Delicate ✔

Chapter Three

  "It's ten o'clock. You need to get to bed, dear," my mother  tells me from the entry-way of the kitchen.

My dad, who is sitting across from me at the island-table, smiles at my mom. "I'll make sure she gets there."

Mom purses her lips, but says nothing. She walks away soundlessly.

"I'll be there in a few minutes," he calls after her.

I continue pouring our glasses of tea. I get up to put the pot of tea back on the stove. He's taking a sip from his glass as I sit down again.

"You make the best tea," his eyes crinkle in the corner as he smiles.

"Thank you," I grin. "How was work? I didn't have time to ask earlier."

"It was a bit stressful. Sylvia is secretly mourning over Katherine. It's sad that she went like that."

"She had a heart attack, right?"

He nods. "Her kid isn't giving you too much trouble,right?"

I smile slightly." No, he's all right," I lie for Justin's sake.

"Thank God tomorrow is Friday," he sighs happily.

"You say that every Thursday."

He chuckles."Work is stressful, sweetie. It sucks when I have to work on weekends sometimes."

I frown. "Do you think mom would let me have a job?"

His face falls. "It depends on what kind of job."

"I can't stay here forever, dad."

He gazes at me with a forlorn expression, not saying anything for the longest time. "You need to get upstairs to your room. You can take your tea with you."

I frown at him as he stands up. Why do they always avoid the subject?

I grab my cup of tea, and my dad follows me to the staircase. I turn to hug him.

"Goodnight, daddy."

He gives me a one-armed hug. "Night," he murmurs before walking around the stairs that leads to the hallway to their room.

I walk up the stairs carefully. I walk straight into the hallway at the top of the stairs. I walk into my room. I'm exhausted. I go to flick off my light after setting my tea on my nightstand. I climb under my lukewarm blankets, and I stare up at the darkness. I sigh contently as I close my eyes.

.....

I feel someone shake my shoulder in a rough manor. Not that it's hurting me, I think dryly, but It's annoying as hell.

"Hey," a male voice whispers. "Wake up, sleeping beauty.

My eyes open. The room is dimly lit. I notice the lamp on my desk is on it's dimmest setting. I turn over towards the weight on the side of my bed. I peer up at the familiar blonde. He's still dressed. I groan while moving my pillow over my head.

"Go away."

"You shouldn't have went to sleep. I told you that you're going with me."

"No."

I feel him try to move the pillow. "Come on."

I hold the pillow firmly in place, but I know that he can probably easily move it. I start to suffocate myself by trying to hold it to me. He jerks the pillow away. I feel a heavy weight on my nose. I sniffle.

"Oops," his eyes widen. "I guess I don't know my own strength.Sorry."

"What?"

"Your nose is bleeding," he goes over to my coffee table for tissue.