Out-Dated

12.

    My heart raced as I drove, wiping my eyes in a pointless attempt to stop crying. I swerved on the road as my head spun and tried to process everything that was happening.

Minutes later I arrived at my house. Spence was walking up to my door and I rushed out my car.

"Spence wait! Wait! Please!" I yelled in fear. But he knocked on the door and sure enough my father answered.

"I need to talk to you, Daniel." He said firmly.

   My dad crossed his arms and furrowed his brows at him then glanced at me.

   "May I come in?" He asked.

   My dad opened the door to let him in.

   "Wait!" I said running after him.

    He stood in the entry way and my dad shut the door.

   "You can sit." My dad pointed to the couch.

    "I'd rather stand." He insisted.

     "Mr. Brooks..." He started.

   I went over to him. "Don't do this." I pleaded quietly. He placed me next to him, moving me out of the way.

    "Mr. Brooks, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I upset you." He said calmly.

   "I know what we did was wrong- sneaking around. And I know you're upset with us- with me. But I won't allow you to take it out on your daughter." He said, unintentionally, placing an arm in front of me as if to protect me.

   "What are you talking about?" My dad clenched his jaw.

   "You've hurt her. I know you have."
He spoke cautiously.

    "And I can't let you do that anymore. I won't let it happen." He said. My eyes weld up and things went blurry.

   My dad stood in silent anger.

   "If this isn't a safe place for her, she's coming with me." He said.

My father fidgeted his hand and slowly moved closer.

I smelled the familiar scent of alcohol in his breath and immediately panicked. I instinctively grabbed Spence's hand and pulled him back as if to warn him to stop.

    "Excuse me?" My dad said moving even closer.

     Spence pulled me behind him and stood square to my dad.

     "She's coming with-"

     My dad hit him across the face with a jaw-breaking fist and he fell to the ground. I gasped and covered my mouth with a hand before my dad grabbed my wrist in his hand and yanked me towards him.

    "Touch her and I'll call the police." Spence reached a shaking hand in the air, still on the floor.

     My dad's eyes grew wide and he let me go.

    "Get the hell out of my house!" He screamed. "Both of you."

    I grabbed Spence's hand, and quickly helped him up and rushed out, wobbling and crying.

    We both fell to the ground outside the door. Spence touched a hand to his lip. "Are you okay?" He looked up at me, panting.

     Even now, bruised and bleeding he asked if I was okay.

"I'm..fine I'm so- sorry Spence." I cried taking his face in my hands observing the damage on his pure face.

"I need to get you to a hospital." I croaked, pulling him towards the car.

"No.... no. It's... not that bad."He gasped for air.

      My dad opened the door behind us as we neared the car.

      "You don't know anything Spencer! You don't know Ella. She'll break your heart! She breaks everything she touches." He snarled.

    The words coming from my own father, revealed what he really thought of me. His drunken harsh honesty hurt my heart.

   Spence slumped into the passenger seat, delicately touching his fingers to his wounded jaw and I drove off, distancing the both of us from that awful place.