We were finally at my house and I'll be honest. I really didn't want to leave. Im scared that after I get out of this car, that all the progress we made to day will all just disappear. Don't get me wrong the flirting and the short glances here and there are great, but the conversations we had today were monumental. And also, the closeness. His touch. It was intoxicating. Even though they were brief, each one still made my head and tummy quest and I wanted to experience more with him.

"Thanks for driving me home." I said with a smile. I began to unbuckle my seat belt. I was almost out the door, until he suddenly grabbed my arm.

"Loni. I was serious when I said don't go to the Halloween party." I looked at his hand on my wrist. My wrist disappeared in his hand. His touch was warm but pleading in a way. I took my eyes away from his hand and looked up at his eyes. He looked serious. Which worried me. I just nodded.

A calm washed over his face and he let go. "Good. Now, get your butt out of my car so I can go home and sleep." He said with a smirk. I rolled my eyes and chuckled.

"Whatever you say. Goodnight Tate." I said getting out the car. I shut the door behind. I walked in front of his car and was almost to my door.

"Goodnight, My little owl!" He said loud enough for me to hear. My cheeks warmed and I turned around and saw with wide smile on his face. His little owl?

He began to shop at me, motioning me to hurry in the house. I giggled and began to make my way in the house. Before closing the door, I chanced him one last glance. He was still parked waiting for me to shut the door. I waved at him on last time and he honked in return. I shut door behind me and rushed to the windows text to the door and slightly cracked them so I could watch him leave.

"Nemo?" I jumped at the sudden sound of my dads voice. I began fixing the blinds clumsily and quickly turned to face my father.

He looked at me questioningly. "Whatcha doing there?" He asked.

"Nothing." I spread in a high voice. I mentally face palmed myself. Way too look suspicious.

"I didn't know you were on your way home? I wished you would've texted me. I would've went in picked you up, instead of Tate driving you home."

He said. Something was off. He was looking everywhere but at me. Like he was looking for something.

"I texted you. And told you I was on my way. ID there something wrong?" I asked. His eyes landed on me. He shook his head.

"No." He said. His eyes began to shift. He was hiding something. "Papa?" I said firmly.

"Hey Xavier, what time is Loni supposed to get-" my eyes landed on a poorly dressed black women with bags under her eyes and unkept hair.

"Hey baby girl." She said shyly.

My heart sank at the sight of her. Why the hell was she here, and why the hell did dad allow her in the house?

"Hello Veronica." I said coldly. She seem wounded my my harsh welcoming. But I could care less. My dad eyes filled with worry. But he remained quiet.

"Father," he visibly winced at my use of the word, I very rarely call him that, "why is she in our house?"

"Nemo, hear her out. She just wants to-" he began but Veronica cut him off.

"No no. Let me tell her." She began to walk closer to me, and I immediately stepped back. It wasn't instinctive, I just didn't want her close to me. She stopped where she was understanding my boundaries. Her eyes seemed to fill with something resembling sadness. I could honestly care less.

"Listen, I know what you think of me, but-" she really think she knows what I think of her. I scuffed dramatically, cutting her off before she could plead her case.

"What I think? You don't know what I think. You couldn't even fathom what I think. But since you were MIA for majority of my life. Let me feel you in on some of those thoughts." My rage began to take over, I could feel my heart drumming my ears and a pressure in my chest building, but I ignored it.

"Did she leave because of me or was it because of the guilt of what she did to me? Did she ever even care about me or my father or was she to busy sticking needles in her arm to think about feelings?" My dads eyes widened.

"Meloni!" My dad shouted a warning. I ignored him. My eyes stayed on the uncomfortable stranger in front of me.

"Why did she do that knowing it could harm me for the rest of my life? I could've died before I even got the chance to live, because you didn't no how to say no."

Her eyes began to water. "I was sick. I didn't know-" her voice came out rough. A dark laugh erupted from my lips. "Sick? No, I'm sick. You, you were selfish. I can barely walk down the street without my lungs and heart screaming for me to stop. And the worst part about it is if you would've stayed I would've forgiven you, but instead you abandon me and dad. You gave me a life long disease that most doctor can't even understand. I have been poked, proded, and picked at since the day I left the womb. And you left because it got a little stressful? We'll excuse me for not giving a flying fuck." I said

"Meloni!! No matter how you feel, she is still your mother and you will not speak to her like that." He shouted.

Mother? Please. More like stranger. I walked pass them and began heading to my room. "Meloni! Meloni! We aren't done talking!" He yelled after me. I ignored him. I told him I didn't want to see her. Why now did she want to come in my life? She had been in and out of our lives, and I preferred her out. If it wasn't for the fact that she wasn't doing god knows what type of drugs while she was pregnant with me, I could be a normal child. I wouldn't have to take medications. I wouldn't have to carry around an emergency inhaler. I wouldn't have had to spend most my life in and out a hospital. I would've had normal life.

The only time she really comes back is if she needs money. She never really spoke to me, only dad. When ever she came around, dad would keep me away cause he wasn't ever really sure if she was sober or not when she would show up. This was the first time that I really talked to her. And I left her a sobbing mess.

As soon as I made to the stairs I could feel my knees giving out on me. Everything was blurring and my heart was beating so fast I could barely keep track. My lungs screamed for air, but my body refused to cooperate. I began to wheeze and my leg immediately collapsed under me.

I get arms surround me as my body began to burn for air. I was soon lifted in the air. My dad must've picked me up. My arm began to ache, and my heart twinged. Something was wrong. This didn't feel like the normal attacks.

All I heard before everything went black was my father calling my name, begging me to keep my eyes opened.