It Began With a Smirk

31: Fatherly Love

I laid down across my bed and smiled up at the ceiling. I’d actually made some friends in California! Opal would be so proud of me. I thought and as I did my smile slowly faded away. There I was, thinking of Opal again.

Ever since the accident she had refused to talk to me. I pulled out my phone and dialed her number.

“Hey this is Opal I obviously am not at the phone so do your thing and I’ll do mine.” As usual it went straight to her answering machine. Can’t she just unblock me and get it over with?

 

I sighed, not wanting to leave a message and hung up. I had nothing I could say to her. She wouldn’t listen anyways. Is she all right? Has school been going well? Did she end up going out with Dan after all? I couldn’t stop myself from wondering. I covered my face with my hands and let out a slow breath. She’ll talk to you one day. I told myself. Give it time.

Even though I told myself that it didn’t change anything. I still was dying to talk to her. Maybe Maruesa can give me some details? I pulled out my phone to dial my dad’s number. I hadn’t talked to him since I left. I had but it off knowing that he wasn’t a talker even when I lived with him and if I gave him some time maybe he’d actually have something to talk about?

“Hello?” My dad’s voice greeted my ear. He answered!

“Hi, it’s Rein.” I said a little smiling coming to my face. He actually answered!

“I take it you made it all right then?”

I nodded even though he couldn’t see. “Yessir I did.” I waited for a few moments and he didn’t respond. I waited a few more and still nothing. “Did you know that Christine was getting married?” I asked for lack of anything else to say.

“She did mention it, yes.”

What? How could he know? I wondered. He must have talked to Christine once I’d gotten here. “When did you find out?”

“A few months ago. She called when he proposed.”

I opened my mouth then closed it. Wait, what? I let out a slow breath. If he knew for months that means he knew before I moved here and didn’t say anything. “Oh.” I muttered trying to cover my disappointment.

Silence. Long silence. “If there’s nothing else then I really should be going.”

“Of course.” I breathed. Again a long silence. He was waiting for me to hang up first, he always did. “Is Opal all right?” I asked as I remembered why I’d originally called.

“If she had wanted you to know then you would know.” he answered simply.

“I’m sorry I just left. I-“

He cut me off. “I’m going to go now Rein.”

“Allright.” I said slowly. “Goodbye Maruesa.” I hung up taking the hint.

For a long time I just lay not wanting to think. My dad had never been a talker. He’d never been fatherly. We’d never had any sort of special bond. But once upon a time he used to at least be somewhat human towards me. That had ended a few months ago. The same time Opal had stopped being my friend.

I picked up my phone and started to go through the photos of Opal and her bright smiling face beside mine. I’d had such a great day making new friends but it didn’t get rid of the hurt of her no longer being my friend.

Just as I was considering opening up my artpad to draw some depressing sketches my bedroom door opened and I looked up to see Kale entering. Just what I needed. I thought sourly. 

Confessions of a Broken Heart - Lindsay Lohan