Four
I found it unfortunate when the stars started disappearing and the sun was rising. It was a beautiful sight, but a feared one for my friend. Today we were being discharged from the hospital and my father of all people was picking me up after an entire week of pretending I didn't exist. A scowl carved it's way onto my face as I slowly open my eyes, this is the day where my father comes, my eyes darken and my face sours as I click my tongue and look out the window angrily.
"Help me Mum…" I close my eyes not noticing that a tear rolled down my cheek as I let out a shuddery breath of emotions. I look over across the room to see Gabby, she is looking straight at me with concern written all over her face.
'Are you okay?' I sigh and look down, how could I answer that? I didn't even know the answer that question I know if I do it would just be a lie and I would get that tang of regret on my tongue again.
"I don't know Gabby... I really don't anymore..." I look down at my lap letting out one of my famous broken sighs.
Gabby practically jumped out of bed and gave me one of her famous choke hugs. Somehow even though I didn't say what was upsetting me, she seemed to know. That's one thing that drew me too her in the first place. I was the type of person where my emotions and feelings were hard to read just from looking at me but when I am with Gabby she seems to read me like a book, better than anyone I have ever met.
So when my father finally arrived, she all but jumped in front of me like a guard dog. I sigh and look at him, his unusually stern face was worse than I have ever seen it. It made my hands sweat and start to fidget.
"Hey, Dad.."
"Kate," he said in a monotone, I already knew he was angry. Great. Grr and why does he keep calling me that horrific nickname? Despise it it made me sound like a kid, and I am everything but a kid, I was 17 for gods sake!
"How are you?" I ask while yanking Gabby behind me as I continue to death stare at my father.
'Umm Katey? Now I can't see...' I look back at Gabby raising a brow and making my best what-the-fuck? face. I heard her mentally laugh. I sigh loudly and look back at my father.
"So what are we going to do? Are you going to let me do as I please or what?" I cross my arms over my chest and sit on my hip raising a brow proving that I was not in the damn mood for him right now. He sighed sitting on the edge of my hospital bed, I little bit of guilt seeps into my heart as I walk over to him.
"Sorry… I know that is a sensitive topic but I need to know... what are you going to do with me..?" I really did not want to know the answer but I had too, I did not want to leave, I needed to stay with Gabby but... what if we move? What happens if he makes me stay with my sister? So many questions ran through my head I am actually surprised that I didn't pass out or something. but no I just continued to stand there and stare blankly at my father.
"We're moving, Kate. We only moved here because of your mother. So, we're moving more towards the mines so I can work more and keep an eye on you," A feeling comes to my chest as I get angry... it felt like a pressure was applied from the inside pushing its way out of my chest making me angry as I clench my hands tightly.
'Hey, Katey… how about you stay with us? To be honest, I don't want you to leave. I don't know how to survive this. I wont be able to survive this without you,' I could feel her fears flow through me like they were my own. Fear of losing me. Fear of being alone. Fear of losing her sister.
"No." I say bluntly to my father.
"No?" He says sarcastically to me. It was like he was expecting me to say "yes daddy" and skip out of here with a cheesy smile on my face... sorry daddy but that is the last thing that's going to happen.
"I said no! I am not leaving! How dare you say that you arsehole! I'm 17! A young adult like you said so, I'm making my 'own' decisions and hell no am I going to go with you! What makes you think this would last?! You know I can't leave! Not for the 4th time!" I breathe out stepping away from him. "No.."
'Please don't fight.' I was suddenly aware of her, she was cringing, but she was also proud of me, for standing up for myself. For standing up to him. She knows of the troubled times me and my family had, she knows of all of that. She doesn't want me leaving with them if all they bring is cruelty in my already cruel life. She knows that I can live with her. Stay with them. Why stay with a cruel father if I could live with my best friend?
"How dare you speak to me like that?! And where would you live then, Kate?" he yells as he steps closer to me.
"Anywhere! I'd rather live in a storm water drain than with you 'daddy'" I spit the words at him like they were poison, my anger was getting out of my control. What was wrong with me? It was like I was plugged into a powerful power source that I couldn't switch off, this was different from all the other times I was angry... this was scary! I couldn't control my own temper… what was wrong with me? My father stood there looking at me with an expression I have never seen before.
"Kate… your..." I raise a brow as I hear my father sigh. 'whats wrong with him?' I mumble still glaring at him. I step back to the window keeping him in my sight the whole time.
"I'm what?" I ask bluntly sounding too much like my mother at the moment.
"You're…" he sighs again.
"You ready to come home girls?" My eyes widen as Gabby's Mum came in. Girls? What? Did she hear the whole thing? My father turns around obviously as shocked as I was.
"Hey, Mum! I'm really glad to be coming home today! What did you by 'girls'? Does Katey get to come home with us?" Gabby asked as I looked at her still keeping my father in my sight. She was sitting up on her knees, looking at her mum.
"Uh, well… Of course Katey is invited to stay with us any time. But I think we have to ask Mr Johnston…" I click my tongue walking to Gabby standing behind her as I look at the two parents.
I was grateful that Gabby's mother had came when she did or I wouldn't have known what I would have done to my father - if my temper rose any higher than it did just now. What was that anger I felt? Yes, I hate my dad and yes we always fought like that but never in my life had I ever lost control of my temper like I just did, damn I'm starting to shake. I don't know what will happen if I lose my temper again... will I lose it and start hurting people? I breathe out and look at Gabby, how in the absolute hell can I tell this to Gabby? It scared me so I knew full well that it would scare Gabby as well, was it this half vampire thingie that had caused me to lose control of my temper? Maybe... who knows.
"Please, Mr Johnston, can Katey stay with us? We can look after her. Can't we Mum? Please?" I snap out of my thoughts and look over to Gabby's mother, my heart was pounding and my breathing quickened as I waited anxiously for her answer. I dont know what Gabby was feeling but I sure as hell was freaking out, I did not want to be with me father, I think I had made that clear ever since I was 10. Yes you read that right... 10. I was still a flipping kid and I wanted to stay away from him, and if that is not saying anything then I don't know what will.
"Excuse us girls I would like to take this outside…" I narrow my eyes at my fathers words as Gabby and I watch the pair go outside the hospital room we were in. I sigh loudly and put my palm to my forehead.
"What a morning…" I mutter quietly still staring blankly at the door..
"I know…Wait, I - ha! Yes, I can hear them..." Gabby sits on the bed with a concentrated frown. I raise both my brows as I look at her with a curious expression.
'-we're moving and I'm taking my daughter. I don't understand why she's fighting me on this-'
Gabby's Mum cut him off. 'Well, I have the perfect explanation. They're best friends. She doesn't want to leave. It's as simple as that. If you truly want to move, move, but it's clear Katey doesn't want to go with you. We have a spare room that she can sleep in and if you wanted to, you can come visit. She would be in capable hands.'
My dad tried to say something, but she just stopped him again. 'I know, I would be worried too, if it were my girl. But I can look after Katey fine. She wouldn't be a bother, all I'd ask is for her not to slack off, to help out and things like that.'
Dad tried to speak up again, but only succeeded in being cut off - again. This was getting really amusing to watch.
I smirk hearing the whole conversation in my head like it was my own hearing I was using but it was in fact not, it was Gabby's 'damn she had good hearing now!' I close my eyes and concentrate harder to get in her thoughts again, this was a hard thing to do but I was 'slowly but surely' getting better at using this telepathic thing I possess. And all I heard was a billion questions. Heck! She was as nervous as I was, she was just as scared to be separated just as I was, she also wanted my dad to agree. I frown trying harder. I wonder if I could somehow talk to her with this gift thing...? It makes sense to try because she was the only person- uh I mean vampire I can mentally connect with.
"Gabby can you hear me?" I think trying to somehow push that thought into her head. All I succeeded in doing, is going back into her head. But it was different… like I was Gabby. Not just hearing what she's thinking or feeling her emotions. This was different. My heart sank as I was looking out of her eyes, feeling what she felt, smelling and moving when she did. What was this? Possession?! I didn't know but I sure as hell didn't know how to stop it.
'She'll be fine with us. Trust me. I can - and will - look after her like my own daughter.'
'No, I will not allow Kate to move in with you. You have no right to take her from me! She's not eighteen!'
Gabby's Mum sighed, annoyed. 'I'm not taking her from you. I'm just allowing her to stay, temporarily with us. There's a difference.'
Okay... no offense for him being my dad and all but I seriously wanted to kill the man right now. If it weren't for Gabby trapping my mind in her body somehow I think I would be out there slamming my fist square in the man's jaw. I can't help it thats just the sort of person I am even before this event of vampires I was like that. Its just me, its my nature, its how I was brought up its the only thing I have to defend myself with.
'Fine. But I'm right. Just ask her! She doesn't want to move, that much is obvious.' Gabby stopped listening to the conversation as the two adults came back in. Finally, I was able to draw out of her head, back into my own mind.
"Well?" I asked narrowing my eyes at my father.
"We're leaving, get your stuff." I click my tongue not moving.
"Wait, Mr Johnston," Gabby stopped my father from moving another step. I felt this strange...feeling from inside her. She didn't know what she was doing. But she was doing it either way. Her head tilt, ever so slightly and gave my dad a relaxed smile, her green eyes seemed to shine through the light of day. "Don't you want Katey to be happy? Let her stay with us. It's only reasonable… Katey would be safe with us. You know this. Let her stay."
She held his gaze for a moment longer, before - very dreamily - my father replied. "Yes, it does seem reasonable for her to stay. I suppose it's okay…"
I raise a brow at my dad. What the fuck? What did Gabby do….? I was so confused but then Gabby looked at me with one of her 'I-win' smirks and I knew full well that whatever she did, was freaking cool and very damn handy.
"Gabby? What did you- uh..." she shot me a glare singling me to shut up.
'It was that compulsion thing that Zoe chick told me about. I don't know, I kinda just wanted him to do it and well… he did.' I smirk and shake my head.
My father seemed to come back to normal once I felt that strange feeling leave Gabby.
"Wha- What just happened?" He snapped out of his daze and realised what he just said. He let me stay with Gabby and her mum. Without wanted to, may I add. That's what happens to people when my best friend was a very cool vampire.
I look at my father and smirk a victorious glint in my eyes. "Thank you for letting me stay with Gabby, Daddy." I say sitting on my hip and crossing my arms over my chest. He opens his mouth to say something but I cut him off.
"You can go now, I'll still keep in touch, don't worry, but I want my bank account and phone credit in my name now, Father," I narrow my eyes. I could tell Gabby was smirking, Gabby's mother was confused - I bet she was shocked about how easily my father agreed when before he was denying. If I were normal and didn't know about Gabby being a vampire and all I would be just as confused. So I don't blame her. I smile for the first time, finally, finally I was free from my horrid father and with a family who might see me as a daughter and show me what love really is in calm words and not abusive one's. I knew Gabby as just as happy, the big grin on her face proved it.
A/N: Unfortunately, me and my best friend (Katey) haven't finished writing the next chapter, I didn't realise I hadn't uploaded this chapter, sorry to all those waiting! But I'm in term 3 of year 12 and things are hectic, so I apologise hugely to those waiting for updates - for any of my stories - but Depths of Darkness's chapter 13 is almost ready for posting - finally!
I love you all so so much, have a lovely day and smile. Hope you enjoyed :) R&R :3