Up in my room was where I liked to be when I was home, away from my dad. Just alone. Normally he let me stay there but today was an exception,
"Samantha, get down stairs now please I have to talk to you about something."
There wasn't really any use fighting him, I left my safe bedroom, and ventured downstairs,
"What."
"I'm having a business colleague over for dinner today, he's the son of the head of the company and I want to make a good impression on him." Will informed me, as if I cared
"Great, why do I need to know all that."
"I want you to be her for dinner tonight, and no funny business, just please at least act like we have a great family, it's for business, Samantha." His eyebrows were low on his eyes and his face showed no caring emotion as per usual, all he cared about was business
"Yeah, sure, whatever."
Will swung his briefcase over his shoulder and left for work without saying a word, not soon after, there was a knock on the door. Carelessly, I wrapped my fingers around the door knob and turned it, opening the door.
"Oh, hey Austin."
Austin was my best friend. We were neighbors ever since we were 3. He was tall, dark, and awkwardly skinny. His hair was mangled and brown, and his eyes were bright blue. He smiled a lot, and he was sort of a nerd. But we were best friends despite our many differences, and we always had been.
"Oh, hey." He said sarcastically back.
Oddly, I wasn't in the mood for Austin's humor, and I could feel tears coming on, which was also odd. I breathed and wiped my eyes furiously trying to stop the tears from coming. Contrary to my fighting effort I felt sticky wetness drip down my cheek. Austin was still for a moment before he wrapped me up in a hug.
"He hates me." I sobbed "Nothings the same since she died, I feel so lonely in this house."
Austin squeezed me tighter and whispered that it was okay. My mom had been gone for a year now, but I still couldn't get over it.
"I just don't even feel like he's my dad, he was always gone my whole childhood, I barely know him. I don't feel like he has the right to tell me what to do or anything else a dad should do. And he doesn't even want it to change, he doesn't want to get to know me, he only talks to me when it has to do with business." I vented into Austin's shoulder
"Sam, I know it's hard. But he does love you he's your dad, he just..has a funny way of showing it." Austin always tried to comfort me, and I smiled at him because I know he meant the best, but I also knew it wasn't true.
"Whatever it doesn't matter." I wiped my eyes and re- assembled myself. "I have to stay home for some business dinner tonight so we can't be gone long, but I want to go somewhere."
Austin looked at me irritated, I knew he wanted to stay home and watch a movie. He rolled his eyes, "Lets go get pizza, your treat." He laughed at me hurrying out the door
I chased after him and threw an awkward, and harmless punch at his back. "You're paying next time, loser."
"Oh real mature, Sam, real mature."