Chapter One – Disputes
Sarah sat down across from her parents, daring them with narrowed eyes to say what they were really thinking about her newly relinquished information.
Her mother's back was a rigid board as her eyes stared off in the distance behind her only daughter and her right hand was pawing around at her husband in search of some sort of security. Sarah's father on the other hand was glaring at her through thick rimmed glasses and with every passing moment, Sarah could swear that his face was turning a deeper shade of red.
"So," she started trying very hard to limit the sarcasm. "Are we having a staring contest or are one of you actually going to say something?"
Now she had both of her parent's attention completely on her once again. Her mother open and closed her mouth repeatedly like a fish out of water, but no sort of noise came out causing Sarah to let out an exasperated sigh.
"Please tell me this is some sort of joke," her father finally spoke, his words booming at her. "Tell me that for the last three years, I have not been paying for you to be running around with that stupid camera of yours taking pictures of god knows what!"
She blinked at him and leaned back on the "good" couch. "Why am I going to tell you a lie?"
The man stood up with such force, that her mother had to wince back to avoid any oncoming blows that were to come with his words. "Because you have been lying to us this whole time! You've lied to us about everything!"
Even though he was shouting, the young brunette before him didn't even flinch. Instead she sat there, arms crossed and let him repeat over and over again about how she did the family wrong. She came prepared for this and kept having to remind herself that it could have been a lot worse than it is.
When his voice lowered, as well as the rest of his body and his wife was able to wrap an arm around his bicep to try and keep him in his place, did Sarah speak again.
"Are you done with the shouting?" she asked.
The blue in her mother's eyes deepened and now it was her turn to speak, just she chose to do it without actual words. Something about living in this lifestyle will do that to a person, but right now her eyes warned her daughter that she better watch her tongue.
Sarah closed her eyes and took a deep breath, remembering the conversation she had with her best friend earlier in the week. When she opened them again, she knew that she could do this and no matter what happened she deserved to be happy with her choices.
"Yes, I am not going to medical school after I graduate this year." Her father huffed and looked away from her. "I was never studying Biology when I was in school. Freshman year, I took an intro class and just decided that it wasn't for me, but I found my real passion in art."
A skinny arm seemed to flail in the air for a moment, "You can't make a living off of painting trees and taking silly pictures Sarah!" Her mother's voice was extremely shrill, like maybe she had been wound up too tight.
Deep breath, Sarah reminded herself. "Actually you can. And according to several of my professors I have a real talent with the camera and -"
She was cut off by her father standing once again and crossing the room in a fluid moment, placing him directly in front of her. It was right then that Sarah realized how much her father had aged in the last three years. He had wrinkles around his mouth making it look like he was permanently frowning at the world and there was a lot more gray running through his hairline than she remembered.
It was his eyes that seemed to bother her the most about his newer appearance; they were hardened. They were not the same brown eyes that lit up when she came home from school as a child, excited to watch movies and color with him while her mother made dinner in the kitchen or the same ones that watered up when she graduated middle school.
Instead they looked cold and empty, and in this moment, like they hated her.
"Sarah, I will not be hearing anymore of this tonight. We can discuss it later." Each word weighed heavy in the air around them while she continued to stare intently at the man she was supposed to respect the most.
It was now Sarah's turn to rise and her frame looked laughable against her father's tall, broad one, but she needed to stand her ground for once; literally. "There is nothing to talk about, father."
When her father opened his mouth again, Sarah turned on her heel and headed towards the front entrance of their house, grabbing up her purse in the process.
"Where do you think you are going?" Her mother's voice screeched at her.
Deciding that it was in better judgment that they didn't know where she was headed, she let the door slam shut as she made her grand exit.
Sarah didn't have a car, so it only made sense that she kept on walking to her destination. She grew up in the small town of Marietta and was thankful that she knew of many paths that she took as a child to visit friends and even the drugstore to steal candy that her parents wouldn't allow her to have before dinner.
Her stomach clenched at the thought of her parents and how their relationship used to be, but just when she was about to allow herself to feel horrible about the life choices she was making – one of her favorite places came into view.
The Dusty Boot was a small town bar. Nothing too fancy, but it did well enough with the business that the recession didn't even phase them. Besides it probably helped that the owner had a son who would slip some of the good stuff to any pretty young thing that walked through the door.
Upon pulling the front door open, Sarah took a heavy inhale and remembered that this place really lived up to its name. The air had a stale musty smell to it and with the lot of farmers that would pass through leaving behind the heavy smell of a day's work.
"Sarah!" came a deep voice from behind the bar. "Jason didn't tell me you were in town this summer!"
Peeking through the small crowd of people already at the bar, Sarah could see a short, stout man with a flushed face and balding head waving his hands above his head in her direction. The excitement of Mr. Jacobs was heartwarming.
"Hey Mister J," she smiled at the bartender as she approached an empty bar stool next to a man with a worn down leather vest on. "My summer plans fell through this year, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to come home for one last visit before I graduate."
The older man smiled solemnly at her. Sarah had spent many nights here with his son getting drunk on cheap liquor and expressing her worries with anyone who would listen over the last three years. He knew more than he should about her life.
"Can I get you the usual?" he asked.
Sarah simply nodded her head and leaned back gently on the stool. She closed her eyes as she waited for the heavy glass to clink on the wooden surface in front of her. She could hear the man sitting next to her, shifted in his seat slightly, accidently brushing her arm in the process.
"Sorry ma'am," he mumbled in a heavy southern accent.
Sarah barely even acknowledge him before, but still gave him a courtesy smile. The man at least had the proper manners to realize when contact isn't wanted, but the bar area was small enough it was bound to happen sooner or later.
Just as her Jack and Coke was placed in front of her, another voice seemed to make its way out of the back of the bar. "Well, well, if it isn't little Miss Sarah Allen."
She couldn't help the instant eye roll that occurred. For a brief moment, she thought about the consequences of turning around and facing the voice, but decided that her day was just destined to go downhill.
The stool squeaked as she pushed it outward and turning her whole body towards the boy. She should have known that David Harlen would be bumming it out around the same place that they met years ago.
Her voice was curt and bland when she spoke. "David."
A boy stumbled forward from the shadows of the backroom. His face read that he probably hadn't sleep in about a year and yet his hair looked like he had just rolled out of bed. "Fancy running into you here, ain't it?"
Once again the eye roll was just instinct with this kid. "Not really. The Boot is closer to my house than some of the inner city places."
He hiccupped and took another unsteady step in her direction. "So you are home for the summer than pretty little lady?"
Sarah sighed already, tired of this conversation. "Yes David, I am home for the summer. Sadly."
Somewhere between his question and her answer, he managed to make his way over to her. Against her will, he reached a hand out to her and not so gently, rested it on her shoulder. "Don't be upset little darlin'. We could just shack up together like we did right out of high school."
She cringed at his words and at his unwanted touch. "David," she moved trying to get away from his grip, but his hand tightened on her shoulder. "I don't think that would be a good idea right now."
Something behind his eyes flashed in the dimly lit bar. "What? You think just because you went off to some high up college that you deserve better than me?"
In this moment, Sarah realized that The Dusty Boot had gone completely quiet. Even though people weren't turned in her direction, it was very clear that everyone was trying to get a good ear on what her response was going to be.
With pleading eyes she looked in the direction of Mr. Jacobs who seemed to be busying himself with a cloudy glass. Seeing that she wouldn't be getting an out any time soon, she brought her gaze back to boy in front of her. "I'm not saying anything David."
Deciding that heading out to a bar when she was frustrated may not have been the healthiest choice, Sarah tried to reach for her purse in an efforts to leave. David seemed to have other plans though seeing as his grip got harder with her movement.
"C'mon darlin', just one more night of hot passionate lovin'." He smirked seeing the slow blush creep up her neck.
"No," she snapped, making sure that she had full eye contact with him. "That was a mistake. You were a mistake."
David could not hold back the drunken rage that was eating him away. He quickly shoved Sarah hard against the wall, using all of his body weight to hold her there. Sarah wasn't going to give in easily though and welcomed the thought of a challenge.
"Oh, I was the mistake," David paused and looked around the bar making sure that he had everyone's attention. "You weren't saying that when you were screaming my name for a month straight."
Sarah's face flushed, but not out of embarrassment, this time it was nothing my pure anger. "Get your fucking, dirty hands off me."
David wiggled an eyebrow suggestively. "Make me, darlin'."
The man who was sitting next to Sarah at the bar stood up suddenly and faced the pair against the wall. Sarah couldn't get a good look at his face, but could see that he was significantly taller than David and herself.
The tall man took three heavy steps towards David and tapped him hard on the shoulder. "I believe the girl said she wanted nothing to do with you, mate."
