"Aren't you going to ask me in?" His father said. "Do I have a choice?" David grumbled.
"Don't get smart." He warned brushing past him. Mr. Smith started looking around the apartment picking up and setting down a text book in disgust.
"Okay, now that you're here what do you want." David asked with his arms folded.
His dad scoffed. "Well, you don't answer my calls or letters just wanted to know why. Thought maybe you needed new glasses."
David rolled his eyes. "Since when did you start giving a damn about me?"
"Always were a smart ass weren't you?" Mr. Smith arched his eyebrow.
David gave an ironic smile. "Learned from the best."
Mr. Smith just eyed him up and down. "So where's your friend Matt?" He tone laced with repulsion.
"On Mars." David muttered.
David's father was never crazy about Matt but then he was never crazy about any of his friends.
His father scowled at him. "I swear how he ever got into med school I'll never know."
"He slept with a different Dean from every college in the world. How the hell do you think? Matt worked for it and very hard too!" He snapped defending his friend.
Mr. Smith nodded and pointed at the laptop and writing text books. "And I see you're still wasting your life." He replied.
"Oh shut up!" David shot back. "You don't know anything about my life. For your information I'm working at the college bookstore, I've made the Dean's list twice and I have a girlfriend!"
This made his dad chuckle cruelly. "You have a girlfriend? What in the hell could you offer her?"
David scoffed. "More than you could offer mum."
He came up to him his eyes glaring with daggers.
"You know Addie learned that smart mouth from you and look where she is, six feet under!" Mr. Smith scolded.
"Don't you dare talk about my sister like that!" David shouted.
He pointed accusingly at him. "It's your fault she's dead."
This made David infuriated. "You always blame me for her death! Face it Addie's dead because she had to put up with you!"
Mr. Smith threw his hands around angrily. "You're nothing! You hear me? Nothing but a bastard, a loser and this girlfriend of yours' must be pretty stupid to want you!"
His words stung but David laughed sarcastically. "Oh really and how's your relationship been with mum lately?"
Rage surged through his father's eyes and he slapped him hard. His dad had never done that to him before but it didn't surprise him.
David wiped a little blood from the corner of his mouth and he came closer and peered over his father with dark eyes. "If you think you're going to get a reaction from me then you're damn wrong."
David walked to the door opening it. "Now get out."
Mr. Smith's stare was cold and unfeeling. He just tugged his lapels and stormed out slamming the door behind.
David shook his head and banged his fist on the wall. "Damn him!" He yelled.
Covering is face with his arms against the wall he fought back his tears. "Why doesn't he want me? Why doesn't anybody want me?" David wondered.
He didn't hear the soft knock on the door or it opening.
Amy walked in confused. "Hey, David I just saw man storm out of here." She stopped and saw David and rushed to him.
"David?" She tried to touch him but he moved away. "Baby, what's wrong? Who was that man?"
"My father." He spat out.
Amy glanced behind her shoulder. "That was your dad?"
He nodded. "Yeah, that was my stupid bastard father!" David snapped. She cupped his face in her hands and gently stroked his cheek with her thumb. Amy noticed his mouth and gasped. "Did he hurt you?"
David tried to turn away but she prevented him. "Talk to me please?" She said concerned.
"It doesn't matter." He said pulling away and turning his back. Amy came up to him and spun him around. "It does matter. It matters to me now what did he say to you?" She asked.
David scoffed. "This is not a big deal. He just came in here with the typical shit about me wasting my life, being a loser, blaming me for Addie's death." He paused. "Nothing new." He muttered.
She saw the same pain in his eyes as she always did when he said his sister's name.
"Though I never met her I know she was very special to you." Amy replied softly.
David sadly smirked. "Addie was the best older sister ever. She was my friend and always there for me."
Amy stood there and listened quietly.
He sighed. "But she was also very good at hiding her demons until one day when I was at summer camp…I got a call that she hanged herself in my closet three days after it happened." David shook his head bitterly.
Amy slowly came towards him. "I'm sorry you had to endure that but you know none of what you're dad said is true."
He shrugged. "I'm used to it but when he said you were stupid to be with me I lost it."
She frowned . "Why am I stupid for being with you?" David lowered his eyes. "Because I can't offer you anything."
David glanced at her. "And maybe he's right maybe I can't." "How come?" She replied.
"Look at what you're walking into, Amy. I'm not a journalist for the money, I don't have a perfect life or a decent father and mother." He said shuffling his feet.
Amy sighed heavily. "Uh, for the record I stopped listening right after I asked you why was I stupid for being with you."
He scowled. "Thanks for that!"
She smiled and placed her hands on his chest. "I stopped listening because you're wrong."
David sighed and avoided her stare. "How do you know?"
Amy bashfully smiled and ran her finger on the side of his neck. "Because I love you."
"Yeah well" He started to say but stopped. He looked at her surprised but pleased. "What did you say?"
She leaned closer. "I love you."
He grinned. "Really?"
She playfully scoffed. "What would you like me to do? Tattoo it on my forehead?"
He just laughed. "I love you too, Amy!" He smiled. David lifted her up slightly and twirled her around happily making her giggle.
Putting her down their lips met in a sweet kiss but the kissing turned seductive and intense.
Without breaking the kiss Amy's hand wandered to the hem of his shirt and tried to pull it up but he playfully swatted her hand.
"Don't do that." He smirked resting his forehead on hers'. Amy expression was soft and serious. "I'm sorry. I had to make sure you're really here. That what's in front of me is flesh and not a dream."
She then glanced up blushing. "That was corny, huh?"
David shrugged but smiled. "Yeah, it was." She just grinned at him.
"But I'm here. I promise." "I promise." He said softly kissing her hand.
Amy pulled him closer burying her face in his chest as he held her and they swayed side to side.
Clara arrived at her father's house nervous but wanting answers. She didn't bother to knock instead just used her key. Walking inside the large house she heard Mr. Oswald in his den reading his newspaper.
She swallowed and prayed he had the right answers for her. Clara knocked on the door. "Come in!" he answered.
Stepping inside he looked up and smiled. "Clara, sweetheart I didn't hear you come in!"
Clara just folded her arms looking serious. "Something wrong?' He asked concerned.
She reached into her pocket and pulled the paper David gave her. "Did you give this to Matt?" Clara asked handing it to him.
Her father glimpsed at it and nodded. "Yes, I did."
"Why?" She asked.
He shrugged. "I wanted to talk to him about you."
Clara swallowed. "Did you tell him to stop seeing me?"
Mr. Oswald stood and shook his head. "No, I said to stop seeing you until graduation." He said it with such calm it shocked her.
"What!" She exclaimed.
"Well, it's not a long wait." He replied.
Clara felt the tears burn in her eyes. "How could you? I broke with a great guy because of you!"
She then cringed. "Oh, god I slapped his beautiful face and screamed at him." The thought of Matt shouting he loved her and begging for her to come back made her feel sick.
"I was such a cruel bitch." Clara muttered with regret.
"I'm sorry but you'll move on." Mr. Oswald said placing his hand on her shoulder.
She looked at him in disbelief. What happened to the kind father she once knew?
Clara shook his hand off. "You don't get it, do you? I love him and I won't let your bull shit ruin that!"
"You watch your language, young lady!" He shouted.
"Oh shut up! I've got to find him before another girl does." She said worried. Clara couldn't let that happen. She had to find him, now.
"I was trying to help. I was concerned he was distracting you." Her dad replied still trying to justify it.
Clara shook her head. "No dad that was you! You let me down not Matt!" She started for the door then paused and glanced at him briefly before storming out.