Bad Habit | Lottie Matthews

19

"So let me do a redo...." Paul sighed exasperatedly, his eyes sending a glare to his son, while his arms were crossed to impose his authority. "You got into a verbal fight with your sister..."

"Yeah." He aggreed, with his arms crossed as well, seeming to dare his father to make him go off his hinges and lose his uninterested expression.

"And you pushed her down the stairs." He grits his teeth as he slides the letter of hospital bills for Angela's two fists and several broken fingers onto the table.

The blond licked his teeth and shrugged his shoulders. "She deserved it, she was annoying and stubborn."

"This is no reason to be violent !" He lost his temper, banging his fist on the table. "This kind of behavior will not be accepted under my roof !"

"Your roof ? You're barely here, and Angela's mad at you, why do you care anyway ?" Timothy replied insolently, raising a provocative eyebrow.

Paul had been the only one who moved, his son staring at him impassively. The tension had risen considerably in the room as the two men stared at each other in a dead silence.

Angela, from behind Timothy, cleared her throat uncomfortably before speaking softly. "Maybe we should-"

"Apologize to your sister." Paul ordered severely. "Now."

"It's okay dad really-"

"Save it Angela." Timothy cut her off sharply, not even looking at her. "I’m sorry, okay ?"

Paul twitched his right eye with frustration at boy tone. "Your car keys. You're grounded."

"I'm 22."

"And that's not what I asked." Paul grunted as he held out his hand waiting for the keys to be placed in his palm.

Timothy turned to Angela with anger and rage in his eyes. "For fuck sake ! Couldn't you just fall like normal people ? No obviously not ! You absolutely have to broke something !"

"I didn't asked you to push me !" She whined, clearly offended that he dare to be mad at her when she had defended him and even tried to cover for him when their father returned from his trip.

"Fuck this family." He muttered, grabbing the car keys from his pocket and throwing them on the table. "I'm fed up with the 'perfect little princess' Angela to whom 'daddy' gives in to all the whims."

He stormed off, stamping his foot on the stairs.

Angela raised her eyebrows with a face. "Girl, you talk a lot for a part-time drug addict-"

"DON'T FUCKING CALL ME GIRL !" He shouted before slamming his bedroom door.

“Looks like it’s that time of the month.” Angela added with a roll of her eyes before starting to leave the living room.

But as soon as Paul picked up Timothy's keys, he stopped his daughter in her tracks. "Angela. You're not leaving this house until you're completely healed. I'm calling my friend, he's the best-"

"I don't want your creepy friends here." The blonde immediately snapped, rushing over to her dad. "They're too touchy and always want kisses on the cheek."

"Okay." He conceded, grabbing his cap. "So I guess you won't mind me going to see my normal friends at the contryclub."

"Keep telling yourself that." She chuckled as she walked away before whispering in a low voice (but enough for him to hear). "Lottie will be here tonight, anyway."