Love Tap(6)

“Shit!”

Jumping off Chloe’s bed I nearly trip on the air mattress rushing out of the house.

“What is it?” Chloe hollers, but I don’t stop.

Exiting her house, the screen door slams as I run four houses up.

“No, you don’t understand, Daddy,” Journey pleads, her hands pressed up against my father’s chest.

“I understand alright and he’s going to jail!” My father points over Journey’s shoulder. Following his finger I spot a guy wearing a red baseball cap backwards, a smug expression on his face while he crudely grabs at his crotch.

The cop gets out of his car, and tugs at his utility belt.

“Daddy, it’s not his fault I shouldn’t have…” Journey stops short and lowers her head. The streetlight shines on her face and I notice her nose is bleeding.

Not caring that either of them know I’m here, I stomp forward.

“What the hell happened?” My tone not hiding the panic in my voice. Dad and Journey’s eyes both snap to me.

“Tatum?” Dad questions, squinting his eyes. “When did you get in? Where-“ he stops mid-question looking behind me. Turning to see what he’s looking at, Chloe and Fiona are standing in the street. Fiona’s arms are crossed, and Chloe is biting on her nails anxiously.

“I’ll explain later. What happened here?” I gesture toward Journey.

Dad nods, and focuses his gaze back on Journey.

“I’m not entirely sure, I’m just getting pieces of the story. He dropped her off at home, and I came out to tell her how late it was and I spotted her face. A neighbor must have called the cops.” Dad looks around the neighborhood curiously.

“Hello there, I’m Officer Gregor, I got a noise complaint.”

“That * hit my daughter. Take him in!” Dad points toward the guy standing at the end of the driveway.

“NO!” Journey nearly screams. “Scotty didn’t do anything. I’m trying to tell you that!”

“So, he didn’t hit you?” Officer Gregor raises a skeptical eyebrow.

Journey bites at her lip, looking at Scotty. “No.”

She’s lying. When she lies, her head falls, her eyes looking anywhere but directly at you, and she bites her bottom lip.

“So what happened to your face then?” The officer interrogates.

“I just, I got a bloody nose. I get them a lot.” She shrugs, looking down.

“No you don’t,” I sneer. Her head snaps up, and she glares at me.

The officer rolls his neck. “Look, do you want to press charges or not kid?”

“No!” Journey steps in.

“Yes!” Dad interjects.

“Sir, I’m afraid the gentleman hasn’t done anything to you for you to press charges.”

My dad snarls in response. “So you’re not going to do anything?”

“I didn’t say that. I’m going to escort him off the property, and if you have any more problems give us a call.” The officer looks at Journey with a disgusted look and walks over to Scotty.

“You lied,” I growl.

Journey tosses her long wavy hair over her shoulder, she looks thinner than usual. “I love him, Tate.”

“Love?” I can’t help but snarl at the word. “He obviously feels the same. How long have you been together? What do you even know about him?” I ramble.

“We have been together a month, and I know a lot about him, thank you very much,” she snaps.

I shake my head. Chloe was right, Journey is a mess. Blood drips from her inflamed nose, staining her dress.

“Yeah, it looks like love.” My tone drips with sarcasm.

Glancing back at the officer and Scotty, they are walking different ways. The officer back to his cruiser, and Scotty is headed toward a newer model Mustang.

“When did you get in?” Dad asks. He has that face, the one with disapproval. It reminds me of someone being constipated.

“Um, yesterday.”

“Yesterday?!”

“It’s late, I’ll explain in the morning.”

Dad’s brows fall inward. “Everything okay?”

The Mustang drives away, and the cop follows. Keeping my eyes on the taillights I reply, “Yeah, everything is fine. Just left school early.”

He sighs, clearly frustrated with me.

“What does that mean?”

Lowering my head, my shoulders tense. I am stressed to the max and would fall to my knees in praise if I could unleash the anger running through my veins right now. I can’t think when I’m this pent up. I just need to get this over with and tell him.

“I dropped out of school. I’m back home. For good.” I don’t lie, I just tell him half the truth.

“WHAT!?” His voice echoes through the neighborhood. I’m sure the cop is going to be turning around for a round two at the Davis household tonight.

Bringing my stare to Dad’s, I square my shoulders and lift my chin. Coming here is what I want. One hundred percent. I am not backing down. Not this time.

“I’m sorry Dad, but school is not for me. You told me to try it out, and I did. Truth be told, I gave up trying long ago, I just didn’t want to hurt you so I stayed there and was miserable. I gave up everything! Things I can never get back!” My heart aches as I look at the house next to my dad’s. You know when some people say you don’t know what you had ‘til it’s gone, well that happened to me. I had an amazing guy who was my best friend and I gave it up. I had a road paved for fighting, and I left it behind. Mourning and grief make an eighteen-year old girl more vulnerable than you might think. I was confused, and I didn’t know what to do. So I made a choice I thought was right and tried to move forward.