Me, Love, & Secrets

Home Sweet Home

I stepped across the threshold into the house I thought I'd never see again. It felt so wrong to be here. Like I wasn't welcomed. I hadn't seen any cars in the driveway, so I assumed no one was home right now. I think it's safe to assume my dad was away practicing for an upcoming game. I placed my bags beside the door and closed it.

"I see you didn't bring anyone."

Or not. I jumped back against the front door in a panic. Of course, he chooses to scare the living daylights out of me. What did I do to deserve this?

"What?" I said with a hand on my chest. "Why would I bring anyone back with me?"

"No reason." He got up from his recliner and walked into the kitchen. I followed after him, keeping my distance. "You're not going to greet me?"

Typical. "Hello, father. How is the team doing?"

"...Since you asked, they're doing well. We've won all our games this season." He began digging through the fridge.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. Hit me." I really wanted to.

Dad closed the fridge to face me. I braced myself for whatever comeback he was going to come up with. I didn't want to let the cat out of the bag just yet. Especially since he probably thinks I'm already doing too much going after my best friend's boyfriend. If I can even call him that anymore. I haven't heard about them breaking up or anything.

"Have you ever just...thought something was a good idea until you actually really thought about it?" I asked.

"What are you saying?"

"Like...My ex and I aren't on good terms anymore, but he sort of has something of mine."

"Just take it back. It's not like he can do anything about it," he said, like it's that easy. "Why are you talking to me anyway? I'm not your mother."

"Mom isn't here," I pointed out. "I can't just go up to him and say anything. Daddy, I need your help."

"I'm not your mother."

"But, daddy--"

"Ruby, does this look like a face that cares?" Dad slammed his water down on the island and glared at me. I knew what was coming next. "It's not my fault your mother left. I don't know where she is, so don't ask if you can go see her."

"You asked me before, so how would I know now?"

"One more word and I just might shut you up for good. I tried so hard to be good to your mother and look at what she goes and does! I guess neither of us weren't good enough."

I couldn't help but make one last remark. A remark I never thought would have been said if I had been in my right mind. I mean, he was already acting like a butt.

"She left you, not me," I muttered.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

For the next couple of days, I wouldn't allow anyone to come see me. Especially Lucas. I didn't want him to see that I was being beaten by the very man he respected. My friends were worried about me. They wanted to hang with me, but I couldn't allow that to happen. Who knows what they'd try to do to help me? It's already bad enough I can't get in contact with my mom anymore.

After the first full week of me being back home, I had my door open. I could hear everything that was happening downstairs. I'd lied to everyone, having them think that Dad was guarding me like a prisoner. He wasn't worried about me snitching on him. He went to coach his team like hurting me was what he did on a daily basis. I guess there were things more important than worrying about me reporting him to the authorities.

Today, he really was home. I'm assuming Lucas was too worried about me and wanted to know if something was really wrong. I knew he was going to be sent away, but I didn't know he had the balls to talk back to my dad. No one has ever dared to do that.

"I'm here to see Ruby," he said.

"Would you stop coming here?" Dad snapped. "You're really annoying me. She's sleeping."

"What? Has she been hibernating all week?"

I wanted to laugh, but now was not the time for jokes.

"Lucas, I like you, but your presence on my porch is...disturbing my soul."

"Sir, I know things about you."

I expected Dad to close the door in his face, but everything was quiet. Were they staring at each other? Had Dad stepped outside and closed the door?

"Go. Away."

"I know you hit her," Lucas blurted. I gasped, shooting out of bed like a rocket. "If you don't let me in, I'll make sure you're behind bars longer than your life expectancy."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm pretty sure Ruby's hurt right now and you don't want anyone to see how bad of a father you really are."

There was a few seconds of silence before the door slammed closed. I assumed Dad had really made Lucas go away. I hopped back into bed and burrowed under my blankets. I guess not everyone can threaten without real evidence. He'd have to come up here to know his assumptions are actually true.

"...You thought he made me leave?" Lucas asked. I froze. "Get up, Ruby. There's a lot I want to do today. I know you're only here for another week."

"No. Go away," I snapped.

"You sound like your father. I'm not leaving. I know what he did to you, so you need to come from under those covers and let me help you."

"No. I don't want to see anyone. I just want to be left alone." I tried to place myself further into the blankets. "Leave. It's better that I spend this week alone, too."

"I'm not leaving, Ruby." The blankets were snatched off of me. I squealed and tried to take them back. "Look at me, Ruby. If you don't, I'll ask everyone to come here."

I curled into a ball. He wasn't going to see my face. My face was riddled with bruises and swollen like a basketball. No amount of salve helped me. I guess beauty is hard to get back when you lose it. It's better to wait everything out and not bother my face anymore.

"I have to tell you something and it's best you look at me when I say it to you." Lucas dared to get into bed with me. I tried to move away from him, but I would risk falling off my bed. He grabbed me and forced me out of my fetal position. "Ruby, you'll be surprised at what the good news is."

"...I don't wanna know," I muttered.

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't."

"I broke up with Samantha."

My head snapped up to look at him in disbelief. The bastard tricked me! He hopped off the bed and dragged me into the bathroom. I tried to fight him, but he forced me to stand in front of the mirror. I couldn't look at myself. I wouldn't look at myself. Lucas clamped his hands on my waist.

"I broke up with her," he said. "She and I weren't...a good couple. I pretended I liked her, because I wanted to get closer to you. She found out about it, but she isn't mad at you. She's more mad at me. Ruby, I know you like me. I knew it since you and I...met at the dance."

"What does this have to do with me?" I asked, squeezing my eyes shut. "I..."

"Ruby..." Lucas turned me around. "I like you. Like really like you." He leaned down to kiss me. "You can't deny the truth about liking me back."