Teenage Waste Land pt.3

It was 3:30 at Gamma junior high. The last bell had ringed and the school yard was filled with students of different races and species either boarding school shuttles, or getting into their parents' car. Humming a merry tune as he drove, Buzz pulled up to the school's front driveway. Before he could even put the car in park, Jill hopped into the passenger seat and buckled up.

"Hi-dad-gotta-lotta-homework, so-can-we-go-now?" She jumbled out in haste. He just blinked and looked at her confused.

"Oh, yeah, okay." Pulling out, he noticed that she breathed out a sigh of relief before sinking back into her seat and looked out her window with a morose look on her face. "Something wrong, my little Butter Bean?"

"No." She hissed coldly, replacing the gloomy look with a scowl.

"Oh, well, did anything interesting happen in school after I left?" Buzz asked smiling. Grinding her teeth together, she growled darkly.

"No." Smiling he ruffled her hair.

"Oh…I think something is wrong with my lil Pumpkin Lumpkin, why don't you just tell daddy what's-"

"YOU!" She screamed, almost causing him to swerve off the road. "It's you! Why did you have to come to my class today?" Looking confused, he nodded.

"Well…yeah. I got an email at work telling me that it was your turn for career day and-"

"I had it great! I convinced everyone that my last name was spelt L-I-T-E! That I was in no way related to you!" She yelled, causing Buzz to glare at her angrily.

"Jillian Andrea Isabelle Lightyear! Is that why everyone was so surprised? Young lady, why would you lie about-?"

"Because I was so sick of it! I was so sick of how people treated me!" Pausing he looked at her, her face scrunched up in an upsetting matter. "I was so sick of being asked the same questions about you over and over. So sick of people having such high expectations of me, but quickly disappointing them when I failed at something you're good at. I was just so sick of no one asking me what I like, or what I want to do…" She tilted her head down and started to cry. The rest of the ride was quiet, saved for Jill's hiccups and sobs. Pulling into the garage, both father and daughter sat in awkward silence before she got out and went inside to do her homework, leaving Buzz to sigh in frustration.

/~{+}~\

Working at his desk in his home office, Buzz glanced over his shoulder to look into the family room through the open door to check on his daughter. Jill was happily playing with a toy piano, randomly slapping different keys and laughing at the sound they made. Smiling, he returned to work, listening to the sound of the keys and her giggling. After a while, he noticed that it had become suspiciously quiet. Quickly turning around he saw that Jill had pulled herself up with the help of the coffee table and was now standing up on her own. Holding his breath, Buzz watched as she turned her attention towards him and slowly wobbled to him. Sliding out of his chair he got down on his knees as she neared him. Holding his arms out the toddler finally reached him and collapsed onto his lap. Panting a bit, she tried to get back up but was scooped up by her father's strong arms and hugged close to his chest.

"Look at what you did!" He gleefully said. "You stood up all by yourself! And look how far you walked!" Smiling, he turned his head. "Ozma! Come-" he stopped as his smile faded a bit. "Oh right…I forgot…" Gently tickling his daughter's feet, he smiled sadly as she laughed. It was at times like these he wished she was there to witness their daughter's growth and firsts. The toddler saw how upset her father was and hugged him around the next in hopes of making him feel better. This got him to smile warmly at her, but a cold feeling of depression swept his heart.

/~{+}~\

Buzz sighed as he looked through the album before him. Staring at the photos before him, he gently traced a finger over a picture of him giving Jill a piggy back ride; he smiled as he thought back. Her sweet little face greeting him when he awoke, her terrified whimpers when her nightlight died, her bubbly laughter when he gave her, her favorite rubber duckie when she got her baths, but the one thing he never forgot was the look of idolize and admiration when he'd tell her about his past missions. What had he done to make that starry eyed look disappear? What had happen to his sweet baby girl that wouldn't sleep unless he kissed her goodnight? Or wouldn't eat unless he played the star cruiser spoon game? Gently closing the cloth bound book, he got up and walked towards Jill's room. Opening the door a smidge, he peaked in. Finished worksheets were spread out on her desk as she was asleep in her chair. Picking her up, he gingerly put her in her bed and kissed her head as he tucked her in. Tiptoeing carefully threw the mess of the preteen's room; he slowly closed her door behind him before heading to his room and getting into bed.

=[+]=[+]=

The next morning, Buzz was at the breakfast table, reading his paper and drinking coffee from his #1 dad mug. He lowered his paper a bit as Jill came down the stairs, one at a time. Grabbing an apple, she looked at him.

"I'm going to school now." Pausing a bit as he looked at her sadly, she sighed. "Love you dad." She said before leaving him alone. He sighed as he watched her go. Taking a bite out of the apple, she unhooked her bike and rode off to school. Unaware of what her actions had affected her future.