Chapter thirty-four.

My iPod was playing full blast through my headphones as I rested my head against the chair; we were on the bus, heading towards home.

The trip was fun, amazing, but tiring.

After me and Tony toured the city we decided to go join the group - turned out everyone covered for us, what great friends we had. I patted my pocket to make sure I had everyone’s little presents we brought them, I also felt for the watch I brought Tony - he saw it in a shop and I thought it wasn't too expensive that he would complain. Plus, he can't take it back, bonus. I pulled my headphone out when I felt someone tapping my shoulder. "Mitchie?"

"Yeah?" I replied, feeling groggy from lack of sleep. Rubbing the palm of my hand over my face, I opened my eyes to see James looking at me. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"I said can I talk to you?" I nodded my head and bit back the sarcastic comments that wanted to break through. "I'm sorry about everything-"

"Don't worry about it," I said, cutting him off before he could even start.

"Let me at least-"

"Listen, James, I get it, you were annoyed at me for some reason so you decided to say some mean things to me." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"For god's sake, Mitchie just let me talk!" My mouth opened then snapped shut quickly; I waved my hand for him to continue talking. "Thank you... Mitchie, I'm sooo sorry for what I did, I was angry at you because when I kissed you I realized that you didn't like me that way." I sighed and he held his index finger up. "But I'm over it now - not over you but I'm over what happened -, I want to apologize, I shouldn't have treated you that way, my anger was at myself as much as it was at you."

"I guess... I forgive you," I put my hand on top of his. "At least you have a girl who likes you now."

"What? Who?" He asked, turning towards me. "You're joking, aren't you?"

"Nope," I sang. He faked a glare with a small smile on his face. Things were going to be okay with us after all.

~

"Welcome home!" Phoebe shouted as we pulled our luggage towards the house. "I'm so glad you're back, I've missed you guys so much!" I put my bag on top of my suitcase and, without me knowing, was pulled into a bone crushing hug.

"Hey, Phoebe, miss us?" I joked; she chuckled and looked at each of us.

"How was the trip?" She asked a smile on her face.

"It was good-" I stopped short once I noticed a car parked in the drive way. "Phoebe, who’s that?" I pointed in the direction of my house. She shrugged her shoulders and squinted.

My dad wouldn't sell the house, would he?

I jogged towards the front door, the twins and Nora behind me. I told them to wait outside and if I screamed for them, then they could come in. I pushed open the door, since it was unlocked, and stepped inside.

A man entered my vision as I walked towards the living room. "Dad?"

"Oh my god, Mitchie." He took three quick strides and I was suddenly in his arms. "Where the hell have you been?"

"In London-" I remembered he told me I couldn't go, I bit my lip, hoping he remembered something different.

"Even after I told you that you couldn't go?" I nodded my head. "Mitchie, I was worried."

"Why didn't you go to Phoebe? She's been looking after me; she could have told you where I was... You have no right to say to say you were worried about me when you left me to fend for myself. Imagine if I wasn't talking to any of the boys? Then what, Dad? I would be here by myself with no one to talk to since you are so clearly having fun without me."

"Honey, you don't mean that... You know I love you but I know you, you wouldn't want to travel and I knew you were getting on with the boys so I knew you would be fine on your own." He let me go and sat on the sofa. I grumbled under my breath as he patted the spot next to him, I shook my head and remained standing. He sighed and continued talking, "Look, if I told you that you could travel with us, would you have?"

"Would have been nice to be asked," I told him, arms crossed over my chest.

"That's not really an answer, is it?"

"Fine, if you asked me I would have said no, we had only just got back a few days before, why would I want to pack up and leave again?"

"See, I saved you the trouble and let you stay."

"Dad, you just don't get it, do you?" He looked confused so I scowled and carried on talking. "Dad, I've lived in this house by myself for the past few weeks, how do you think that makes me feel? When kids spoke about her parents I had to just sit there and say nothing because I have a father who isn't around. Dad, you left me for a bimbo and her kids - no that her kids are bad, because I love them to bits but you left your own flesh and blood, your own daughter for a woman who’s with you for your money!" I hadn't realized I was shouting until Tony's arm wrapped around my waist, my father’s eyes zoomed in on Tony's hand on my hip.

"Sir, we didn't know you would be back-" my father cut Tony off and stood up.

"What are you doing with my daughter?"

"What do you mean, sir?" Tony asked, confusion coating his tone.

"Tony, please don't call him sir, he doesn't deserve that," I said, looking at Tony then my dad.

"You will show respect to the man that feeds you and raised you without your mother around." The words hit me hard, without your mother around. Tears sprung to my eyes, I felt like I'd forgotten about her, I needed to visit her at some point today - to show I still care. "Now, tell me, what are you doing with your arm around my daughter’s waist? I don't remember giving her permission to date a no good boy like you."

"What the hell! You have no right what so ever to talk about him like that, you haven't been here to see him help me with the things you should have been here for. You shouldn't speak of my mother, if she could see you now, she would be disappointed in this man in front of me, you're not the man she married, that's obvious."

"Don't you dare say anything like that to me again, do you hear me?!" His voice was raised and his temper was flaring, he took a step towards me and I backed into Tony - suddenly feeling scared of my own father.

"You have lost the right for me to talk to you sweetly or kindly, you lost that a long time ago, father."

As he stepped forward, James appeared in front of me. "Sir, I don't think you're thinking straight."

"You were always a good boy, James, why couldn't she date you instead of that boy there..." he left his sentence to hang in the air, the tension suddenly thickened; James looked at me over his shoulder. I tried to ignore the look he was giving me and focus on my dad but I knew I was failing.

"I can date whoever I want, whenever I want. Listen, dad, I'm sorry for whatever reason you're annoyed but don't take it out on me or my friends, if you want me, I'll be at Phoebe's." I took the twins arms and dragged them out the door.

"You're okay!" Nora hugged me once I was over the Johnson threshold; I smiled and hugged her back.

"I'm alive if that helps," I told her as the boys put my luggage in the doorway.

"Honey, I'm sorry about your father," Phoebe said, hugging me closely to her body.

I shrugged it off. "Can we just watch TV, talk about the trip and pretend it didn't happen?" Tony looked like he wanted to disagree but James nudged him and everyone nodded their heads.

~

"I must have dropped my purse in the doorway when I went in, I'll just be a minute." I held my index finger up and quickly walked across the lawn towards my house. We had spent the evening joking about the trip, we left out the awkward parts I had between the boys, of course, and we watched TV, pointless programs were on but we still had fun. I could hear my dad making noises as I walked through the front door but I didn't know what it was.

I grabbed my bag off the floor, once I spotted it neatly sitting on the stairs, and turned to leave, the noise was bugging me but I couldn't place it.

I looked over my shoulder and saw my dad sitting on the floor, looking at picture I knew by heart - detail for detail... his and my mom's wedding photo.

~

I felt like uploading even though I just did yesterday... :D

What do you think of:

What Mitchie's dad did...

Her and James making up...

What do you think over all ? :)

Ah, the big question I have to think of until the end ... Who should Mitchie end up with - Tony, James, Zac, Sean or someone else I've mentioned? ;)