Breaking Barriers (GxG) [Completed]

Acceptance

Instead of going home Hayley offered for me to stay at her place for the night. She had contacted my dad to let him know she had found me and where I would be staying.

I had totally forgotten that she practically lived in a mansion. She told me her parents weren't home and showed me to the guest room. She lend me some clothes to change in. We cooked some eggs, made a delicious avocado toast, and devoured it 10 times faster, as it took to make.

As soon as our bellies were satisfied we went to bed.

We both skipped school the next day since we stayed up late and were too tired to function. She made a delicious brunch for us and afterwards I went home. I was dreading the moment I had to face my dad, but I was ready.

I might have overreacted a little yesterday. I didn't mean to scare or hurt him in any way. Hayley told me that I shouldn't beat myself up over it last night. Even though it scared me, I decided to open up to her, at least about my dad's illness.

Everyone grieves, we do it on a daily basis. Bad news? Grieve. Bad grades? Grieve. You or someone you love moves? Grieve. News about a family member dying? Grieve. I know lashing out doesn't help anyone, but if it helps you in that moment, then there is nothing wrong with it.

I open the door, stepping inside. I hang my jacket up and make my way towards the kitchen. "Dad?!" I yell before opening the door to see if he was in the kitchen. I get no response and I don't find him in the kitchen. I make my way upstairs to see if he's in his room. I knock before calling for him again. "Dad?"

The door slowly opens a little. He usually locks his door before leaving. Strange. I open the door a little further. He doesn't seem to be home. I close the door and turn around.

"HOLY MOTHER OF-" I yell but quickly shut my mouth. "You scared the living hell out of me."

"Good, now you feel how I felt yesterday when you stormed out." My dad says with a little smile on his face. He seems pretty satisfied with himself.

I take a few deep breaths, trying to steady my heartbeat to its normal pace.

"I'm sorry," I mumble once my heart rate is back to normal. I didn't dare to look him in the eyes.

"Rogue." I look up and see my dad spread his arms wide for a hug. I take a few steps closer to him and settle in his arms, my head on his shoulder.

"I'm just afraid to lose you, I don't want to lose you, dad," I say not holding back the tears I feel coming up.

"Hush, I know it's scary and I don't want to leave you either, but I also know that I'll enjoy my time with you more when I'm not too weak to even walk." He says while stroking my back like he always used to when I was upset.

I pull back a little and look him in the eye. "How long did they say you have?"

◇◇◇

"So what do you think?" I ask.

"They are unromantic, don't like small talk, don't have a sense of humour and they are Nazi's."

"Hayley, Hayley, Hayley," I say shaking my head. "Did you learn anything. That is so stereotypical of you to say. I actually met a few Germans and most of them are really nice."

"Oh, sorry." She says rubbing the back of her head. "I told you, I don't know anything about Germany."

"Don't worry that's why you got me," I say showing her a goofy smile. "Let me tell you about this man I met a few years ago."

He was in his 80's. Lived with his family in the Netherlands. His wife died 10 years ago and he was in the early stages of dementia.

I had to interview a person who remembered the second world war. So when I found out he was German and actually fought in the war, I knew I wanted to interview him.

At first, everyone loved what Hitler said, of course, he promised to make everyone richer. He promised a better life. Make Germany great again. (Just like Trump🙃)
So people thought he was going to make life better for them and it seemed like he was actually helping people.

Until he started to go after the Jews, he made every man in Germany join his army, you had no choice. Hans, the man I interviewed told me he didn't mind joining at first, that was until he found out what was really happening. He and a few of his friends tried to get out, but that would mean disobeying orders. He would be seen as a traitor.

Despite all the danger of getting out and go into hiding he did. He went to Switzerland with his friends and they regrouped there to head to Austria together.

In Austria, they started a resistance, but they were found and had to fight to keep the Germans away. They had to fight their own people in order to stay alive. He told me a few of his friends died in battle and he himself was shot during one of the battles.

He went back to Switzerland and stayed there until the war was over. He was shot in his shoulder and barely survived.

"So not every German is a Nazi. Not everyone knew the real intentions and once they knew it was either freeze, fight or flight. Most of them froze since they didn't know what to do. Some fought back and started to help Jews hide. Everyone did what they could." I was writing some of the things down while I was explaining things to her.

"Oh wow, I never knew that. I mean they always portray Germans a certain way in history books." She seems genuinely surprised.

"Well some did believe what Hitler did was right, and you could call them Nazi's or they just didn't know any better," I say shrugging my shoulders and continue typing.

After a few minutes, I look up and see Hayley staring at me... again. She quickly looks away when our eyes meet. I continue working and shrug it off, it's probably nothing.

"So, ehm," Hayley says after a couple of minutes. "What happened to Hans?

I look up from my laptop and look at her a little confused. "He died at age 84. A week after his birthday."

"No, no, I mean what happened after the war?" She asks.

"Oh, ehm, he went back after Germany's fall and met the love of his life, married, got a kid. He lived a normal life like nothing had happened." I start typing again, I wanted this project done and over with. We had 2 more weeks to finish, I had done most of it myself since Hayley literally didn't know anything about Germany.

She was still helping me with other homework to compromise for the lack of work she does on the project. She was failing and since she has been there for me for the past 2 months I was more than willing to help her with this.

Ever since that last talk with my dad I had been spending more time with him. Hayley and her 2 minions asked me to hang with them more and I accepted since I promised myself not to run anymore.

School is going well, just one more month and we would have 2 weeks off for Christmas and New Year. I've been getting more attention recently, maybe because I was hanging out with Hayley and her two friends. People would come up to me and ask me about my day, weird I know. Others would just acknowledge me or mumble a "good morning."

I've also noticed a few changes in my dad. He was tired more often than not, he started to cough more and couldn't do everything he used to do. Most of the time I had to cook, do the dishes, wash our clothes, take out the trash, and get the groceries. He was becoming weaker by the week. He ate less so I started to cook his meals with more fat, doctors orders!

I still keep up with my YouTube and started to think about doing a face reveal. Nah, just kidding who would want a girl like me as their idol. Broken, ugly, and insecure. I know I have a good voice, people have been sharing my video's a lot lately, but I don't think they would still like me if they knew who was behind the voice.

My life wasn't looking as Black and White as it used to. I was smiling more, I was feeling like I could be myself, but there was still one thing bothering me.

What did Hayley want to say all those weeks ago before my dad interrupted us? And when would all this come crashing down?

Because nothing good lasts forever, something always has to ruin things.

A/n:
Shorter than usual but kinda just a filler for a small-time skip. 🙈

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