wrong number ; jack gilinsky

thirty-eight

dakota's pov +

as i came downstairs from finishing my homework, i checked my phone to see i had six missed calls from an unknown number just before the doorbell rang.

i ignored my phone for a second and opened it - feeling my heart in my mouth when my dad stood before me.

"no, no, you need to leave" i instantly rushed and tried to push him away from the porch.

"dakota, i tried to call before coming but you didn't answer. i'm sorry for what happened, but you're my—".

"no, leave" i angrily whispered. "someone will see you and—".

"harry?" my mom appeared behind me at the door, her eyes filling with tears of disbelief.

"sarah" dad stretched out a smile.

"what are you...—when did you—" she tried to speak.

"look, i know that me being here is a shock but i've been dying to see you all".

with my luck, nate walked down the stairs and immediately locked eyes with his uncle and froze on his spot.

dad comfortably walked into the house as he stared in awe at nate, "nathan. wow, you're so tall now".

"what do you want?" he spat back.

"i wanted—".

"and don't say you wanted to see us because you've had all the time in the world to do that or were you just too high to do so?" nate retaliated.

dad scratched the back of his neck at the rising hostility in the room.

"i've been trying to pick up the courage. i knew that you all wouldn't want to see me but i had to come back despite what you said dakota" he explained, leaving my chest to tighten at his words.

"what did you say?" mom inquired.

nate's head snapped towards me, "have you been speaking to him?".

i shook my head nervously, "no...well, not technically".

"you've been in contact with your father all this time and you never told us!" mom shockingly yelled before pushing her hair back and shaking her head at me.

"but he left us, mom! i thought you wouldn't want to see him".

she pointed her finger at me, "you don't know what i want, young lady. how selfish could you be?".

my shoulders disappointedly dropped at her choice of words, "mom".

"your father and i could have talked and sorted out our differences, we could have helped him" she added.

"he's still taking drugs to this day!" i began to cry. "nate, listen to me. you get why i did it right?".

i hopefully stared at my cousin until he looked away from me with the same look that my mom was giving me right now.

"it wasn't just your choice to make" he responded.

how can they not understand why i kept this from them? and how are they possibly taking his side over mine right now.

"please don't blame, dakota. she's the reason that i got the balls to come here" dad answered.

"don't defend me" i pierced my eyes at him. "you were never here to defend me from anything, so don't you dare start now!"

with tears heavily in my eyes, i hastily walked past them all and out the front door. my dad being back and the way my mom reacted to him being here is only a matter of time before he's back in our lives for good. back to ruin them all over again.