My hair thrashed around in the wind, loose strands falling out of its plait as the wind harshly belts it around. The wind had been horrid lately and my dark auburn locks didn’t go well with it. As I walk down the rigid, old concrete path to my house I listen to my iPod nearly on full blast. My taste of music isn’t the typical 17 year old girl boy band shit. No its punk rock, pop and maybe a little of the old stuff. My music was my bubble; it separated me from everyone else like the idiots or wackos the city had in it. I loved living where I do, London it was where everyone wanted to be and I just happen to move here by coincidence. I have always moved a lot with my dad but lately he has fallen ill with a strange disease and we are forced to stay here, but that doesn’t bother me either.
Well the staying part, the illness part bothers me a lot since dad refuses to let me drop out of high school to look after him. I love my dad since he is the only one in my life right now, I have an aunt but the rest of my family is dead or don’t want anything to do with me. My mum died when I was born the strain to much for her body to handle.
I open the front door and sigh as I let out the polluted air from outside and let the air from my home enter my lungs. It smelt of bark, vanilla and grass. Dad had lit some vanilla candles to go with the flowers in the vase next to mum’s picture, which was framed in a bark frame I made in kindergarten.
I smile and go over to the picture running my thumb over my mum’s happy smile. She had dark auburn hair like me and blue eyes that looked like the ocean. While on the other hand my dad’s messy brown curls and hazelnut eyes make him look like he is a young boy. Mum and dad were 26 and 28 in the photo and little old me was 8 months into my mums pregnancy. My dad found it hard to look at me for long periods of time at first since I got mums hair color his curls and mums eyes with a ring of hazel around my pupils. Now he’s fine but when I was little I saw the pain and sadness in his eyes.
I snap out of my little daze as I look at the photo and turn to the voice that called out my name multiple times before I listened.
“Dad! What are you doing up?!” I half whisper as I run and hug him as I squeeze him tightly, my heart slightly faster than before. His deep chuckle makes me smile as he hugs me back strongly which was rare since his sickness.
“Well I was thirsty and wanted to surprise my angel” he half chuckled again as he lifted up my chin as I look into his hazel eyes and he kisses my forehead.
His well-built body was now slimmer and more fragile than it used to be, he had lost a lot of weight since getting sick making it hard for him to be up and walking around. I smile more and laugh softly as I put an arm around his waist.
“Well I was just admiring that photo again like normal, now come on back to bed!” I laughed softly pulling him along as I held him around his waist since he was a lot taller than me. My head just reached my dad’s shoulder.
I lead my dad back to bed and kissed his forehead, his smile gave me the energy I needed to do some house work and make dinner. I breezed through the dishes and taking out the trash before starting dinner, dads favourite ravioli. I hummed a song I remember my dad singing to me as a child while I cooked being a little tradition I had. I always hummed it knowing it calmed me and let me elegantly speed through dinner, by the time it was finished It was nearly 6 pm. I took off my apron and held onto the bowl of pasta as I walked softly down to my dad’s room. He was propped up on pillows reading his favourite book again. I smiled and placed the bowl down on the bedside table as I sat on the edge of his bed my legs crossed underneath me as I started eating my own bowl of ravioli. I glanced up from my food watching my dad eat his with a wide smile as I straightened up in proudness at my work.
I fell asleep that night on the couch after cleaning the dishes and doing some of my essay for English. The light from the curtains pulled me out of my dream of my mum. I groaned and sat up rubbing my eyes as I looked at the open drawn curtains. I don’t remember opening them last night, I roll my eyes as I realise dad was out of bed again in the old arm chair near the window reading.
“Dad I told you to stay in bed….” I groan as I stand up cracking my sore back walking over to him kissing his forehead, a mini tradition when I woke up. His chuckle made me glare at him as I put my hands on my hips. “What’s so funny Mr. Giggles” I spoke sternly as I looked at him his smile wide as I looked at him a little confused.
“Now miss have you checked the time yet?” he smirked as he went back to reading his book and I spun on my heel gasping at the clock. Crap crap crap I’m late for school!!! I run up stairs and get ready flying down the stairs stuffing my bag and flinging it over my shoulder. If I left now I’d be in time, I kiss my dad goodbye before sprinting out the door to school. The day went by like a blur as I just made it to home group. I got a few snickers as I tried taming my wild curls into a ponytail, it was up but messy but I didn’t care.
I walk home and open the door but the house was silent. That was unusual normally I heard dad call from his room or wherever he was asking how my day was. I walk up the hall and check his study, not there. Next I go to his room and my heart stops. My dad was laying on the bed holding one of the flowers from mums vase and the picture of him, mum and still unborn me. The tears fell down my face, no no no! He can’t be! I rush over to him and check for a pulse or breath. Nothing! I dial 911 and get an ambulance sent to our house. Once they arrived they carted my dad off to hospital hoping to revive him. I sat in the hospital for an hour before his doctor came up to me. I shot up from my seat and the doctor looked sad. I instantly shook my head.
“No…no…NO!!” I whispered but then screamed as I fell to my knees bawling my eyes out like a 2 year old child. This can’t be happening, why!!! I needed him, at least a little longer with him. I didn’t even get to say goodbye properly, just a rushed kiss and bye this morning.
It couldn’t be he knew could it, it was strange he was out of bed a lot lately. As the tears streamed down my face my aunt came down the hall running towards me. Why was she here I didn’t call her, the doctor must of that’s why I’ve been sitting here for an hour. I sob my body shaking as she hugs me and I fall into her embrace. I hated it; I now have a reason to hate life.
It took my mum and now my dad. What is the use of me being here now?
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