Credit goes to the movies 'Taken In Broad Daylight' and 'Saw.'

I walked through the living room and toward the door.

"Hey, Jackson?"

I turned toward the kitchen to look at my father. "Yeah?"

"I ran out of cocaine. Do you have any money?" He was jumpy.

"No." I continued out the door, heading to school.

My father had a drug addiction problem. He'd do anything to get his drugs.

He didn't talk to me much.

But I didn't mind.

All he'd talk about were drugs.

"Hey, Jackson."

"Hey, baby." I absentmindedly gave Melissa a kiss.

She noticed this. "Something wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, uh…no. Just having problems with my dad."

"Anything I could help with?"

"No." I kissed her again. "But thanks anyway."

I stepped into the house.

It was a mess. Everything was all over the place, flipped over.

My father stepped out of my room, a ten dollar bill in his hand. He folded it and put it into his pocket.

"What are you doing?" I said. "That's mine."

"I need it."

"So do I."

"What do you need it for? You don't ever help out around here."

"You don't either. I'm the one that works and pays for everything. I'm saving my money to take Melissa out Friday. I only have twenty dollars."

"You mean there's more?" He headed for my for again.

I rushed to block the door. "Stay outta my room."

"Move!"

"No."

He tried to push me, but I held my ground. "Get outta my way!"

"No."

He was getting irritated. "Give me the money!"

"No."

He unexpectedly punched me, then yanked the collar of my shirt, pulling me away from the door.

I landed on the floor.

My father walked into my room.

I could hear loud crashing noises from inside. I pushed myself up and stepped into my room to find it destroyed. "Dad, what did you do?!"

"Where's the money, Cody?"

I eyed the wallet that lay on the nightstand.

My father turned to me. "Where's the money, d***it?!" He followed my eyes to the small table next to my bed.

We both rushed toward it at the same time.

I was about to grab it when my father shoved me hard.

I flipped over the bed, then hit the floor. I pushed myself up. "What the h*** was that for?!"

He stood there, taking every last cent out of my wallet, pulling out the picture of Melissa and dropping it onto the floor.

I headed toward him.

He threw my wallet onto my bed and walked out the door, closing it.

I picked up the picture of Melissa, setting it on my nightstand, then followed my father. "Give me my money back."

"I need it."

"D***it, Dad! Give me my f***ing money!"

My father picked up the phone, dialing a number. After a moment, he spoke. "I got the money. You got the stuff?" There was a pause. "My house. Ten minutes." He hung up.

"Dad-"

"Leave me alone, Cody."

I sighed, then turned and headed into my room, slamming the door shut behind me.

After ten minutes, I'd finally gotten my room clean…or, at least, how it was before my father threw everything out of place.

I knew where everything was, even if it was a mess.

I put my wallet into my back pocket, then walked out of my room.

My father sat at the kitchen table with a muscular man, talking in a low voice about drugs. He handed the guy two ten dollar bills.

I stormed out of the house.

"Hey, baby." I gave Melissa a kiss.

"Hey, Jackson."

"You know how I told you I'd take you somewhere tonight? Well-"

"Yeah. I can't wait. I'm so excited."

I sighed. "Me, too."