Secrets In The Garden / l.h ✔️

25

~Ophelia's POV~

I heard my dad calling for me as I walked out of the house, ignoring his calls while I shut the front door. We'd gotten into yet another argument, as he was insistent that I should come and see him more during the holidays, but I didn't want to. The idea was the exact opposite of appealing to me, which he was offended by when I told him this.

And because he was offended, we ended up getting into an argument again, in which he yelled at me about how I had no right to be being so disrespectful to him when he was only trying to be a good father. To that, I simply reminded him that it was a little hard for me to believe that when this was his first time trying that in many years. Rightfully so, he had nothing to say to that and I had won that argument rather quick.

Even so, I knew he wasn't ready to let it go as it was, judging by the way he came following me outside into the front yard, where I was getting ready to garden my frustrations away despite the fact that it was past eight PM now. It was getting late, but I didn't care. He had made me angry, and gardening was something that always calmed me down, no matter what. However, he came out and interrupted that.

"Ophelia, would you come back inside?" Dad asked, looking at me from where he stood on the driveway, frowning. I rolled my eyes and stared up at him. "No." I said flatly, not entertaining the idea for even a moment.

He sighed heavily and then was quiet for a second, a second that was nowhere near long enough. "I don't understand why you won't listen to me. What do you want me to do, sweetheart? I'm trying here." He almost whined, his arms hanging limply by his side. I turned my head up to look at him again, not impressed, and raised my brows. "What I want you to do is leave. I'm not listening because you never say anything new. You just lie." I was on the verge of sneering at him, my eyes narrowed angrily up at the man who had more nerve than anyone I'd known.

Dad stared at me and clenched his jaw, which I knew meant he was trying to reel in his own anger. Maybe I was pushing my luck, I knew it, but I didn't care. He had ignored me for years and now he wanted me to listen now that it was convenient for him to have me in his life again? I wasn't having it.

"You need to come inside, Ophelia. I'm serious." Dad repeated, completely ignoring what I had said. I clenched my hands into fists, sitting on my knees in the grass still as I glared at him. "Did you even hear what I said? You complain at me about how I won't listen and then you ignore me when I tell you what's wrong." I pointed out, my hands on my thighs.

"Shut up. I don't want to hear it right now, so get inside." He hissed, his eyes flaming with irritation as he glared at me. He wasn't playing nice anymore, like I knew he would do eventually. "Oh, you don't want to hear it now? Is there a more convenient time to tell you to fuck off?" I shot back with a tone full of snark, further pushing his buttons. "I'm fine outside. Just leave me alone." I said, turning away.

I saw his hands form fists and, for just a split second, my resolve wavered as I eyed him through my peripheral view. I refused to look at him again, but I could feel him glaring at the side of my head, making me a little nervous.

"Don't test me anymore, sweetheart. Get your ass up and go inside." My dad said in a deceptively calm voice, the sudden change in demeanor making me glance at him with suspicion. "Test you?" I laughed, standing up off of my knees. "The only one of us being tested is me. You know I want nothing to do with you. Why are you still here?" I asked, staring him in the face.

At first, his eye just twitched, like he was having trouble holding his patience. It wasn't until I saw him take what he thought was a subtle glance to his left that I realized he was not trying to hold his patience with me. No, he was just paranoid because, when I looked as well, Luke was watching us from across the street.