All The Little Lights // c.b

18

That night at 10:17pm, my dad called from Australia. I was in the middle of an AHS marathon, and irritably picked up the phone.

"Hello?" I say, popping a piece of popcorn into my mouth.

"Hey, Josie Jo," he says, and I pause my show.

"Dad, it's like 10:20 here," I say, rubbing my temple.

"I know, I'm sorry I always forget about the time difference," he explains, and I nod my head in understanding.

"Yeah, I get it. Anyway, anything you want to tell me?" I ask, tracing circles into my comforter.

"Kind of. Your stepmother and I were talking about you a few days ago, and we want you to move back to Australia," he says, and I take my phone away from my ear and stare at it. I could hear the calling of my dad trying to get my attention back, but I couldn't.

"Dad, Your joking," I say, putting the phone back to my ear.

"I'm not, darling. Let us know when you are ready, we are giving you 4 days notice unless you are ready to leave earlier. We just want you to live with us, darling. It's hard having you all the way in LA," he says, which only infuriates me.

"Dad! I have a boyfriend, I have friends, I have a life here! You can't take that away!" I say into the phone, my voice getting progressively louder and higher.

"It's what's best," dad says, and I began to feel my head start to throb.

"Dad, I'm twenty years old. Twenty. I can take care of myself," I say, and there was a heavy sigh on the other side.

"I just want to spend more time with my girl. I'll get you an apartment here, whatever you want," he says, and I felt hot, angry tears form in my eyes.

"Let me call you back," I tell him and hang up, calling Colby instantly. He answered fast, and his voice was thick and groggy with sleep.

"Josie?" He asks, and the words start flowing.

"Colby, my dad called. He wants me to move back to Australia. He says he wants to spend more time with me but I bet that psycho stepmother of mine just wants to control my life!" I say, and start crying. Instantly, Colby's voice changes from tired to awake, and I could hear him shuffling around his room.

"I'm coming over," he says, and I don't bother hanging up. I place my phone down and just start crying into my pillows. I put him on speaker as well and let him talk to me. I listened to his voice and the hum of his car engine, and soon I was in his arms, my tears soaking his shirt.

"I don't want to move back. I'm happy here, why can't he understand?" I ask, and sniff a few times.

"I don't know, Jo. We will deal with it later, okay?" He whispers, and kisses my forehead, gently taking my phone and slipping it into the drawer by my bedside.

"I don't want to deal with it. I want to stay here," I say, and he massages my back.

"I know, and I want you to stay. Is there any compromise you can make with him?" He asks, and I shrug my shoulders.

"I don't know what I can do. Hell, I don't know why he wants me to move there! He let me come to LA and I promised to visit whenever I could, and I was just there like two months ago!" I say frustrated, and wipe the tears from my eyes, "hand me my phone please."

He hands the phone over and I dial my dad again, and he answers quickly.

"Hey honey, you think about it?" He asks, and I press my lips into a thin line before I speak.

"I can't move there forever, dad. I have a new family here, and moving back to Australia was something I was never planning to do. Is there any compromise you can give me?" I ask, trying to keep my voice level.

"I guess. How about you move here for a year. Or six months, if you are truly that miserable," he says, his tone of voice sounding mocking. I close my eyes and take a breath, then reply.

"Fine," I say, and hang up.