Just for the Night

more memories

                I was in middle school. It was an hour drive to his house; we had just started. I hadn’t been there yet, so I was excited to see what it looked like. My dad was sat in the driver’s seat beside me, turning his music up on the radio since we didn’t talk much. It was awkward, I’ll admit. This was the first time I had seen him in a few months now and we had never really bonded over anything. We got onto the highway when he lit his first cigarette to smoke while we managed a small conversation. I sat and listened while he made jokes and told army stories to make me laugh, it was all we did the whole drive there.

                It wasn’t too long before we arrived at his house. It was in a small trailer park, so it was a small house. I went to open the door and step out, but just before I could he told me to wait. “Yeah?” I asked. He paused before shifting his body toward me and placing his hand on my upper thigh. My body went stiff as I waited for him to talk. “You’re beautiful, you know. You must know that already, huh?” I didn’t reply yet, waiting for him to continue. He smiled and chuckled. “If I were your age, I’d think you were pretty hot. I’d be one of the boys going after you, you probably have a few of ‘em.” I shook my head and smiled nervously. “Not really.” I replied. “I don’t know many people.” “I’m surprised,” he said. “You’re beautiful.” He looked down at my thigh where he had his hand, then quickly jerked back into his seat and coughed, taking his hand with him. “Sorry- I- That was weird, I’m sorry.” He cleared his throat and got out of the car to enter the house, I followed him inside. “You can meet me girlfriend finally.”

Yelling was all I heard for a while, maybe two hours. He and his girlfriend were yelling at one another for reasons I couldn’t make out from my tiny room. Hearing his yelling voice made me shrink against the wall, I didn’t like hearing it. I covered my ears and stayed in my room until my dad walked out, slamming the door behind him. He was gone for a few hours, those hours I spent in my room alone. Him coming home was odd. “Sophie!” He yelled. I walked out of my room nervously to see my father and his girlfriend sitting on the couch together. “Come watch a show with us,” he finished. I told him I was going to get something to eat first, so he got up and followed me into the small kitchen. “We don’t have anything to eat right now other than that bag of mars bars,” he said. Surely enough, on the counter there was a Halloween bag of mini mars bars. “If you don’t eat them I will.” I took a few in my hand and went to walk into the living room where the tv was. He stopped me, looking me up and down before asking a strange question. “What’s your waist size?”

I blinked and paused. “What?” “You heard me,” he said. “What’s your waist size?” I looked down at myself. I had just gotten out of the hospital for anorexia and was still small. I shrugged and looked at him worried. “I-I don’t know, why?” He kept pushing me with the question. “I know you know what it is, tell me.” “I said I don’t know.” I walked past him into the tv room. “Are you okay?” His girlfriend whispered to me. I smiled nervously at her and nodded. “I’m okay.”

                Minutes passed and we were all watching tv, having our meal of mini chocolate bars. I heard my dad chuckle from the other couch. “What is it?” I asked, smiling. He nodded to me, “Chew with your mouth open.” Not knowing why he’d ask that, I laughed it off as a joke and continued watching the show. My mind went foggy for the rest of the night. I don’t remember anything after watching tv. I just know I was happy to go home the next day. It was just for the night. One very uncomfortable night.

Reviews

[Tepo]

Far too harsh on yourself fresh
Not a sad excuse for a writer at all
I've read all 3 stories now.
They are full of detail and subtle feelings.
Your relationship with dad features in all of them.
A lot of love comes through from you to him
Yet
You seem to prefer when another family member is with you both
When alone you are,, not so happy.
I can't tell you how to improve
Firstly, cause I'm not educated enough
Second, I don't think it needs improvement.
Enjoyed reading

[sophie]

thank you so much:)