The Summer Of Us (Discontinued)

Chapter Thirty-Seven

There's no way I can stay locked up in this car. What if he gets in trouble? Or hurt?

Stop, overthinking everything, Elise. He'll be alright....I think.

I sigh, sinking back into my seat as I continued to look around. I didn't feel comfortable here, at all. My dad use to live in scary parts of town like this. In a small apartment with a lot of pad locks. He drank a lot and didn't have a job, which was when my mother finally decided to stop him from seeing me.

I haven't seen my father since I was five...

Then again that's when he use to buy drugs from people and never get them the money. Which of course, got him in a lot of trouble....

The thoughts of groups of older men banging on his door at three in the morning flooded my mind. We hid in the bathroom with the lights off.

I snapped into reality as I sat in the car, scared of what could possibly be happening in the apartment Tucker was in. Or why we were here in the first place. I looked around as the lady who was smoking a cigarette stared at me, ignoring her crying child.

I got out of the car, leaving it locked because I knew Tucker had the key's.

I entered the building and the smell of stale cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana filled my nostrils. It smelled absolutely horrid in here. Alternative music was blasted throughout the whole apartment.

And that's when I heard yelling. My heart began to race as I went searching for Tucker.

"Tucker?!" I shouted running upstairs to find him sitting on the couch smoking a cigarette. His attention was turned to me, and so was everyone else's in the room. Which was three other guy's who looked to be Tucker's age. They all sat around drinking and smoking as well.

And they were cheering over Tucker being back...not yelling.

I immediately felt uncomfortable as amused smirks filled their faces, eyeing me up and down. I guess the short skirt didn't help any either...

Great...

"What did I say about staying in the fucking car?" Tucker snapped. He was beyond furious...

"Wow, you come back and you don't even care to introduce us to your new friend here?" One guy with jet black hair and sleeves of tattoos said.

"I'm Elise." I smile politely.

"I'm Ryan, that's Alex, and the long haired dude is Clyde." The jet black haired dude says. Alex was the one with tons of piercings and blue eyes. "Please, take a seat and a drink--"

"We were just leaving." Tucker interrupts before I could answer.

"Already? C'mon, chill out." Clyde says, as both Ryan and Alex agree, taking swigs from their cups and drags from their cigarettes. 

Tucker sat back down and I decided to take a seat next to him.

Alex got up, bringing me a cup full of alcohol. "Here--"

"I think she's fine." Tucker once again interrupts.

"Thanks." I smile taking the cup from his hand, ignoring Tucker. They all watched as I brought the cup to my lips and took a sip. I began coughing immediately. It was much stronger than beer, and it felt warm going down my throat.

They all laughed except Tucker.

"Take it easy there, Tiger. That shit will have you knocked out if you're not careful." Alex says, biting at his lip ring.

"Oh." I say. "What is it?"

"We mix it ourselves, but it's mainly vodka." Ryan answers.

+++

Time went by as I finished my full cup of whatever the hell it was and we all laughed and talked, and danced to the music. All but Tucker.

I was completely wasted on whatever was in this cup.

"Another one!" I cheered on, tipping the empty cup upside down as I continued to dance to the music.

"I think you've had enough, Elise." Tucker sighs annoyed. What a dick. He's not my father.

"You're so bossy." I furrow my brows towards him, but he only rolls his eyes before standing up and walking towards me. He wrapped his hand so fast around my wrist. 

"Thanks for..this evening, but I think we'll be going." Tucker says pulling me out of the room before anyone could say anything to stop us. I tumbled down the hallway he pulled me down.

"Tucker, I'm going to trip. Slow down." I said trying to pull him to a stop.

"You're an idiot, Elise. I told you to stay in the fucking car, and what do you do? You fucking go inside like a little lost puppy. I'll let you in on something, little lost puppies don't belong here." He said, continuing to pull me down the hallways, and a set of stairs.

The room was spinning from how quickly we were moving and how much alcohol was in my system.

I tripped on the last step, only to cling onto Tucker's strong arm before I face planted the floor.

"Tucker...slow down." I try to stop him but he continues walking until we were out the door and I was greeted with the same scold the middle-aged lady smoking a cigarette had and an old guy who looked to be homeless looking into his car.

And it only took that to get on his last nerve. He pushed me away before approaching the old guy.

"Get the fuck away from my car!" He shouted grabbing the guy by his collar and throwing him against the wall.

He clenched his fist about to hit the guy.

And it was then when I got a clear view of the face of the familiar old man.

No, it can't be...

"Dad?" I question. The old mans eye's met mine, and Tucker's fist stopped mid-air.