A/n- sorry I took so long to update. I just couldn't think of anything for
this chapter. Todd's older in this chap. It's in his point of view too.
Hope you like the chap!
Chapter 7- Thinking About You, Dad
I'm now thirteen years old, and in the seventh grade. I'm not a puck, jock, or a poplar guy. I'm just your average thirteen-year-old with two best friends, Jason also known as Jay; and Joe. I'd been friends with Joe since the fifth grade, so we get along well. I'd been friends with Jason since the third grade, not to mention that my Dad left my Mom six years ago. Or was it the other way round? Either way, I still missed my Dad.
That night I was sound asleep in my bed, until I heard yelling and screaming. I got out of bed and went to my parent's room door. I looked in the keyhole and as soon as I saw them yelling and cursing at each other, tears formed in my eyes. I was scared, because I had never seen them like that. Well, maybe I had seen them in little fights, but they weren't cursing at each other.
Ten minutes later, they still hadn't quit fighting. I'd went and sat on the couch, hoping that my parent's would stop and make up soon, but no. I saw my Dad come out of the room with two suitcases in his hands. He was about to step out the front door, but I stopped him by yelling, "Dad, where are you going?" "Uh, I'm going to work, because I got called in for a pipe burst. Love you." He replied as he walked out the door and slammed it behind him. I knew he was lying, because why the heck would he take suitcases to work? He had never taken suitcases to work before.
Two months later, my Dad hadn't returned. I guessed that he'd moved back in with his folks. He had written me, and I had written him a couple of times, but when he written me back, he would never tell me why he'd left. He has never written about Mom. He would always tell me how much he had missed me, and all the memories we had shared in the past. I miss my Dad everyday and night. I cried everyday and night. I wish my Dad would just come back into my life.
I had written a poem for my Dad, but I didn't send it to him. I read it to my best friend, Jason, first.
"When my dad left, I started to cry. I was very sad, because I thought we would never say bye. I think about him everyday. I remember the fun we had together. We would play forever and ever. He always helped me with my homework. That's why I'm so good at my schoolwork. In the morning he spiked my hair. If it was messy I did not care. Now that he is gone, I hope he's all right. I cry so much everyday and night. Now that he's gone, I hope he misses me too. If my dad would happen read this, I just want to say that I really love you!"
"Dude, you should enter a poetry contest." Jason said.
"Well, I don't know if I should. I mean I just wrote this for my Dad." I said.
"Wait," Jason paused. "Does your Dad like to go to Oooey Gooey Pizza World?"
"Yeah. He loves that place, but why did you ask that?" I asked.
"Because every Wednesday they have a poetry contest. Well, it's sort of like a poetry reading." Jason explained.
"They do? I mean poetry readings at a pizza place?" I asked confusedly.
"I know. It's weird, but if you win, you'll get a free pass next time you visit." Jason explained again.
"Well, it makes it nice they give you a free pass if you win. That'll save my Mom bunches of money." I said.
"Are you up for it?" Jason asked.
"Okay, but only one problem." I said as I made a face.
"What is it?" Jason asked.
"How are we going to get my Dad there?" I asked.
"Maybe you should give him a call?" Jason suggested.
"Okay, I will. I hope he could come." I said with tears in my eyes. "I just don't get why my Dad left. They were such a good couple, and parents. I just don't get it?"
"I know how you feel. I know you all ready know this, but it can't hurt if I tell you again. My Dad left or should I say died when I was only five. I miss him a lot. I can't stop thinking about him. Never will stop thinking about him, because I love him with all my heart." Jason said with now tears in his eyes.
"I'm sorry Jay. I didn't mean to make you bring up your Dad." I said sadly.
"It's okay. Really."
"I just miss him so much." I cried even harder.
"I know how you feel, buddy."
When it was around four 'O clock, I called my Dad's folks house to see he was there. He was. I was glad too. I told him to meet me at Oooey Gooey Pizza World. He replied with a sure. I hung up the phone happily.
Later that night, I sat at the edge of my bed watching some old videos of my Dad. As I sat there watching memory after memory, a single tear rolled down my cheek.
* * *
Wednesday, at Oooey Gooey Pizza World, I stood up on the stage. I was really nervous, because I was only seven. When I read my poem, my Mom and Dad looked at me kind of sad. I almost started to cry, but didn't.
When I was finished, I took a bow and looked at my parents. I hoped that they would just look and smile at each other, but no. They refused to look at each other. I ran off stage and outside to a bench.
I sat there thinking about my parents. They were a good couple, so why did they brake up? I hate not having a Dad. It really stinks. No one to hold me when I have a bad dream. No one to play football with. Mom could play, but Dad's the best. Now I know how Jay felt when his Dad left. It's boring and makes me cry to see that every morning when I wake up I do not have a Dad there to guide me through first crushes, first date, and a lot of first stuff. Again Mom could guide me through that stuff, but she's just a Mom, and she's not like a Dad. I wish I had a Dad that'll last forever. Not no step-Dad, I just want my one and only Dad back into my life.
I gave a sigh and cried until my Dad came out and sat next to me on the bench.
"Why did you run out here." He asked me.
I turned away. I just couldn't say anything back. I was scared he would turn me down just like Mom.
"Todd, did you write that poem for me?" he asked.
I didn't say anything.
"If you did, I really liked it. I never knew you had that kind of talent." He said.
I turned around and wiped my tears. "Dad, why did you leave?"
My Dad just sat there.
"Why Dad? Why? I ask you. Why?" I repeated. "Dad, do you remember Mom anymore? I mean you remember all the memories you and I shared, but you don't remember what memories you and Mom shared?" I shook my head. "Dad, I bet you can't remember one memory you shared with Mom."
My Dad sat there as he made a face. It looked like he was thinking about something, but what? What?
To Be Continued
Chapter 7- Thinking About You, Dad
I'm now thirteen years old, and in the seventh grade. I'm not a puck, jock, or a poplar guy. I'm just your average thirteen-year-old with two best friends, Jason also known as Jay; and Joe. I'd been friends with Joe since the fifth grade, so we get along well. I'd been friends with Jason since the third grade, not to mention that my Dad left my Mom six years ago. Or was it the other way round? Either way, I still missed my Dad.
That night I was sound asleep in my bed, until I heard yelling and screaming. I got out of bed and went to my parent's room door. I looked in the keyhole and as soon as I saw them yelling and cursing at each other, tears formed in my eyes. I was scared, because I had never seen them like that. Well, maybe I had seen them in little fights, but they weren't cursing at each other.
Ten minutes later, they still hadn't quit fighting. I'd went and sat on the couch, hoping that my parent's would stop and make up soon, but no. I saw my Dad come out of the room with two suitcases in his hands. He was about to step out the front door, but I stopped him by yelling, "Dad, where are you going?" "Uh, I'm going to work, because I got called in for a pipe burst. Love you." He replied as he walked out the door and slammed it behind him. I knew he was lying, because why the heck would he take suitcases to work? He had never taken suitcases to work before.
Two months later, my Dad hadn't returned. I guessed that he'd moved back in with his folks. He had written me, and I had written him a couple of times, but when he written me back, he would never tell me why he'd left. He has never written about Mom. He would always tell me how much he had missed me, and all the memories we had shared in the past. I miss my Dad everyday and night. I cried everyday and night. I wish my Dad would just come back into my life.
I had written a poem for my Dad, but I didn't send it to him. I read it to my best friend, Jason, first.
"When my dad left, I started to cry. I was very sad, because I thought we would never say bye. I think about him everyday. I remember the fun we had together. We would play forever and ever. He always helped me with my homework. That's why I'm so good at my schoolwork. In the morning he spiked my hair. If it was messy I did not care. Now that he is gone, I hope he's all right. I cry so much everyday and night. Now that he's gone, I hope he misses me too. If my dad would happen read this, I just want to say that I really love you!"
"Dude, you should enter a poetry contest." Jason said.
"Well, I don't know if I should. I mean I just wrote this for my Dad." I said.
"Wait," Jason paused. "Does your Dad like to go to Oooey Gooey Pizza World?"
"Yeah. He loves that place, but why did you ask that?" I asked.
"Because every Wednesday they have a poetry contest. Well, it's sort of like a poetry reading." Jason explained.
"They do? I mean poetry readings at a pizza place?" I asked confusedly.
"I know. It's weird, but if you win, you'll get a free pass next time you visit." Jason explained again.
"Well, it makes it nice they give you a free pass if you win. That'll save my Mom bunches of money." I said.
"Are you up for it?" Jason asked.
"Okay, but only one problem." I said as I made a face.
"What is it?" Jason asked.
"How are we going to get my Dad there?" I asked.
"Maybe you should give him a call?" Jason suggested.
"Okay, I will. I hope he could come." I said with tears in my eyes. "I just don't get why my Dad left. They were such a good couple, and parents. I just don't get it?"
"I know how you feel. I know you all ready know this, but it can't hurt if I tell you again. My Dad left or should I say died when I was only five. I miss him a lot. I can't stop thinking about him. Never will stop thinking about him, because I love him with all my heart." Jason said with now tears in his eyes.
"I'm sorry Jay. I didn't mean to make you bring up your Dad." I said sadly.
"It's okay. Really."
"I just miss him so much." I cried even harder.
"I know how you feel, buddy."
When it was around four 'O clock, I called my Dad's folks house to see he was there. He was. I was glad too. I told him to meet me at Oooey Gooey Pizza World. He replied with a sure. I hung up the phone happily.
Later that night, I sat at the edge of my bed watching some old videos of my Dad. As I sat there watching memory after memory, a single tear rolled down my cheek.
* * *
Wednesday, at Oooey Gooey Pizza World, I stood up on the stage. I was really nervous, because I was only seven. When I read my poem, my Mom and Dad looked at me kind of sad. I almost started to cry, but didn't.
When I was finished, I took a bow and looked at my parents. I hoped that they would just look and smile at each other, but no. They refused to look at each other. I ran off stage and outside to a bench.
I sat there thinking about my parents. They were a good couple, so why did they brake up? I hate not having a Dad. It really stinks. No one to hold me when I have a bad dream. No one to play football with. Mom could play, but Dad's the best. Now I know how Jay felt when his Dad left. It's boring and makes me cry to see that every morning when I wake up I do not have a Dad there to guide me through first crushes, first date, and a lot of first stuff. Again Mom could guide me through that stuff, but she's just a Mom, and she's not like a Dad. I wish I had a Dad that'll last forever. Not no step-Dad, I just want my one and only Dad back into my life.
I gave a sigh and cried until my Dad came out and sat next to me on the bench.
"Why did you run out here." He asked me.
I turned away. I just couldn't say anything back. I was scared he would turn me down just like Mom.
"Todd, did you write that poem for me?" he asked.
I didn't say anything.
"If you did, I really liked it. I never knew you had that kind of talent." He said.
I turned around and wiped my tears. "Dad, why did you leave?"
My Dad just sat there.
"Why Dad? Why? I ask you. Why?" I repeated. "Dad, do you remember Mom anymore? I mean you remember all the memories you and I shared, but you don't remember what memories you and Mom shared?" I shook my head. "Dad, I bet you can't remember one memory you shared with Mom."
My Dad sat there as he made a face. It looked like he was thinking about something, but what? What?
To Be Continued