Her Guardian ✓

Dressed In Black

Serenity

I waited and waited all day for my father to come home.

I knew I was getting punished tonight, but he wasn't here even though he was supposed to.

Where is he?

I decided that I had to get out of my room and check the house. Maybe he's playing one of his mind games on me again.

"Father?" I called out as I walked into his room.

But what I saw made my blood run cold. I started shaking and panting wanting to scream.

"Father?!" I called out again desperately walking towards his unmoving body.

Calm down Serenity. Think. Think.

Who am I supposed to call?! An ambulance?! The police?!

I decided on calling the police as I saw a gun next to him

The police said it was suicide and tried to comfort me.

That's how I found myself here at his funeral something I thought I would never have to attend. I always thought I would be the one to leave first. I always thought he would have to attend my funeral someday and maybe he would regret ruining me.

I was almost angry at this.

I looked around me at the people all dressed in black. They were mourning the loss of their neighbor.

The loss of my father.

I should be happy. I should be happy that my suffering is over.

But I'm not.

The only person who didn't abandon me, but caused me pain a thousand times more, was gone. I felt empty.

Maybe I will miss the beatings.

I thought holding back a sad smile as they lowered the casket onto the ground.

I felt something wet on my cheek and thought that it was possibly starting to rain, but I soon came to realize I was crying.

After the funeral ended, the next part came. Everyone would come up to me and give me their condolences and I had to thank them and be polite.

Be polite to the people that knew about my suffering and did nothing to stop it, nothing to help me, nothing to help him.

I sobbed a little when I thought about the times he was a good father. A different person. My best friends, Tessa and Jane held my hands tighter at the sound of my sob.

"Honey I'm sorry" I heard a sweet voice as someone's arms wrapped around me. "Know that we're here for you if you need us, right next door" My neighbor, Mrs Jones said.

I smiled and nodded before moving on to the next ones who said something similar. I didn't really pay attention to anything anyone was saying, I only smiled, nodded and repeat.

I knew all of them, except for one. The last one.

A man came up to me. He too was dressed in black, but it seemed to be his personal style and not just the occasion. Oddly he had a small smile on his face.

His face.

I knew this wasn't the time to be a thirsty hoe but he was the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen. I kept staring at him trying to figure out the color of his eyes. He was really tall too, I had to look up to see his face and he had wide shoulders and a lean torso. His hair was jet black and perfectly disheveled and his jaw could cut diamonds.

"Miss Quinn? Do you hear me?" I heard his baritone voice.

His voice could definitely drop some pa-

"Y-yes! Sorry, I'm a little distracted" I whispered the last part.

"It's okay, I completely understand Miss Quinn" He said chuckling.

How does he know my name?

"Excuse me if I'm missing something but, I don't think I've ever seen you before, are you one of my father's friends?" I said tilting my head.

He looked way too young to be friends with my father, he seemed to be in his early or mid twenties.

"I wouldn't put it like that, but you'll soon find out who I am"

For some reason this sentence gave me shivers and I felt a little panic and anxiety.

"Don't worry, It's not as scary as it sounds" He chuckled calming me a little.

He held out his hand and I took it, but before I could shake his hand he brought mine up to his lips and kissed it gently, barely touching it.

"Till next time, Miss Quinn" He said and walked away with a few other men.

"W-wait!" I said halting him. He turned around with a smirk and raised an eyebrow. I regretted calling out to him so I just bit my lip, "Nothing. Goodbye" I whispered.

He winked and walked away this time.

The rest of the day I stayed thinking of him and what his words could mean.

Woah, what a daughter. Thinking of a guy instead of mourning my father's loss.

________

"Ren!" I heard a voice I knew too well and turned around letting myself be wrapped in their arms.

"Hi guys" I whispered as they set me free.

"How have you been?" Tessa, one of my best friends asked.

"I'm coping"

It was almost a lie. When I was at home, I found myself scared an anxious waiting for my father to appear and accuse me of doing something wrong before punishing me. It never came and I always found myself relieved when it didn't.

But the idea wouldn't leave me, it was as if my body and mind were trained to wait for a punishment.

"So are you going to live alone now?" Jane, my other best friend asked.

"I'm not sure" I said just now remembering the fact that I wasn't eighteen yet and I couldn't live alone. I was seventeen and hadn't had my eighteenth birthday yet.

Someone had to be my guardian right? An uncle maybe?

My mother?

I felt my face fall at the thought of her and shook off the idea.

"I don't know, I guess someone will appear as my guardian"

"What about that man?" Jane asked making me tilt my head confused.

"What man?"

"That guy at the funeral, you've never talked about him before but we saw him talking to you" Tessa added.

The girls knew everything about me, so it was only natural that they would find it weird.

"The reason why I've never talked about him is because I don't really know him" I said hesitantly.

"He looked really handsome though" Tessa winked bumping my shoulder.

"Chill Tessa, he's probably just a distant relative, or one of my father's old friends" I told her.

I avoided telling her about what he said because I knew she would make a big deal out of it and I was almost positive I would never see him again. I could spend all day making up scenarios about meeting him again but I knew nothing like this would happen.

Even though I wanted to.

The bell rang indicating that we had to get to class and Tessa hugged me and Jane.

"I'll see you later girls!" She said as she ran to her class. Me and Jane waved at her and walked towards our class.

Maths. Ew.