" she said leaning in to give him a hug that he gladly reciprocated. "Thanks Tana" he smiled at the girl. "You need a lift, I was just dropping these guys home and you're like a street away from Kie" he offered, wanting to spend more time with the girl.
"Actually that would be amazing, my body is aching; I surfed for nearly three hours straight" she said as he went to attach her board to the roof. "You ditched your dad?" he acused the girl, not picking up on it, she answered "I actually got told to leave because he wanted to have some peace" she told the half truth because she didn't need her friends knowing how her own father despised her, or did they despise her too. "So I thought I'd enjoy the afternoon at the beach" she said jumping in the back, sitting next to Kiara, leaning into the taller girls side.
"I wish I ditched with you guys though" she added as the van began to move again. Pope turned around with a serious expression on his face "Trust me tana you don't, that was the most stressful experience of my life, we were chased and shot at" he added with panick written on his face seemingly reliving the experience before he took a deep breath shaking his head. "Yeah but I saved us" Kiara piped up beside her proud of herself. "Of course you did my Kie baby, beauty and brains" she nudged the girl kissing her cheek then leaning her head back onto her best friends shoulder as the van pulled up outside Heyward's. Pope jumped out of the van saying a small goodbye to the other three in the van still pretty anxious over the predicament they found themselves in all because of a suncken boat.
The van ride to Kiara's was pretty silent as the three just enjoyed each others company. When John B pulled up to the Carrera residence Montana decided she would skate the rest of the way home and jumped out with the girl. "Thanks for the ride B, but I think I'll skate the rest of the way home" she began unstrapping her board from the roof, "You sure?" he questioned coming round to help her, "It's really no trouble" he leaned into the girl moving her hands to unstrap it himself. "Yeah, plus my dad would crack it if he saw me with another boy"she added with a forced laugh. "If you're sure" he handed the board to her. She leaned in and gave him a side hug placing. akiss onto his cheek, "I'm glad you're okay JB" and with that she jumped onto her skate board and headed home shouting a "Bye Kie baby" as she drifted into the distance.
Now she was alone dread began to sink into her as she neared her house. She took a few deep breaths and readied herself for whatever she was about to walk into. Picking up her board she carried them both up her driveway and putting them into the shed. She walked through the backdoor and into the kitchenseeing the once full bottle sitting on the kitchen counter empty.
Placing the bottle beside the bin to recycle she made her way upstairs passing her fathers office expecting to hear snores, however, that was not what she heard. Hushed whispers came from the crack in the door; creeping closer to hopefully hear some of it she leaned into the crack.
"Do whatever means be to get that compass" came out of her fathers mouth and Montana had to hold a hand to her mouth to conceal the gasp that was trying to force its way out. Surely not, her father wasn't involved in this. Her blood had run cold, she needed to get to her room and shower the day off; something she had been needing to do a lot more often.
That is exactly what she did and after the long hot shower, Montana tucked herself into bed and fell into a deep dreamless sleep.
authors note.
Okay this is really a filler chapter and I don't really like it but i needed to write something for the time and here it is
Mean Mr Summers
We also love the little pogue bonding moment where they all just couldn't help themsleves but tell Montana abpout their day
Just adorable!
Love you guys heaps and don't forget to like and comment
Next chapter will be better and hopefully be out this weekend:)