Kellie

No potatoes. Crap, Crap, Crap.

Sighing, I transfer the bacon and salad on the plate with slightly shaky hands. Endeavoring myself to act calm, I lay the plate on the table.

"Bacon," I mumble, trying to avoid my dad's gaze. I hope he doesn't find anything missing on the dish as he pours a glass full of alcohol, spilling some on the table. Panicking, I grab the nearest towel and attempt to wipe the small mess off. I still try to act cool but the continuous honking of a car outside isn't doing any good. I gasp, when I almost drop the glass bottle down the surface.

"Shit!" My dad yells even though I saved the bottle on time. Horrified, my body stiffens. "I-I'm sorry!"
"Can't you do any single work properly!? Huh, bitch?"
He takes a quick long swig of his drink and proceeds to refill it while I turn on my heel hesitantly to complete my homework in the mean time, gulping away a growing knot down my throat.

"Stop." I stiffen, turning mid-stride and at last look at his half-awake-half-asleep drunken pink face. He doesn't say anything and I start to wonder what am I supposed to do. Well, I've already cleaned the kitchen, done the laundry and other stuff. What else is left?
"Sit." He orders bluntly and I slowly take my seat. We stay in silence for a while until he starts.

"I got a call from school," His voice slightly sounds off. The alcohol must be catching up to him. He takes a few more swigs, this time directly from the bottle. My eyes follow the trail of smoke from the cigarette in his right hand. The annoying car seems to be gone. "Your grades. Anything to say about that?" His eyes laser mine, taking another gulp from the bottle. "And you are found to be bunking classes, I see." He doesn't seem to be questioning me. I wipe the sweat off my palms.

"I-I don't know. I had.. been working at Joe's to pay for Dan-" I stutter.

"Don't lie to me, bitch! "He screams, banging the table with a loud thud. I wince, cracking my knuckles nervously. The truth was that that day had been busy with him drunk, screaming and beating me up.

"N-No! I'm not lying! I really-" He reaches forward and slaps me across my face, at the same time causing the glass to shatter over the floor. The sound echoes in my ears deafeningly. Tears start to well up, blurring the image of his wide, bloodshot and terrifyingly angry eyes glaring at me. He grumbles something under his breath.

My right cheek stings, like as if someone laid hot grills on my face and I hunch over trying to suppress my sobs before remembering to clean the floor. "All you bitches. Your mother, you- all the same!" My eyes well up more at the mention of my dead mom. Putting the small pieces into the biggest with my bare hands, I keep it aside near the trash can. Someone bangs over the door as dad walks up to it, wobbling.

I hear two men talking about something. With a few deep breaths, I try to breathe normally. It's okay, It's okay. Suddenly, I jolt when I hear someone yell really, really loudly. Taking a peek, I see a man wearing dark jeans and a hoodie pointing a knife in front of dad with his hand clutching the collar. My eyes widen.

"Fuck this! Screw you, man! Who the fuck do you think I am, huh? You think you can hide from me?!" The man yells again. His voice scares me. He looks strong. Very.
I don't know somehow, I think I might have made some noise that both the heads turn to me and my heart beat quickens.
"Well, what can you see. Your little baby girl, eh, Johnny boy?" He smiles evilly.

"Listen, man. If your little Boo is precious too you or whatever, either give me back the stuff or see that girl die. Or better see yourself die while I take what's mine." He provides. My face starts to heat up when my dad stays quiet. My eyes dart towards the door, just a few feet away. Wait, do I want my dad to be saved? I'm not sure.

Of course. He's still my father. My only family. I wouldn't leave him.
But I don't want to die. Because I know if I stay here another second, I will. The way my dad seems to look at me, as if pleading "Don't go.. please.." I think he already might know what's on my mind.
But instead, he slurs, "You can go fuck yourself, man."

And that was it when I got the chance. I really don't know what I was thinking, but when I realized where I was, It was too late.

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Notes