Chapter 2
I was on the field waiting for someone on my team to try and strike a goal past me. No one seemed to dare. I don't know why either. I wanted them to. So I could hit that ball. I can't believe my own dad wouldn't tell me anything like that. Well, for all I know. It could be a lie. Knowing him. All threw my life he has lied to me. Saying things like ,'I'll be home soon.' He never showed. He was at a bar getting drunk. I normally get a phone call from the bar telling me to pick him up or else they're going to throw him out on the streets. One night, I didn't pick him up. I just left him. He hasn't went to a bar since. Mary well, she's my best friend. She's always been there for me since we first met in Pre-school. She was adopted because Jalil and his em-wife couldn't have children. I don't know why either. They were both real sweet. They should have stayed together. Now, here I am. Standing in the rain while no one is going to try and get the ball over near the goal. I waited and then smiled. She was going to try. She came running at me. Thinking I wasn't paying any attention. Well, she was wrong. I was. I had more attention on what was going on than I ever had before. I caught the ball when she kicked it. My hands started to sting from the hard plastice hitting my cold red hands.
I smiled and kicked the ball. Watching it go to the other end of the feild where the goalie missed it letting me make a score. I smiled. Knowing that I could never do that again unless I got mad again. I looked over at Mary who was sitting there with David and Eric. I wonder why they're here. David seems to be a nice man. It would be a better example for my dad to follow. Get a better job, make something out of yourself, not try to go sleep with any women you can find. I'm glad that Eric has someone decent for a fathering figure. Sadly, both my parents divorced when I was at a young age. I don't remember my mom much except that she sends me clothes, gifts, and money all the time. She wants to see me this summer but, I don't know if dad with allow me to. I do have the right but, I just don't know. April would be the one that I should talk to. She understands me and treats me like I'm her own daughter. I love her for that. Her son, Ken, is also cute. I've had my eyes on him since the first time I've met him. Tall, hansome, well built, nice brown hair, and beautiful blue eyes.
"Amber? Why are you standing on the feild? Practice is over," said Mary walking toward me with a worried look. I just smiled.
"I'm alright. I was jsut thinking when the next game would be," I lied.
"Well, Mr. Levin wanted to take us to dinner. Want to come? We're just going to a regular buger place like we always do," she smiled. I could tell that she wanted to go. She was trying to do anything to cheer me up. To make me feel better. I felt like going home and locking myself in my room. Trying to get away from everyone. They were waiting for my answer.
"Sure." I finally answered. I caught a smile in Mary's eyes and knew that something was going to happen. I followed David in my car. A 2PAC cd was playing the background.
"I think you should call Christopher and tell him where you're going so he doesn't worry," said Mary picking up my cell phone and handing it to me. I looked at it in my hand for a moment and then concentrated back on the slick roads.
"No. Not now. I have to watch the road. You can tell him," I said trying to not to sound like I was mad at him. I was but, I didn't want to tell her. She would try to make me get over it but, I didn't want to get over. I have a lot of things to be mad at him for. I just don't know most of them anymore. I heard the buttons to the cell phone click. I heard a faint ring and then it stop.
"Amber and I are going to eat dinner with David. She'll be back later." She paused for a moment as I watched her smile fade. She looked at me.
"He wants to talk to you, now." Her hand held out the phone. I picked it up with one hand and held it.
"What?"
"I want you to come home so that we can talk this over." His voice was shaky. I knew he was nervous.
"There is nothing to talk about." I could hear my voice being blunt with a tone of anger.
"We have enough to talk about. I want you to come home right now. I know we haven't spent time together for a long time. You must be cold after playing in the rain. I don't want you to get sick." His voice had sympathy in it. This wasn't him. This couldn't be him.
"Since when have you ever cared? You haven't? You've never been there for me. Why do you want to start now? After sixteen years? I don't want you to try to make it up now. Not ever. You do your thing, I'll do mine. Got it?" I could feel the tears burning my eyes. Making my vision bluring. I pulled over to the side of the road for safety of us both.
"No. You're still a teenager and will always be one. I'm the adult and I'm telling you to come home now!" That was the first time her ever yelled at me before. He meant it.
"Okay, bye." I placed the phone down and wiped my tears away. The tapping on my window made me jump. I rolled it down to see David standing there.
"Is everything okay?" He looked worried.
"Everything is fine," I said. Mary just looked at me and rolled her eyes.
"No Mr. Levin. Everything isn't alright. Amber has to go home. Christopher ordered it." She emphisized on ordered.
"You should get home. If Christopher said that is. You don't want to keep him waiting. Mary, you can get in our car when you're ready." He then walked away and got into his car. I left the window down. I could see him talking to Eric. His face was grim. I looked at Mary who just stared back at me.
"I will go with you if you need me to," she offered. I shook my head no.
"I'll be alright. Just keep your cell phone handy. I might be calling you. Don't be surprised if I'm at your house when you return." She left out a sigh and then retreated out of the car. I rolled up my window and looked out it. They were talking about something. I could see the angry look on Mary's face. Something was wrong. I took my leave without looking back. I fumbled with the sterio at the signal light making the base go up with my music loud. It was only seven. I couldn't get in trouble for that. On the street home, I turned everything off, locked the doors after parking, and then turn on the alarm. Cautiously, I walked up the wet lawn to the door that was surprisenly unlocked. I walked in feeling a cold chill come over me. My hair was still wet, so where my clothes. I hope that the car is dry by morning from where I sat. I heard someone in the kitchen. I walked toward the kitchen and stopped. He was sitting at the table, opening a beer. He looked up at me.
"I thought you were going with David to dinner," he said.
"You told me to come home." I walked over and grabbed the beer from him and began to walk over to the sink.
"What do you think you're doing?" he asked me. I poured it down the sink and then crushed the can. I walked over to the fridge and pulled out the 24 pack. I heard his chair slid on the floor. I looked over at him.
"I'm the parent in this house and you can't tell me what I can and can't drink. Now put it back," he ordered.
"Alright. I'll put it back where it belongs," I said. I walked with it to my room up stairs. He followed me. I went over to the window and opened it. The big trash can was right belong me.
"Don't even dare!" I dared. I didn't care. I was going to go over to Mary's anyways. He wanted me home so he could what? Yell at me? What a drunken lush! I can't believe him! I then aimed, and let go. Watching it fall into the trash can with crash. I could hear the cans blusting with white foam coming out of the top. He grabbed my wrist and turned me around.
"I should send you back to your mother! Then I wouldn't have to deal with yout disobedence! I'm the adult around here, not you! From now on, you're going to get punished for not listening!" He was yelling in my face. I tried to pull away but his grip was hard.
"Good! It's about time you learned to be a parent! I've been waiting for you to act like that for sixteen years! Finally it came! When I didn't need it anymore! Go ahead! Send me back to mom! She wants to see me anyways. At least I'll get away from you and tell her how bad of a father you were. Then I could live with her by the courts order!" I found myself yelling back at him. Then the sting in my cheek. My hand went over it. Feeling the heat from where I'd been slapped. He'd never went this far when he was drunk. I couldn't believe my eyes. I could feel the tears sweltering up in my eyes. His sudden face of shock as he looked at him hand in disbelief. It was my fault that everything happened. I was the one that shot off my mouth. I should have went to sleep after taking nice warm shower leaving him to his own pleasures. I didn't. I had to do what I did, didn't I? He hugged me tightly like I was the last thing on Earth.
"I'm sorry. I'm such an asshole. I'm so sorry. Oh my god. I can't believe I did that to you. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me Amber. I'm sorry." He kept on saying those words over and over. Repeating himself. I couldn't stop crying. Why was I being so emtional? I've never been this emotional before. He was trembling. I just leaned on him. I was feeling remorse for what happened all of my life. Us two always fighting with each other. It was going to be different now. I knew that it would. Not the same. I heard a door shut all of a sudden.
"Christopher. We need to talk right now," said a female's voice. I stopped myself from crying. Silenting myself. I pulled away from him and wiped my eyes. He looked at me.
"Go. I'll be fine," I managed to crock out. I pushed him toward the door.
"It's your mother. Don't you want to meet her?" he asked looking at me. I shook my head no.
"I need to take a shower. I'm cold," I responded. He nodded and then we both went out seperate ways. I headed to the bathroom, he went down stairs. I came down about an hour later dressed in my usual green plaid boxers and baggy white shirt. There she sat on the couch. He was in a chair across from her. She turned her head. Her hair was a light brown with hazel eyes. She had the body shape like mine but was taller. It looked like she had just came from work from the clothes she was wearing. Black skirt, pink blouse with a black jacket over it. I went over and sat on dad's lap. He placed a firm arm around me.
"Amber, this is you mother Nancy Johnson," he said. I just gave a smile.
"Have you thought it over about coming with me for the summer?" she asked.
"I have a long time to think. Summer isn't for a whole nother year," I replied. She smiled at the words for some odd reason. There was a knock at the door.
"That must be Kyle Johnson, your step-father," she said getting up. She opened the door to have a tall man with black hair and blue eyes standing there in a buisness suit. He sat down on the couch and smiled at us both.
"You must be Amber, right? I'm Kyle," he said. I just smiled. Then, I heard a phone ring. I grabbed for my cell to find it was Mary.
"Yeah?" I got up and walked outside where I could talk in private.
"Is everything alright? What happened?" she asked worried.
"My mom is here with her new husband Kyle. Everything is alright. I hope that you don't mind me asking but, could you pick me up from here and say that we have a project to do? I don't feel like being in a room with all adults," I said. She laughed.
"Alright. I'll be over as soon as possible."
"Okay bye." I went inside then up the stairs.
"Who was it?" He was was calling up to me from the bottom of the stairs.
"It was just Mary. We have a science project that is due Monday so, we need to get started. I'm going to stay the weekend at her house. I also have a soccer game tomorrow afternoon. Can you make it?" I asked packing my stuff in a black duffle bag.
"Aren't you going to at least talk to Nancy and Kyle? You'll be staying with them over Christmas break in Hollywood."
"But, what about you? What are going to do?" I asked poking my head out the door. My hand grabbed my pager and electronic planner.
"I'll be fine. Don't worry. Kyle is a famous producer and you'll be able to watch while some of his movies are made." He was trying to persuade me to go. He was wanting me to have a good time. I placed my bag on the ground. Quickly, I placed on my anklet and black slippers.
"I'll think about it," I said and entered the bathroom grabbing my make-up, hair stuff, and other things.
"What is there to think about? You get to spend time with your mother like you wanted to." I went down the stairs with everything then grabbed my purse, placing my cell phone and keys in it.
"I'll go, okay? If it makes you happy." There was a knock at the door just in time to save me from any other words.
"Bye!" I grabbed everything and then went out the door locking it behind me. I turned to see David standing there.
"In a rush to get somewhere?" he asked looking oddly at me.
"Sorta."
"Eric's in the car if you want to talk to him."
"Okay." I walked down the sidewalk to where this car was parked. Eric was standing out of it just sitting on the hood. He turned to me.
"You're staying the night?" he asked.
"No. Mary's picking me up."
"Oh."
"Sorry to ditch you guys for dinner. It was kinda important."
"Do tell," he said calmly. I sat next to him.
"My mom is in town with her new husband. They want me to go with them for christmas break down in Hollywood. I don't want to go but, then I do."
"Just go with them. Then you'll be able to see what they're like. You know. Big house to look around in, shopping, everything that a girl wants," said Eric. I smiled at him.
"Okay. Thanks a lot." Mary just then pulled up.
"Amber, get your car just encase you need to leave somewhere during the night like to get food or something. I know you always get the munchies at midnight," she said.
"Okay." I grabbed everything and then left in my car following Mary.
I was on the field waiting for someone on my team to try and strike a goal past me. No one seemed to dare. I don't know why either. I wanted them to. So I could hit that ball. I can't believe my own dad wouldn't tell me anything like that. Well, for all I know. It could be a lie. Knowing him. All threw my life he has lied to me. Saying things like ,'I'll be home soon.' He never showed. He was at a bar getting drunk. I normally get a phone call from the bar telling me to pick him up or else they're going to throw him out on the streets. One night, I didn't pick him up. I just left him. He hasn't went to a bar since. Mary well, she's my best friend. She's always been there for me since we first met in Pre-school. She was adopted because Jalil and his em-wife couldn't have children. I don't know why either. They were both real sweet. They should have stayed together. Now, here I am. Standing in the rain while no one is going to try and get the ball over near the goal. I waited and then smiled. She was going to try. She came running at me. Thinking I wasn't paying any attention. Well, she was wrong. I was. I had more attention on what was going on than I ever had before. I caught the ball when she kicked it. My hands started to sting from the hard plastice hitting my cold red hands.
I smiled and kicked the ball. Watching it go to the other end of the feild where the goalie missed it letting me make a score. I smiled. Knowing that I could never do that again unless I got mad again. I looked over at Mary who was sitting there with David and Eric. I wonder why they're here. David seems to be a nice man. It would be a better example for my dad to follow. Get a better job, make something out of yourself, not try to go sleep with any women you can find. I'm glad that Eric has someone decent for a fathering figure. Sadly, both my parents divorced when I was at a young age. I don't remember my mom much except that she sends me clothes, gifts, and money all the time. She wants to see me this summer but, I don't know if dad with allow me to. I do have the right but, I just don't know. April would be the one that I should talk to. She understands me and treats me like I'm her own daughter. I love her for that. Her son, Ken, is also cute. I've had my eyes on him since the first time I've met him. Tall, hansome, well built, nice brown hair, and beautiful blue eyes.
"Amber? Why are you standing on the feild? Practice is over," said Mary walking toward me with a worried look. I just smiled.
"I'm alright. I was jsut thinking when the next game would be," I lied.
"Well, Mr. Levin wanted to take us to dinner. Want to come? We're just going to a regular buger place like we always do," she smiled. I could tell that she wanted to go. She was trying to do anything to cheer me up. To make me feel better. I felt like going home and locking myself in my room. Trying to get away from everyone. They were waiting for my answer.
"Sure." I finally answered. I caught a smile in Mary's eyes and knew that something was going to happen. I followed David in my car. A 2PAC cd was playing the background.
"I think you should call Christopher and tell him where you're going so he doesn't worry," said Mary picking up my cell phone and handing it to me. I looked at it in my hand for a moment and then concentrated back on the slick roads.
"No. Not now. I have to watch the road. You can tell him," I said trying to not to sound like I was mad at him. I was but, I didn't want to tell her. She would try to make me get over it but, I didn't want to get over. I have a lot of things to be mad at him for. I just don't know most of them anymore. I heard the buttons to the cell phone click. I heard a faint ring and then it stop.
"Amber and I are going to eat dinner with David. She'll be back later." She paused for a moment as I watched her smile fade. She looked at me.
"He wants to talk to you, now." Her hand held out the phone. I picked it up with one hand and held it.
"What?"
"I want you to come home so that we can talk this over." His voice was shaky. I knew he was nervous.
"There is nothing to talk about." I could hear my voice being blunt with a tone of anger.
"We have enough to talk about. I want you to come home right now. I know we haven't spent time together for a long time. You must be cold after playing in the rain. I don't want you to get sick." His voice had sympathy in it. This wasn't him. This couldn't be him.
"Since when have you ever cared? You haven't? You've never been there for me. Why do you want to start now? After sixteen years? I don't want you to try to make it up now. Not ever. You do your thing, I'll do mine. Got it?" I could feel the tears burning my eyes. Making my vision bluring. I pulled over to the side of the road for safety of us both.
"No. You're still a teenager and will always be one. I'm the adult and I'm telling you to come home now!" That was the first time her ever yelled at me before. He meant it.
"Okay, bye." I placed the phone down and wiped my tears away. The tapping on my window made me jump. I rolled it down to see David standing there.
"Is everything okay?" He looked worried.
"Everything is fine," I said. Mary just looked at me and rolled her eyes.
"No Mr. Levin. Everything isn't alright. Amber has to go home. Christopher ordered it." She emphisized on ordered.
"You should get home. If Christopher said that is. You don't want to keep him waiting. Mary, you can get in our car when you're ready." He then walked away and got into his car. I left the window down. I could see him talking to Eric. His face was grim. I looked at Mary who just stared back at me.
"I will go with you if you need me to," she offered. I shook my head no.
"I'll be alright. Just keep your cell phone handy. I might be calling you. Don't be surprised if I'm at your house when you return." She left out a sigh and then retreated out of the car. I rolled up my window and looked out it. They were talking about something. I could see the angry look on Mary's face. Something was wrong. I took my leave without looking back. I fumbled with the sterio at the signal light making the base go up with my music loud. It was only seven. I couldn't get in trouble for that. On the street home, I turned everything off, locked the doors after parking, and then turn on the alarm. Cautiously, I walked up the wet lawn to the door that was surprisenly unlocked. I walked in feeling a cold chill come over me. My hair was still wet, so where my clothes. I hope that the car is dry by morning from where I sat. I heard someone in the kitchen. I walked toward the kitchen and stopped. He was sitting at the table, opening a beer. He looked up at me.
"I thought you were going with David to dinner," he said.
"You told me to come home." I walked over and grabbed the beer from him and began to walk over to the sink.
"What do you think you're doing?" he asked me. I poured it down the sink and then crushed the can. I walked over to the fridge and pulled out the 24 pack. I heard his chair slid on the floor. I looked over at him.
"I'm the parent in this house and you can't tell me what I can and can't drink. Now put it back," he ordered.
"Alright. I'll put it back where it belongs," I said. I walked with it to my room up stairs. He followed me. I went over to the window and opened it. The big trash can was right belong me.
"Don't even dare!" I dared. I didn't care. I was going to go over to Mary's anyways. He wanted me home so he could what? Yell at me? What a drunken lush! I can't believe him! I then aimed, and let go. Watching it fall into the trash can with crash. I could hear the cans blusting with white foam coming out of the top. He grabbed my wrist and turned me around.
"I should send you back to your mother! Then I wouldn't have to deal with yout disobedence! I'm the adult around here, not you! From now on, you're going to get punished for not listening!" He was yelling in my face. I tried to pull away but his grip was hard.
"Good! It's about time you learned to be a parent! I've been waiting for you to act like that for sixteen years! Finally it came! When I didn't need it anymore! Go ahead! Send me back to mom! She wants to see me anyways. At least I'll get away from you and tell her how bad of a father you were. Then I could live with her by the courts order!" I found myself yelling back at him. Then the sting in my cheek. My hand went over it. Feeling the heat from where I'd been slapped. He'd never went this far when he was drunk. I couldn't believe my eyes. I could feel the tears sweltering up in my eyes. His sudden face of shock as he looked at him hand in disbelief. It was my fault that everything happened. I was the one that shot off my mouth. I should have went to sleep after taking nice warm shower leaving him to his own pleasures. I didn't. I had to do what I did, didn't I? He hugged me tightly like I was the last thing on Earth.
"I'm sorry. I'm such an asshole. I'm so sorry. Oh my god. I can't believe I did that to you. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me Amber. I'm sorry." He kept on saying those words over and over. Repeating himself. I couldn't stop crying. Why was I being so emtional? I've never been this emotional before. He was trembling. I just leaned on him. I was feeling remorse for what happened all of my life. Us two always fighting with each other. It was going to be different now. I knew that it would. Not the same. I heard a door shut all of a sudden.
"Christopher. We need to talk right now," said a female's voice. I stopped myself from crying. Silenting myself. I pulled away from him and wiped my eyes. He looked at me.
"Go. I'll be fine," I managed to crock out. I pushed him toward the door.
"It's your mother. Don't you want to meet her?" he asked looking at me. I shook my head no.
"I need to take a shower. I'm cold," I responded. He nodded and then we both went out seperate ways. I headed to the bathroom, he went down stairs. I came down about an hour later dressed in my usual green plaid boxers and baggy white shirt. There she sat on the couch. He was in a chair across from her. She turned her head. Her hair was a light brown with hazel eyes. She had the body shape like mine but was taller. It looked like she had just came from work from the clothes she was wearing. Black skirt, pink blouse with a black jacket over it. I went over and sat on dad's lap. He placed a firm arm around me.
"Amber, this is you mother Nancy Johnson," he said. I just gave a smile.
"Have you thought it over about coming with me for the summer?" she asked.
"I have a long time to think. Summer isn't for a whole nother year," I replied. She smiled at the words for some odd reason. There was a knock at the door.
"That must be Kyle Johnson, your step-father," she said getting up. She opened the door to have a tall man with black hair and blue eyes standing there in a buisness suit. He sat down on the couch and smiled at us both.
"You must be Amber, right? I'm Kyle," he said. I just smiled. Then, I heard a phone ring. I grabbed for my cell to find it was Mary.
"Yeah?" I got up and walked outside where I could talk in private.
"Is everything alright? What happened?" she asked worried.
"My mom is here with her new husband Kyle. Everything is alright. I hope that you don't mind me asking but, could you pick me up from here and say that we have a project to do? I don't feel like being in a room with all adults," I said. She laughed.
"Alright. I'll be over as soon as possible."
"Okay bye." I went inside then up the stairs.
"Who was it?" He was was calling up to me from the bottom of the stairs.
"It was just Mary. We have a science project that is due Monday so, we need to get started. I'm going to stay the weekend at her house. I also have a soccer game tomorrow afternoon. Can you make it?" I asked packing my stuff in a black duffle bag.
"Aren't you going to at least talk to Nancy and Kyle? You'll be staying with them over Christmas break in Hollywood."
"But, what about you? What are going to do?" I asked poking my head out the door. My hand grabbed my pager and electronic planner.
"I'll be fine. Don't worry. Kyle is a famous producer and you'll be able to watch while some of his movies are made." He was trying to persuade me to go. He was wanting me to have a good time. I placed my bag on the ground. Quickly, I placed on my anklet and black slippers.
"I'll think about it," I said and entered the bathroom grabbing my make-up, hair stuff, and other things.
"What is there to think about? You get to spend time with your mother like you wanted to." I went down the stairs with everything then grabbed my purse, placing my cell phone and keys in it.
"I'll go, okay? If it makes you happy." There was a knock at the door just in time to save me from any other words.
"Bye!" I grabbed everything and then went out the door locking it behind me. I turned to see David standing there.
"In a rush to get somewhere?" he asked looking oddly at me.
"Sorta."
"Eric's in the car if you want to talk to him."
"Okay." I walked down the sidewalk to where this car was parked. Eric was standing out of it just sitting on the hood. He turned to me.
"You're staying the night?" he asked.
"No. Mary's picking me up."
"Oh."
"Sorry to ditch you guys for dinner. It was kinda important."
"Do tell," he said calmly. I sat next to him.
"My mom is in town with her new husband. They want me to go with them for christmas break down in Hollywood. I don't want to go but, then I do."
"Just go with them. Then you'll be able to see what they're like. You know. Big house to look around in, shopping, everything that a girl wants," said Eric. I smiled at him.
"Okay. Thanks a lot." Mary just then pulled up.
"Amber, get your car just encase you need to leave somewhere during the night like to get food or something. I know you always get the munchies at midnight," she said.
"Okay." I grabbed everything and then left in my car following Mary.