fragile | jelix

chapter 14

i was ready to go. i put on my second shoe and put up my hood, reaching for the door handle, when a loud, deafening voice boomed through the house. i looked behind me to see my father stood by the entrance to the living room, staring at me with hatred in his eyes.

"i need to talk to you." he stated coldly with his arms folded. i was tempted to just ignore him and run out the door to jack's house anyway, but i knew he would either chase after me or there would be severe consequences when i got back home. i backed away from the front door a little bit and put down my hood to make it look like i was even a little bit interested in what he had to say.

"did you really think i wouldn't notice how much you've been sneaking out of the house lately? did you really think you would get away with that?" i honestly did. i didn't think he had even noticed that i left the house or came back. he certainly didn't notice me when i would come home from school or come back home from mark's house. i stared at him in silence. sometimes no answer is the best answer.

"so where have you been going?" i gulped and put my hands in my pockets, my anxiety increasing.

"to a friend's house." he nodded, his frown becoming increasingly more obvious.

"and why didn't you think to tell me you would be doing that?"

"i didn't think you'd really care."

"i never gave you permission to go and visit your friend at such late hours." late hours? it was only 7pm, it was still pretty bright outside, i would hardly call that late.

"it's not that late."

"i don't care, either way i didn't give you permission to go." i rolled my eyes subtly. if he noticed he would have probably killed me.

"i'm sorry. can i go see my friend now?" he stared at me without saying a single word. he looked down at the floor before looking back up at me with a menacing stare.

"no." when that word came out of his mouth i was in despair. right then and there in that moment, the one thing i wanted more than anything else in the world was to see jack, and that dickhead of a father was depriving me of doing just that. what was his deal? why did he like to torture me so god damn much?

"why?"

"because i never gave you permission to do so before so why should i do it now?"

"because i apologised. i really want to go see my friend, i'm sorry, just please let me go see him-"

"quit your whining, i don't give a shit if you wanna see your friend or not. you're probably making it up anyway. you probably go into an alley to snort crack with a bunch of other druggies." wow. so now he was accusing me of being a drug addict.

"seriously? you're really gonna go down that route?"

"well i wouldn't be surprised."

"and what's that supposed to mean?!"i exclaimed in pure shock, not actually believing what he was saying.

"i don't have to explain myself to you, alright? just drop this, i said you can't go." i clenched my fists and grinded my teeth together in rage and anger. i began making my way upstairs to my room, because i knew there was nothing i could have done to convince him to change his mind.

"scumbag..." i muttered under my breath as i walked away from the door. i had just put one foot on the bottom staircase when i felt a sharp blow to the back of my head. i staggered back, suddenly feeling incredibly lightheaded. i fell to the floor and looked up at my attacker.

my own dad.

"get to your room, now! you're grounded for a week, you understand?!" i nodded quickly before getting up and frantically running up the stairs so that he couldn't hurt me again. as i ran i felt tears slide down my cheeks, but i was more focused on getting to my room, the safest place in my house. when i got in i slammed the door shut behind me, regretting my decision when my dad started shouting curse words and threats up the stairs at me. more tears slid down my face as i slid down the bedroom door, wanting to just get out and leave that place. not just for the night, but for the rest of my god damn life.