A/N: I needed to pre-install my windows and stuff like this, so it took me longer than usual to update. I hope this chapter isn't too exaggerated. Thanks for the great comments!
Chapter Seven
The past three weeks were brighter than they usually were. On the previous day her father awakened hope in his daughter by sitting on the couch and actually having a normal conversation with her. It made her insides flip from excitement and faith that someday Jim Beckett will sober up and notice that she was still here, but she remained calm and enjoyed their talk as long as it lasted.
Most of the time it was him who was speaking. He brought old memories from the 1998 Major League Baseball All-Star Game which the three of them attended at the time. Jim, Johanna and Katie.
And that was the last time they went to watch a Baseball Game. Everything drastically changed for 10 months. Actually for one January night. No more traveling to Denver, Colorado with her parents to watch Baseball. No more family gatherings which Kate was annoyed by, and no more peace and repose of her soul-
"So?" Lanie demanded for some response and suddenly Kate realized that she was poking at her salad this whole time. She fell into some kind of trances and could not hear what people were saying.
"What?" Kate mumbled, looking around the lunch canteen.
"Seriously, I'm going to beat your cute bum cheeks if you don't pay attention to what I am sayin'." Her friend rolled her eyes and Kate couldn't help, but chuckle at her badass tone.
"I am sorry, could you repeat again?"
"I asked if you are going to Prof. Scheffler's birthday."
"Why would I go?" Her eyebrows gathered in confusion and once again her friend's eyeballs trundled.
"There are posters on the walls everywhere. Look." She pointed at the poster on the column in the middle of the canteen. "Everybody is talking about this. It'll be something like a mini prom. Dancing, food, drinks and all of it in the P.E salon, which will be transferred into the venue, how come you don't know about this?"
"I guess I didn't pay much attention." She shrugged, separating the piece of carrot away from the salad with the fork.
"So - are you coming?"
"I don't feel like it." She mumbled and this salad was awful, by the way.
"Oh, C'mon, live a little. It'll be fun and who knows – maybe your Josh Davidson will invite you for a dance." Lanie said in a playful tone, watching at Kate with convincing glare.
Actually the idea wasn't that bad. She could go and have some fun, but there were, so many things going on in her head – ugh. On the other hand, she knew that there wasn't anything particular from stopping her. She was just digging for a reason to not go. But why not live a little?
"Okay, fine."
Lanie squeaked in excitement making Kate hide her face behind the curtains of her hair.
The law is often seen as a difficult course, so for school leavers beginning legal studies, that small step can sometimes feel more like a giant leap.
And writing this assignment was hard on a whole new level.
She took an advanced legal research class where they have assignments due every class. Some seminars require a few papers as well.
It was a long time since she studied in her own room and it was kind of nice, instead of staying late at the library and then taking the bus all the way back.
Since her mother's death, she didn't pay much attention to her room. Mostly, because if she started tidying her room there was a huge chance to find something that will bring back the sad emotions. Not that she didn't want to think of her mom, she just wanted to distance herself from all of it. For a while.
Writing down on the blank pages, the corner of her eye caught the jar full of seashells standing at her desk. The seashells which her mom and dad collected on their walk to Coney Island in Brooklyn. This beach is probably the best-known among the beaches in New York City. It was her favorite one, although most of the time she was trying to get her skin tanned instead of swimming.
Now she wished she could turn back time and spend as much time as she could with her family.
Looking down at the hands holding the jar she almost dropped it at the loud noise coming from the living room. The moment she heard breaking glass and objects falling on the parquet, she immediately rushed out of the room.
Opening the door Kate met with the sight of her father with a Baseball bat, swaying from left to right. Face red from anger and too much alcohol in his bloodstream, his eyes fixed on her. There was shattered glass on the floor from one of the pictures, which was usually standing on the coffee table next to the couch. It was the picture of her mom and her dad on which both of them were smiling and Jim's arm was around her mother's shoulders. One of the few pictures they had was now laying on the floor.
Shattered.
Anger bubbled into her veins, making her step towards her father. But not too close. He was not adequate enough to trust his movements, so she kept herself distanced.
"You see that lamp? You – see that lamp, right here?" He spoke with a trembling voice, his whole body frame shaking with spewing rage.
"Dad-"She was cut off by her father, who clashed the lamp with the bat. Her eyes followed the pieces scattering in the air in slow motion, folding arms around her head in protection.
"It's gone, now!" Jim was now yelling, the veins on his neck protruding. "Everyding s' gone."
In moments like this she felt trapped in junction. Her heart rate was at full speed, feeling her pulse pound against her ribs. She wanted to run away from here.
Trying to avoid stepping on the broken glass all over the floor, she bent down to take the photo out from the frame. When her shaking hands were about to take it, she heard him coming closer to her. She could tell by the noise of little pieces, crushing under her father's height and shoes on the parquet.
"Don't touch this." He demanded, looking down at her.
Finally building some courage, she pushed herself up and glared at him in the eyes. Her own were red rimmed, holding back from letting the tears spill. The adrenaline was too big to cry, anyways.
"I am still here. You don't see it, but I am." She whispered and watched his knuckles go white around the bat. Her heart clenched in fear, but she kept going. "You took her death hard, dad. It's impossible not to, but she is my mother. I am hurting too, I'm falling apart and it's – killing me. What you're doing is going to take me away from you, too if-"
"Shut up." His hands tensed at his sides, hitting the baseball bat against his leg aggressively. "You don't know anything. You don't – you just can't imagine what I am going through-"
"I am going through the same. Stop thinking that everything does revolve only around you, think a little about others people pain. I am human as-"
"You are going through the same, huh? Did you know that every fucking time I look at you – I see her? It confuses me – It's a mess and hell, I can't look at you the same way anymore. You're not – I can't deal with this. There are too many things going through my head..." Weak tears were slipping out of her father's eyes, now. For the first time in months she saw him breaking down in front of her. Until now he was keeping everything in him, without saying a word. And now – he spilled it out.
He didn't want her anymore.
"You know what? You are being selfish, I can't help, but wonder what mom saw in you."
"I – am not selfish." He spoke through clenched teeth.
"Yes, you are. And it makes me loose every kind of respect for you. On the contrary it makes me hate you even more." As she was turning around to leave, he caught her by the wrist with impulsive grip almost breaking it.
"Give me back the photo."
"No."
"Give it, don't make me beg." He stepped dangerously close to her, making her insides flip in disgust at the smell of whiskey.
"Why, so you could destroy the last one we have from her?"
Without saying anything else, he twisted her arm, making his daughter shut her eyes closed in pain.
Turn. It's that simple, she thought, trying to find a way out of his grip.
She knew that swinging her elbow back at him could help to perform the move and will add bonus of a possible strike as she move out of the hold.
As she turned her hand that is being held, Kate moved away from his grip, thus reducing the leverage, while releasing the pressure applied to her arm. In a split second she faced him, but before she could do something about it - he crashed the metal bat in her ribs with full force.
This time she couldn't hold back and cried out in pain, stumbling backwards. She felt her bones cracking inside and her lungs tightening.
The lightly crushed photo fell from her sweaty palm and her father took it, torn it into quarters and then threw them in the air.
"It would have been much easier if you just gave me the photo, Katie."
As she was holding her throbbing arm around her ribs, trying to reduce the burning flames inside of her bones, she breathed heavily through her nostrils, letting a couple of tears to slip down onto her cheeks.
Taking one last glance in front of her - through blurry vision, she saw him swaying back to sit on the couch.
Gripping on her middle to keep her bones in place, if that even made sense to her – she made her way to her room. Unfortunately, she stepped on one of the glass slides, feeling it paving its way inside, cracking the skin of her foot. A grunt escaped her mouth, but the pain in her ribs was much more unbearable to pay attention to this.
Finally reaching her room, she shut the door, quickly locking herself and sliding down against it. Brushing her eyes against the sleeve of her shirt, Kate has now allowed herself to let out a shuddering sob. Which of course delivered much bigger pain in her middle. It made her feel like she could only take shallow breaths.
Starting to worry about it – her hands quickly pulled the hem of her shirt up to take a look at her left side. It was becoming redness, swelling and tenderness around the injured area. She needs to learn to keep her mouth shut for once.
Kate had experienced a lot of things like – getting hit by him, but getting broken ribs was her first time.
Considering on what to do – where to go and sleep, an uncertain idea came up into her mind. Bending forward to crawl on the ground, she reached for her backpack. Shuffling inside the pockets, she found the little piece of paper and stared at his handwriting.
Call in case you need help. – And his phone number written on it.
Biting hard on her lip, she quickly dialed the number and pressed the phone against her ear. Taking shallow breaths she listened to the other line.
It beeped more than three times and she started worrying if it's not right decision to call him. Anxiety had built up inside of her figure thinking of what to say – or why the hell she was calling her Professor?
She didn't know what to say.
What if he was busy?
What the hell was she thinking-
As Kate was about to hang up, she heard a rattling noise on the other end of the line, making her go completely still.
"Hello?"
Silence.
"Who is calling?" He spoke in confusion.
Oh God. What she was supposed to say?Oh, hello. I just got beaten up by my dad and you said to call in case I need help – so here I am, calling.
Fuck.
Gathering some courage, she cleared her throat before speaking.
"Prof. Rodgers?" Her cheeks flamed up, because her voice came out way too hoarsely and breathy.
What the hell she got herself into?
...To Be Continued...
