Noticed

Twenty Nine

Becky Adams

I could not believe what was happening right now. Brendon and I just stood there frozen. At first, our arms were all over each other but the minute we heard another voice, it was like we were on two opposite ends of the earth. 

"Dad...w-what are you doing here?" I asked, completely mortified that my dad just caught Brendon and I in a hot make out session. This didn't look good for me.

"I live here..." dad said. Right. I forgot about that. I guess with everything else going on, I got distracted from my dad coming back, which was honestly surprising. I mean he used to cause so much drama in my life because he was an addict and because he went crazy and almost killed my mom; probably me too if he could've. But now, things were so calm. Maybe he really did change.

"Right..." I said awkwardly. 

"I should go..." Brendon said, slowly backing away towards the door.

"Yes you should." my dad said sternly, crossing his arms. I rolled my eyes. Even though he was my dad, he had no right to take charge of my life like that. He had been gone the last 7 years of my life. But before I could say anything, Brendon was out the door. Ugh.

"So this is what you're doing with your life now?" he asked.

"How would you know? You haven't exactly been around to parent me lately have you?" I said, throwing shade back in his face. With him being gone for what he did, he had no right to belittle me and treat me like his daughter. 

"Don't give me tone now Rebecca."

"No. You don't get the right to parent me right now. You've been gone for 7 years because you were an addict and almost killed mom and me!" I said, my voice growing louder.

"And that gives you the right to rebel and do whatever the hell you want with your life?"

"Yeah, it kind of does and you know why? Because I never had a father growing up. Mom had me as a burden to handle all on her own and I didn't want to do that to her so I had to grow up. I had to learn what it was like to be an adult to make it easier on mom. I hope that answers your question." I said, tears building up in my eyes.

"Rebecca I--" he said, taking a few steps forward in guilt.

"No!" I said, almost shouting. I didn't even wait for him to say anything else before walking out the front door.

As I heard the door slam behind me, the tears just came pouring out and for a moment, I just sat on the sidewalk bawling my eyes out. 

"Come on Becky you're better than this." I said aloud as I wiped the remaining tears off of my face.

I pulled out my phone from my back pocket and called the one person who I knew would help me feel better and who understood my situation.

"Hey, can I drop by your house?"

"Yeah. Is everything okay?"

"I'll explain when I get there." I said before hanging up the phone.

I walked over to my jeep, hopped inside, turned on the engine and started backing out of the driveway, leaving my house.

**

I pulled into the all too familiar driveway and turned off the engine seconds later. I hopped out of the car and slowly made my way to the front door.

I didn't even have to knock on the door before it flew open revealing that familiar face I was used to seeing everyday.

"Ashley you're such a creep." I said, laughing my way to the door.

"I'm sorry I was just so anxious from the phone call. Come inside girl."

We quickly made our way up to Ashley's room. I quickly said hi to her parents before making my way up the stairs.

"Alright so what's up." Ashley asked as we both sat down in the middle of her bed.

"Where do I start?" I said, sighing my face into the palms of my hand.

I spent what seemed like hours of ranting and explaining everything that had happened at my house and when I finished, a mere 10 minutes of me talking had gone by. I was just so frustrated and upset it felt like I just kept pouring and pouring my feelings out.

"I'm so sorry Becks." Ashley said as she came in for a hug.

"Don't be sorry, you're not the one trying to run my life when you were never a part of it."

"I just....I just don't think i can go back there Ash. Not tonight." I continued.

"I can ask my parents if you can stay the night. They'd totally be okay with it."

"They won't ask why or anything?" I asked.

"Girl, you're practically family. They won't care. And if they do ask, I'll just say we're gonna do some studying together or something." Ashley said to reassure me. 

She went downstairs for a minute and just as she left, I got a phone call. I looked up to read the caller ID, but it was private. I was scared to pick it up. What if it was my dad? What if he had a mental lapse and was on his way to punish me or something? Or what if he was going to guilt trip me into coming home and being around that negative energy again? I didn't know what to expect. I took in one deep breath, slid across the screen of my phone, and pressed the phone against my ear.

"Hello?"

"Hello Rebecca." a snarky voice responded. I immediately rolled my eyes, not looking forward to this conversation.

"You have abou 5 seconds to explain why you're calling me before I hang up Hanna." I said.

"Wait, wait, wait! You might want to listen to what I have to say."

I stayed silent and just waited for her to continue.

"So I know we're not exactly the best of friends but --"

"--Yeah and you also managed to steal one of my best friends if I recall."

"But, I am throwing an end of the semester party once exams are over and I am inviting the entire school to my lakehouse, including you, Ashley, and Brendon."

"And why exactly would I come?"

"Look, you don't have to come. But for one night, wouldn't it be nice to just forget everything and celebrate the end of the semester with the people you like? Besides with the whole school being there, I doubt you'll even run into me the whole night." Hanna said, trying to convince me. It was tempting, but something just didn't feel right.

"I'll think about." I lied. I had no intention of going, but knowing her, she would've continued to push and push until she got her way. This way, she at least thinks I'll consider going.

"Perf! RSVP me by the end of next week!" she said excitedly before hanging up the phone.

"Who was that?" Ashley asked as she walked back into the room again.

"Hanna." Ashley rolled her eyes at the sound of that name.

"What did that bitch want?"

"She's apparently inviting the entire school to her lakehouse at the end of the semester for an end of the semester party. Including us."

"Oh my god we should totally go! Lakehouse + party = alcohol!" Ashley said excitedly.

"I'm not going."

"Why not?"

"Hello? Because every single person I despise will be there? Hanna, Zoey, Brad?" I said, trying to refresh Ashley's mind.

"If the entire school will be there, what are the actual odds of you running into them?"

"I don't know...something just doesn't feel right."

"I mean if you don't wanna go, I won't go either. It's your call."

"I'll talk to Brendon about it tomorrow at school, but for now, I just want to forget about everything and enjoy tonight with my best friend."