AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Ty and I had come to this bar since we were old enough to drink. I didn’t know Abel back then, but he ran this bar so of course he knew things.
“Maybe.” I avoided his weighted, knowing gaze.
Abel straightened, crossing his muscled arms over his chest. He was a big guy, older than me, I’d guess in his mid to late thirties, but he was handsome in a rugged sort of way. Women flirted with him all the time and he was very likable. He came across as trustworthy even if you didn’t know him.
“If you want my two cents, you gotta leave all these boys behind.” He leaned forward. “Ellie, if you haven’t noticed, you’re beautiful. These guys you hang out with aren’t worth your time, trust me.”
My cheeks heated, but not in an uncomfortable way. It felt like being scolded by someone who really cared. Like a big brother.
When I didn’t respond, he continued. “What you really need is to get out of this town. Go somewhere and make something of yourself. I have a feeling you’re capable of amazing things.”
He gave me a warm smile and a nod.
I tugged on a lock of hair, mulling over his words. I drank the rest of my water, and pushed my glass toward him. “Thank you.” I smiled. It was starting to get late and there was no more avoiding going home. “I’ll see you later, Abel.”
He grabbed my glass, meeting my gaze. “Take care of yourself, Ellie.”
When I finally got home a bit later, I busied myself with the routine of taking care of my father and getting him ready for bed. As I tucked him in for the night, an overwhelming sense of exhaustion came over me. Daddy raised his brows, looking at me like he knew the turmoil inside my mind.
I pushed my hair back, lifting my chin. I was about to reassure him that I was fine…but was I? Talking with Ty today was harder than I realized. The old feelings of his friendship, as well as something else….something new and something unfamiliar twisted my gut and made my nerves tingle. I just didn’t know how to feel about letting him back in.
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Daddy’s brows narrowed, his expression concerned. Still, I couldn’t find the words to reassure him. I glanced at the vacant space next to him. The place that was always mine to snuggle up in when I was a child. He’d never had anyone else in his bed when I came to stay with him.
I surprised myself by taking my old space now. I crawled in beside him, slipping under the covers and curling up to his side. He couldn’t put his arm around me from this side. He stared down at me, his eyes wide with both shock and worry and…love. I knew he would’ve pulled me into him like he used to if he could. I laid my head on his shoulder, and breathed in the scent of his soap.
“Knox wants me to try and be friends with Ty again,” I said softly. “And I’m scared.”
I told my father everything. All my fears and all my confusion. I talked until my voice was nothing more than a whisper and my eyes got heavy. He couldn’t respond, but he was listening and I knew he cared. I hadn’t talked to him like this in a long time and it felt like taking in that first big breath after being underwater too long.
Relief.
Eventually, I couldn’t keep my eyelids open and they closed. My body relaxed as I fell asleep, snuggled up to my Daddy, feeling for the first time in a long time, comforted and protected.
But the feeling didn’t last long.
The sound of crashing glass and squealing tires woke me from my peaceful sleep. I bolted upright. My heart thudded against my ribs as I tried to orient myself in the dark room. It took me a minute to remember I was in my father’s room. I glanced down at my side, relieved that he hadn’t woken.
Carefully, I climbed out of bed, wondering if I had dreamed the awful sound. But as I opened the bedroom door, a rush of cool night air hit me. I padded to the living room, where I found a heavy brick laying on the floor amidst a sea of broken glass that glittered in the moonlight.
I blinked, clearing the sleep from my eyes as adrenaline shot through my veins. I stared at the floor, trying to comprehend the destruction when I noticed something was written on the brick in bright, white paint.
Trailer Trash.
