Save Me (editing)

1| Where It All Began

♥  amazing cover by: kellyrenee71

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1| Where It All Began

The trees merge into a blur of green and brown outside the passenger side window. A shiver runs down my spine when the cool air of the night seeps through the small gap in the window and kisses my cheek. I press the button to roll the window back up, still unable to believe that this is really happening. We're going back to that place. I pick my knees up and hug them, throwing my head back on the seat.

I can feel my dad's eyes on me.

"You feeling okay?"

The question hits me like a truck hitting a stray deer. I clench my jaw and bite back the urge to unleash my anger on him; I close my eyes and let out a big sigh instead. "I'm fine dad. But the real question is, are you?"

For the first time in this whole car journey I look at him, but his eyes are back on the road. His tense body forces him to grip the steering wheel rather tightly. But of course, Charlie Reynolds is too tough for the world, he has zero problems and is never unhappy. He will always be the bubbly and carefree man that everybody admires him for being. His grip on the wheel loosens and his body relaxes when his eyes wander back to me.

"Of course I am! Why else would I be willing to drive this close to midnight?" He grins sardonically. A bright beam of sunshine radiates out of him, completely paradoxing with the storm brewing inside of him. His sarcasm can fool anyone, but not me.

I look away with a shake of my head.

"Dad," I whisper, well aware that he can already sense what is coming.

I look behind me to find my younger brother sprawled out across the back seats, completely knocked out by the long journey.

"She cheated on you. You don't need to fake happiness just to get by in life."

I know my words cut right through his heart. His big, soft, fragile heart. The steering wheel falls under his tight grip again and I regret ever bringing it up. No one wants to be reminded that their spouse cheated on them, especially when they loved them more than life itself. But sometimes he needs to hear it, he needs a reality check so that he can stop living in this facade that he is the happiest man alive.

"How am I pretending, hm? I've been offered a new job, my daughter is in her senior year of high school, Matt is turning sixteen soon. So what if we're going back to a town that we don't like? Happiness comes from growth and we can only grow by accepting the fact that life won't always go our way."

As much as he tries to mask away his pain through his phyllisophical preaching, I can hear it in his voice. I rest my head against the seat and close my eyes. There is a good reason why we grew hate for this town, because this is where his heart and soul was crushed into tiny little pieces and scattered all over town.

"Maya." he says in a low voice.

My eyes flutter open to find him staring at me.

"I have you and Matt in my life, there's nothing more that I need to be happy. You guys are my eternal happiness. And as cheesy as that may sound, I mean it." His warm smile doesn't quite reach his eyes, he seems to be convincing himself more than anything.

Despite looking right through his lie I smile back and whisper, "I know."