Hayy!
So I just wanna let you guys know that my posting is now going to low down and be less often.
Summer is in full swing now and i'll be away a lot which means no internet *dies* i will try my best though :) and i shall keep you informed.
Buta about this chapter, i cried whilst writing it so i don't know what you're gonna make of it but i hope you enjoy it :)
*********************************************************************************************************************
Chapter Ten – Life Keeps Getting Better (In Both The Literal and Sarcastic Way).
(8) Bite My Tongue by You Me At Six ft. Oli Sykes
“What are you doing here Daniel?” I ask as I get out the car.
“I’m gonna carry your stuff inside” my mother says, popping the boot and taking my suitcase out.
“Okay” I smile at her as she drags my bag up the porch steps and goes inside, “so?” I say bringing my attention back to Daniel.
“I wanted to talk to you” he says fidgeting with his hands.
“Talk then” I say crossing my arms over my chest.
“Here?”
“Where else?” I ask starting to get annoyed.
“I just…. I’m gonna say this as it is, I want you back.”
I stare at him like he’s grown two heads.
“What?” I say dumbly.
“You heard me” he says taking a step towards me, “I want you back.”
“Well it’s a little late for that don’t you think?”
“Bonnie please” he comes even closer till he’s right in front of me, “you were the one who wanted me to say, so here I am” he smiles stupidly like it was that simple.
“Daniel, are you even aware of what you’re saying? You break up with me then turn up two weeks later having changed you mind? I’m not an object Daniel, you need to start understanding that.”
“I will, I will, just please” he reached for my cheek but I push his hand away.
“No Daniel. It’s over, there’s no going back.”
He bows his head then sighs loudly, “just tell me, are you happy with him?”
“I am” I say quietly.
“Okay” he turns to leave, “bye Bonnie” he adds over his shoulder.
“Bye Daniel.” I watch him leave then head inside.
I stop instantly when the door is closed though I can see mum sitting at the kitchen table with her head resting on the surface and crying really loudly. I can also see she’s holding someone’s hand. I see Benji sitting on the floor biting his nails and looking lost. I start to panic that something happened to Fabian but a soft sob makes me aware that he is sitting half way up the stairs with his head on his hands.
“Fabian, what’s happened?” I ask softly.
He looks up at me with puffy red eyes, “just go through to the kitchen.”
I don’t really want to leave him but I need to see what the fuss is about.
I almost turn back around and leave the room again not willing to believe that what I’m seeing is really happening.
A man is sitting across from my mother, the left side of his face tethered in scars. His hair is longer than he’s even had it in his life, bit none the less; my father who I’ve believed dead for eight years is sitting at my kitchen table.
“Dad?” I say feebly, not trusting myself to say anymore.
My mother raises her head and stares at him like she’s trying to grasp the fact that he’s really here.
Benji gets up of the floor and comes to me and wraps his arms around my waist and buries his head in my top. I wrap my own arms around his shoulders and pull him closer. He’s never met the man who’s sitting at our kitchen table before.
“Yes Bonnie, it’s me” and that’s all I need.
Along with the sound of his voice came thousands of memories and the tears began to fall.
“I don’t… understand” my voice broke at the end and I felt Benji starting to shake in my arms and I know that he’s now crying too. He never holds out long when I start crying.
“I know this is a shock but I can explain everything” my father said as his own eyes began to brim with tears.
I nod my head, not really knowing what else to do. I unwound my arms from Benji and took his hand, guiding him into the hallway.
“Fabian?” I say softly.
“Hmm?” he looks up at me.
“Come on” I reach my other hand out to him, “dad’s gonna explain.”
A fresh wave of tears brimmed in his eyes, but he took my hand and we made our way back into the kitchen.
Fabian sat on one side of mother whilst I pulled a chair out and dragged it so that we’re all looking at my father. I pull Benji into my lap and let him rest his head between my neck and shoulder.
“Jerome, please” my mother says so quietly it’s like she didn’t want to make any noise at all.
It felt strange hearing her say my fathers name again.
My father sighed, the focused his eyes on the back of Benji’s head and smiled softly. It looks a little lopsided due to the scars covering the left side of his face, but it made my heart ache and remind me again how much I’ve missed it.
“Eight years ago I was positioned in Egypt, making peace with the locals and helping them in their civil war” my father began, “everything was going very well, until two days before we were due to come home.” I felt my mother stiffen beside me but she didn’t say anything. “The town we were staying in got attacked. Somehow they had managed to get their hands on bombs and were dropping them from planes. I managed to escape on a boat with my friend Stan, but I wasn’t conscious. He had carried me onto the boat and somehow we got away. When I woke up the second time though, off the boat and in a straw bed, I couldn’t remember where I come from, why I was there, what had happened. It was not until yesterday, when I found out that everyone had assumed me and Stan had dies in the bombing. Stan in fact had died on the boat I was told, his injuries were too server. For the past eight years I have lived in a little town in Turkey, under the care of the local people. Without their help I would have died just like Stan. For a further 7 years I lived with no recollection of my past life, just a gold band” he lifted his left hand, still bearing his wedding ring, “that told me I was married, but that’s as far as knowing anything went. When my memory started coming back, I almost lost it. I could finally remember I had a family, a beautiful wife with two children and one on the way when I had left but it didn’t take me any closer to home. I couldn’t recall where we lived or how I was going to go back home. It was out of pure luck that I stumbled into the embassy on the day that the American minister for Turkey was present. We got in contact with the army base over her and after a few hours I was informed of my name. and just like that everything came back to me and I was on a plane home. I got here about an hour ago and your friend Summer opened up and told me where you were.”
My father stopped there a little sheepishly and glanced at Fabian. I looked over too to see he had hung his head and Benji raised his head too to see what was happening.
“I’m sorry” Fabian mumbled his voice cracking once more. Instinctively I hugged Benji tighter not wanting him to start crying again.
“Don’t apologise son” my father said softly, “I understand.”
“What happened?” my mother asked.
“I freaked out and locked myself in my room, he was playing play station in his” Fabian says pointing to Benji, “I really am sorry” his bottom lip began to tremble and mum pulled him into her arms.
“Shhh” she cooed, “it’s okay Fabian, I know this is an unsettling situation.”
“Yeah but I should have said something or-“
“It’s really okay” father said with a sad smile, “I’m glad you didn’t chuck me out.”
“Why would I do that?” Fabian asked fixing his eyes on father.
“I just thought you wouldn’t want to look at me” he said and hung his head.
“Dad” Fabian said firmly and the word echoed around the room. Father looked back up. “I had cried myself to sleep ever Wednesday because that’s the day we were told you were never coming back.”
My father stared at Fabian and tears appeared in his eyes once more, this time brimming, “I am so sorry.”
“Don’t blame yourself Jerome” my mother said reaching out to claim his hands once more with her own, “there was nothing you could have done.”
“But what if there was?”
My mother just shook her head. My father then brought his eyes back to Benji and it clicked in my head finally. The longing and pride in my fathers eyes and Benji’s lost expression.
“You don’t know his name do you?” I ask.
My father shook his head and the tears kept falling.
“Would you like to tell daddy what your name is?” I ask Benji smiling lightly to make sure he felt okay with this. he smiled back then turned to our father.
“My name’s Benjamin, but everyone calls me Benji.”
My fathers face lit up and I remembered the day dad had said that if he ever had another son, he wanted him to be called Benjamin. “Hi Benji.”
“Hi daddy.”
And just like that we were all crying together, reunited as a family once more.
Later that evening me and mother dragged in every pillow, duvet and blanket we owned into the living room. None of us wanted to sleep alone in fear that when we woke up things would go back to the way they were before.
***
The next day to my frustration I had to go into school. I already missed Friday and lots of days before that. I call Justin during morning break and tell him about what had happened. He said he won’t believe it till he sees it for himself.
School itself is a struggle as pictures of me and Justin leaked onto the internet so I am currently the new sensation.
Gillian even called me that I can come back to work if I want, of course only if u do an interview. I said no because I don’t want any more attention on me than I already have and I don’t particularly want the job back anyway. I’m doing okay at the flower shop.
My twitter has also been bombarded with hate from furious Jelena fans who believe that I’m the cause of the break up. If only they knew the truth I’d be more than dead.
At the end of the day I eagerly get into my car and smile at the silence. That’s until the passenger door opens and Fabian gets in.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“What?” he asks looking at me confused, “I’m going home, with you.”
“I’ve got work, and anyway, you still have a week worth of detention.”
He groans loudly and face palms himself, “damn I forgot!”
I chuckle, “well you should be grateful that you have such an amazing sister like me to remind you.”
He snorts, “oh totally.”
“Okay, now get out or I’ll be late for work.”
“Are you freaked out?” he asks startling me.
“About what?”
“Dad.”
“Oh. Well… a little. It’s gonna take time Fabian, but we’ll make it through. We’ve been through
worse.”
“Yeah, I guess. I’ll see you at home.”
“Yeah bye” he closed the door and I drove off.
***
I walk into the flower shop with a smile on my face but stop when I see who’s leaning on the counter.
It appears celebrities enjoy walking into my life.
“So you’re the famous Bonnie” Selena Gomez said my name like it’s a piece of dirt on her shoe.
“I guess I am” I say, not letting myself waver.
“Oh, a girl who knows her stand. I guess I see why Justin likes you.”
I don’t say anything , just watch her take a look around the place. “What d’you even have to offer him?”
“Excuse me?” I ask getting annoyed at her tone.
“You have no money, a lousy job in a flower shop” she looked me up and down, “a decent wardrobe I guess. But it doesn’t make sense. I’m the one who’s perfect for him.”
“Well maybe he’s not looking for perfect” I say and go behind the counter as the chime above the door sounds, announcing new customer. I look up and smile at the man who smiles back.
“Just stay away from him, I’m getting him back” she says stabbing a finger in my direction.
“I shall quote the Hunger Games then. May the odds be ever in you favour” I smile brightly and watch as he face takes on a devil’s expression.
“I. Hate. You” she spits.
“That’s nice to know seeing as you don’t know me.”
“Just remember, you’re going down” with that she turned around and left.