You'd think that a seventeen year old girl who didn't have her father around would ask questions about him, or about who he was, or want to know his name at least. I wasn't like that. When my mom told me that my father wasn't around, not that he was dead, I didn't ask anymore questions.
Why would I want to know about a guy who didn't want to be in his child's life? Who chose to abandon their kid? Now, looking at the two pictures of him, I wondered what he was like. Not because I wanted to know him, but because I wanted to know if I was like him.
After putting the two pictures safely away in my pocket, I returned the boxes to their place in the closet. Then I went back downstairs to grab some of the macaroni and cheese I had made. When I got down there, I saw my mother and Darrel both sitting downstairs, watching TV and Darrel drinking beers.
There was about six empty beer bottles on the living room table. Probably more in the kitchen. I grabbed the six off the table and took them too the garbage outback. When I came back in, Darrel was there.
"What do you think you're doin'?" He asked. He was definitely drunk already.
"I was just cleaning up your mess." I said, trying to be as calm as possible. When Darrel was drunk, anything could set him off.
"You think I can't clean up my own messes? You think you're better than me?" Darrel said, his face slashing red.
"No. I'm used to doing it. I don't think that you're not capable, just that you're not going to." I said. It's hard not to be scared of Darrel. He was a large man, probably weighing around 230-240 pounds, and he had anger issues, especially when he was drinking. Which was, like, always.
"You little bitch! How dare you talk to me like." Darrel shouted. His face was getting even redder. He leaned forwards and backhanded me, just once, but it was enough to make me stagger backwards. It took everything in me not to instantly put my hand up to cover my face. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of letting him know he hurt me.
When Darrel backed out of the kitchen, I ran up the stairs to my room. I needed to get out of the house, but it was getting dark out. When Darrel gets in one of these moods, it's usually something that will last all night. He tends to go picking fights even when there's nothing to fight about.
There was no way I could walk anywhere. The only person who I could even get to drive me, and that is only if he's in a good mood, would be Jason. But I had no idea how to get a hold of him... Unless he was at Common Grounds.
As an employee, I learned the Common Grounds number pretty fast. I picked up the phone in my room and called it. I didn't have my own cellphone, yet. I was planning on getting one with my first paycheck.
"Hello?" Came an unfamiliar voice from the other end. "Coffee Grounds, how may I help you?"
It wasn't Oliver. It had to be my coworker. Who, weirdly enough, I've never met.
"I was wondering if Jason Rosser was there?" I said into the phone.
"Jason? You sure you really want to talk to him?" The boy asked, sounding incredulous.
"I'm positive. Is he there?"
"Just a second." He replied. I heard him put the phone down. A few seconds later it was picked back up again.
"Hello?" Jason asked, sounding confused.
"Hey, it's me." I said into the phone. Then I realized that he probably didn't know who me was. "I mean, it's Emma."
"I know who it is." He replied, and sounded surly.
"Can you do me a huge favor?" I asked, trying to sound as pleading as was possible without throwing up in my mouth.
"What?" Jason sounded extremely annoyed now.
"Is there any movie theaters open in Morganville?"
"Are you asking me out on a date?" He said in a mocking tone.
"Uh, no. I just need to get out of the house and wanted to know if you could drop me off at one." I said, and then realized how lame that sounded. Who the hell goes to a movie by themselves?
"And why the hell do you think I'm going to be your taxi service?" He said angrily. "Don't you have someone else you can bother?"
"No, I don't. You're pretty much the only person I know here who isn't a vampire. Or the mayor. And if you really don't want to, I guess I could just walk and find one..."
"I can't tell if you're guilt tripping me or threatening me. Why do you want to get out so bad?" He asked.
"It's none of your business." I said, using his own words against him.
"Whatever. I'll be there in five minutes. Only because I know you'll do something stupid if I don't." Jason said, and hung up the phone.
I waited in my room until Jason showed up. When he did, I grabbed my purse from beside my bed and ran downstairs. I got out the door before anyone came to say goodbye to me. Yet Darrel still made an effort to say goodbye.
"Emma! Where the fuck do you think you're going?" He asked, opening the door and yelling out at me.
I turned around, my eyes wide. "I-I'm just going out, with a friend." I said quickly.
"The house is a mess, you can come back here and clean it the hell before you go screwing around with your friends." Barrel said, and came down the steps at me. I backed up, quickly, towards Jason's car. Just as I was about to get in Darrel grabbed my arm. I yanked away as hard as I could and quickly jumped in the car, locking the door as I sat down.
"Go, please. Just go!" I shouted urgently at Jason.
Thankfully, he did. Darrel was left staring shocked after the car. For about five seconds I worried about what might happen if a vampire happened along him at this moment. It was dark out. But then I realized that I was worrying for nothing. If Darrel was gone, only good things could come.
"What the hell was that about?" Jason asked once we finally left my street.
"What do you mean?" I asked, playing dumb. This wasn't something I discussed with friends, let alone someone who practically hates me.
"Emma, don't play stupid with me."
"Can we just go somewhere? Without talking?" I said. I was starting to act like Jason. Annoyed at everything he said, and pretty much keeping everything to myself.
Oh well.
"Whatever." Was all he said back.
We drove until we were once again in front of the little house where Jason lived.
Confused, I asked, "Why are we here? What happened to the movie theater?"
"By the time you got out of a movie theater it would be late, and I have someone important coming over tonight. It's just easier to watch a movie here, that way I don't miss her when she gets here. Okay?"
Her? He was meeting a her at his house? Is it some sort of date? Is she his girlfriend? He has a girlfriend and never told me? Not that there was a reason for him to tell me, I guess. Or a reason for me to care in any way possible.
"Fine." I said, getting out of the car and walking up to the front porch. Jason followed, but before he made it to the door, someone else was standing between him and I. Someone large, with teeth too long to be human. My heart sped up, and my adrenalin kicked in. Before Jason or the vampire could even say anything, I kicked him. Right below the belt.
You'd think, being a super human and all, that even my strongest kick wouldn't hurt him. Yet he instantly grabbed at his junk and nealt to the ground. Wasting no time, Jason reached around me, unlocked and opened the door. He pushed me through in front of him and slammed the door. The glass on the front door shattered inwards suddenly, leaving cuts on my arms. Jason covered his head with his arms and pushed me away from the door.
"I thought he couldn't get in here?" I screamed, getting as far from any doors or windows as I could, which wasn't very easy. Why was there windows everywhere?
"He can't!" Jason yelled. He had to yell, since the beast outside was growling loudly.
Honest to god growling.
"You bitch!" He shouted. Suddenly his hand tried to reach through the door to unlock it.
"Jason!" I screamed, looking around for something to attack him with if he managed to get in.
"Emma, he can't-"
Suddenly the hand disappeared.
"What's going on?" I asked, a little more afraid when I couldn't tell where the vampire was. At least when he was trying to break in the front door I knew where he was coming from.
"I have no idea. Wait here." Jason said, and headed into the living room. When he came back, he was shaking his head. "He's gone."
a/n I'm adding these chapters pretty quickly. I think I'm as excited to see what happens next as any readers. That is, if any of you are excited... Review review review, people! :)
