Unpredictable • cth

45

Ella

"Ella we're gonna be late!"

My fathers voice boomed through the house, my eyes now rolling just as his footsteps started banging through the house. His scent carrying through the entire house because he had been spraying cologne up and down every hallway because he claimed it smelled 'too girly' now that only Mali and I were home. A touch he added since he had so much time to kill, due to my lack of 'skip in my step' according to him.

He was in a sudden rush after we both woke up around 7. He flung my body off the side of my bed before running out of my room, yelling something along the lines of 'get ready we gotta go.' I laid back down only to get yanked out of my bed again with him dragging me into the bathroom and making get ready.

And that has been my morning for the past hour, watching him run around the house like a chicken with his head cut off and him yelling at me to hurry.

"We can't be late! It's your birthday!" I shouted back, my body rocking side to side as I attempted to hop my left shoe on.

His stomps were getting louder, the sound shifting from side to side signaling he was ascending the staircase. I started hopping faster, of course today I choose the hardest pair of vans to slip on but it was too late now to change my entire outfit. The sounds of his shoes stomping finally reached the point where the sound of them had seemingly faded away.

A relived sigh escaped my lips hoping he had stumbled upon Mali in the hallway or wandered into his own room but of course I was wrong. My eyes widening as my bedroom door flew open and my father stood leaning against the doorframe with an impatient grin across his face.

I stood straight up, a smile slowly spreading across my lips in nervousness. I kicked my foot against the base of my carpet a few more times, my shoe slipping over my foot with ease as my hands wrapped themselves around my back and started rocking back and forth.

My nervousness was obvious as my father bite his bottom lip in pure amusement, doing his best to the stifle the laugh that was building. I was nervous because the man didn't want to be late and I was making us obviously late, along with the fact Ryder may or may not be stopping by without my father's knowing.

"We're gonna be late flower, let's get moving." My father spoke before snapping his finger in my direction, his body pushing off my doorframe and stepping into the hallway.

"I'm coming, i'm coming." I replied with a wave of my hand and shuffling of my feet in the direction of my door.

My hands reached over for the usual brown flannel of Ryders, that has since become a statement piece in my wardrobe, and my wallet that was placed on my dresser for successfully slipping out of my bedroom door without my father shutting it on me.

He was fully grinning, a joyous grin rather an impatient one he had spread across his face prior. I could tell that he was more than happy to be back home, even if it was just for a day.

"Happy birthday." I murmured before lifting up my head up, planting a kiss on my fathers cheek.

"Thank you got the millionth time, Ella." He muttered, trying to sound annoyed but failing as his smile grew.

"Your welcome for the million time, father." I stated before twisting my body around and starting down the stairs.

He was extra happy today, in fact he's been happy this entire week. Every call or text was always very joyous regardless of the fact he got no sleep or was far from home.

His loud thumps of shoes were following behind me as my body floated down the staircase, my hand lightly grazing the railing as the descent occurred. Truthfully the entire day I felt like I was floating, doing my best to avoid closing my eyes or thinking too much as I didn't want to relive the events of the night. I didn't want to see the old Ryder, the one that I hated.