It had been weeks since Aaron and Robert had overcome their new boundaries, however Alyssa's school life was not pleasant; people had been starring at her, whispering about her and shouting abuse at her. She did not tell her dads, most of the mean comments were about her dads, and the odd comment about Gordon abusing Aaron.
"Al! You're going to miss the bus!" Robert shouted up the stairs.
"I'm coming!" Alyssa shouted as she ran down the stairs.
Aaron walked into the kitchen and handed Robert his keys "They were in the bathroom" Aaron sighed.
Robert took the keys and stuffed them into his pocket "Thanks babe" Robert gave Aaron a light peck on the lips. "How's your side?" Robert asked.
Aaron smiled "It's better. I can walk now so that's something. But you're going to be late so get a move on" Aaron walked into the living room.
"Daddy have you seen my sketchbook?" Alyssa asked.
"I think it's in your dad's office" Aaron said as he handed Alyssa her lunch money.
"Thanks" Alyssa took the money and put it in her pocket. She ran to Robert's office and grabbed her sketchbook.
Robert walked over to Aaron and put his hands on his arms "Are you sure that you're going to be ok on your own today? I can call in sick if it still hurts" Robert asked.
"I'll be fine Robert. It doesn't hurt as much anymore and I can walk. Just go to work" Aaron smiled.
"Alright, I just worry about you." Robert kissed Aaron on the lips "I hate seeing you suffer".
"I know, I'm fine Robert. You don't need to worry about me" Aaron said. The truth of the matter was that he was still in a lot of pain, but he was able to hide it.
"I can't help but worry about you" Robert smiled at Aaron.
Robert then ran to the front door "Alyssa! We're late!" Robert shouted.
Alyssa ran into the living room and hugged Aaron "See ya later daddy".
"See ya princess. Go on you're late" Aaron motioned towards the front door.
"Bye babe. I'll be back around 6pm!" Robert shouted.
"Okay, love you" Aaron said as he walked to the front door.
"I love you too!" Robert and Alyssa both ran to the car and sped to the village.
Aaron made himself some breakfast, and filled out some paperwork for the scrapyard. He was still on sick leave but he was well enough to look after himself. After a few hours he had got a good amount of work down and he decided to watch TV. The phone started to ring and he answered.
"Hello?" Aaron asked.
"Is this Mr Aaron Dingle?" The voice asked over the phone.
"Yeah, speaking." Aaron replied.
"Hello sir, I am calling about your daughter. Alyssa Dingle-Sugden?" the voice continued.
"What about her. Is she alright?" Aaron became concerned.
"She has been in a fight with several other girls, so I must ask that you come and collect her from school?" the voice requested.
Aaron picked up his car keys "Right, I'll be there soon" Aaron hurried out the front door and got into his car.
"Thank you Mr Dingle. Goodbye." The voice hung up the phone.
Aaron drove to Alyssa's school to pick her up. He walked into the reception and to the front desk "Hi, I'm here to pick up my daughter, Alyssa Dingle-Sugden. I got a call to say that she was in a fight?"
"We have had some complaints, about Alyssa being rude and saying abusive things to other pupils." The woman pressed a button and Alyssa walked in, with her head down.
Aaron looked at his daughter "Alyssa? What's happened?" he asked.
Alyssa did not look up from the floor "I got into a fight. Please just take me home."
Aaron watched how Alyssa was walking and he noticed that she was limping. He walked over to his daughter "Can you tell me what happened?" He asked.
Alyssa looked up at her dad, Aaron gasped when he saw her black eye and bloody nose "Can you just take me home please?" Alyssa pleaded.
Aaron put one arm around Alyssa and she hugged him "Ok princess. I'll take you home" they walked out of the reception.
"Oi! It's her!" came a loud voice.
Alyssa held on tight to her dad as he turned around "Can I help you?" he asked when he saw the angry teenage girls approaching him and Alyssa.
"That little bitch ruined my hair and punched me in the stomach!" the leader shouted as she pointed at Alyssa.
Aaron moved his arm to guard his child "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't speak that way about my daughter" Aaron said in a defensive tone.
"And that's her gay dad!" another girl laughed.
"How pathetic" the leader laughed.
"What did Alyssa do to deserve being beaten up, by a bunch of arrogant brats like you?" Aaron asked.
The group of girls stopped laughing "We just don't like skanks like her!" the leader said viciously.
Alyssa hid behind Aaron and he looked at her. He saw that she was scared "Go and sit in the car Alyssa" Aaron ordered. Alyssa got in the car and turned the music up on her phone. She looked out the window and he saw the girls still talking to Aaron. "Is that how you get your kicks?" Aaron asked.
"We don't have to answer to one of your kind" The leader scoffed.
"You're just a group of girls who are way out of your depth. So I want to know why my daughter is covered in cuts and bruises, whilst you only have your hair in a mess. From what I've seen, you started the fight and Alyssa was the target" Aaron crossed his arms.
"She brought it on her self. With a family like the one she's got. Gordon Livesy should have killed the lot of you" One of the other girls laughed.
"How do you know about Gordon?" Aaron asked.
"I was her friend, but when she told me that her house was broken into, I couldn't have a embarrassment like her in my group." The leader laughed.
Aaron turned around and got into the car. He ignored the homophobic shouts from the group of teenagers. He drove back home with Alyssa and they walked into the house. Alyssa washed her face and sat down in the living room.
"Are you going to tell me what happened?" Aaron asked as he sat down next to Alyssa.
"There's nothing to tell" Alyssa said as she held her head down.
"Don't give me that. You've been in a fight, and I want to know why" Aaron said.
Alyssa looked at her dad "I didn't start it. They started to punch me first" Alyssa started to cry.
"Are you having problems with the other pupils?" Aaron wiped away his daughters tears.
Alyssa nodded "They say things about you and dad, they pull my hair and push me down the stairs at school. They follow me back to the village sometimes. I hide in the pub when they do. They took my lunch money today" Alyssa sobbed.
"How long?" Aaron asked.
"Since I went back to school, after you were shot" Alyssa lifted up her hoodie sleeves and showed Aaron the bruises.
"It's ok sweetheart" Aaron hugged Alyssa.
Alyssa cried for a few minutes before Aaron made her something to eat. He called her over to the table and he put the sandwich in front of her. Alyssa ate her lunch, and she walked up the stairs to her room. His daughter stayed in her room for hours whilst Aaron thought about how to help her. He then walked up the stairs.
"You okay Alyssa?" he asked from the other side of the door to his daughter's bedroom.
"Yeah. I'm ok" She replied.
"I've decided that you're not going to school tomorrow. I have to help Nanna and Charity out at the pub, so you can stay with me tomorrow" Aaron said.
The door opened and Alyssa walked out "Really? But what if they come to the village?"
"They wouldn't dare. Not with Nanna and Cain watching you back, never mind the rest of the Dingle clan, me and your dad" Aaron gave Alyssa a hug and a kind smile.