Unfortunately, the chapter after this one is the LAST CHAPTER! Ahhhhh! Thanks for all of you faithful veiwers, and I can't believe it's almost over! Sorry if the chapter's short I'm just so... depressed that it's almost over...

Good excuse, right?

"I don't know how to explain my relationship with my dad." I shrugged as Chad's hand slipped into mine. We strolled past the same playground where Dad had almost gotten arrested. "I mean, he's here, then he disappears without a trace... then he shows up again." I explained. "I haven't seen him in a week." we stopped at the same fence Dad was slumped against, and some of his newspapers still littered the ground. "Who knows when I'll see him next?"

"I do." Chad said flatly. He pointed past the fence and the playground to a stretch of dead grass. Only a few yards out, a variety of things were being displayed on the grass. We made our way past the fence, and even from the playground, I could still make a few things out. A bookshelf, a naked bed, a tall trophy...

"That's my stuff!" I screeched, charging forward. Chad was right at my heels, and as I came closer, I saw Dad sitting in the grass, a few people milling about inspecting all of my belongings. He was counting a thick wad of bills with that stupid smile on his face. "What are you doing?" I noticed a man and his daughter looking at my display of stuffed animals in the dirt. Dad looked up from his money and cursed under his breath.

"Wait... is this why your room was empty?" Chad asked, a look of confusion across his face. I didn't answer. I kept my glare on Dad. Did he really think that he was going to sell off my stuff and get away with it? "Hey, it's your Scholastic Decathalon trophy!" he pointed out.

I shook my head in disapproval as my dad stood. "I can't believe you would do this. After I saved your ass last week..."

"Tay! Don't talk to me like that!" Dad actually looked concerned. He took a step closer. But he certainly deserved it.

"How could you?" my voice became small. "How could you steal? From your own family?" my bottom lip quivered and I crossed my arms over my chest stubbornly. I hoped he was feeling pretty stupid. "All I wanted to do was succeed, Dad. And you ruined it." my eyes stung, which meant tears were on the way. "And I know you don't want to hear this, but Daddy... you're hurting me." I blinked and the first tear slipped down my cheek. " You're hurting me, Daddy." I suddenly felt like the little girl again, sitting in the backseat of the van, wondering whatever happened to my Dad. That really funny guy that always made me smile. But I suddenly knew. He became... this.

"Tay, I..." he was at a loss for words. I hoped he would know the error of his ways. I had forgiven him. I had decided to give him another chance. And he had already blown it. I had kept secrets from my mother, the only person who really cared. She had yet to find out who stole her jewelry and who was responsible for the empty house. "I'm really sorry, Tay." But sorry would never, ever, ever cover what he's done. He looked down to the wad of money in his hand and slapped it into my palm. I let it drop to the ground, because money wouldn't make everything better this time. Chad took my hand again. "Tay... wait." he started. But I didn't want to hear it.

We started back across the playground, ignoring his shouts, and just at the line between the mulch of the playground and the stretch of grass, I saw a tiny tree, still growing, making its way out of the ground. Scratched onto a piece of wood at the base of the tree was the word, 'Tay'. It was my Daddy's tree. The one he said he had named after me. I lifted my sneaker high off of the ground, and let the tree snap in two from the weight of my foot.

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"You my baby, Tay. Always remember that. You even look like me." he grinned.

"Thanks, Tay Tay. You really are my little girl. Love you." he smiled before strolling dow the front steps.

"One day soon, Taylor, I'm gonna get you some real nice stuff. And me and your mother are going to be happy." And just for the moment, I believed him.

I didn't know how I didn't see that his promises were dripping with sugary lies. He was only saying those things to make up for the fact that he was ruining my life. But what I really hated about myself was that I still loved him. Even though at that very moment while he was auctioning off my belongings to make money to buy alcohol and drugs, I still wanted to hug him and prompt him to give me another math equation. To make me smile. I drew my knees up to my chest across our empty living room. It was close to eleven o' clock and Chad had fallen asleep in the corner of the room. He looked peaceful with his chin tilted upwards and moonlight casting across his face. I found it confusing how he wanted a girl like me. I found it confusing how my mother could ever want a man like my father. But both were always going to be unsolved mysteries. I crawled across the room, pulling Chad's arms around me like a blanket and closed my eyes. I buried my face into his chest.

"Goodnight, Tay." he whispered into my hair. I smiled and drifted into a light slumber.

Because that name sounded nice coming out of his mouth.

Awwwww... I can't believe that it's almost over! Now, the question is... to SEQUEL or NOT to sequel? Read and Review!