A Blink of an Eye

After exchanging looks, Joe interrupts the silence.
”What were you and Justin doing in your room alone?” Joe demands.
“Watching X-men. More importantly who’s at the door?” I say. “I don’t know! We’re all standing right here!” Joe says giving me a duh look.
Then we heard Mom coming down the hallway mumbling about whom in the world that could be and how come we haven’t answered. She answers the door and we hear her scream.
“MOM?!” Joe, Josh, and I all yell and we run down the stairs as quick as possible.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?” Mom yells.
We all come running around the corner and stop dead in our tracks. Justin ran into the back of us.
“I’m here to see my kids.” The man in the door says. The man we haven’t seen since he left us when Josh turned five. Actually the man that left on Josh’s fifth birthday, only to send cards and randomly call, of course those calls weren’t answered. The man who only came back once to see Jason and that was it.
“They stopped being yours when you left.” Mom says coldly. Go Mom!
“Josh, Joe, Jessica! You’ve grown up so much.” Dad says coming in towards us.
“Dad, what are you doing here?” Joe says with slight excitement in his voice.
“I’m here to see you, all of you. But wait, aren’t we missing one? Where’s Jason?” Dad says smiling.
“You didn’t tell him.” I say in monotone to Mom.
“I-I had no way to contact him.” Mom says watching me closely.
“Well, ‘Daddy’ Jason got into a car wreck. He’s dead. Not that you would care.” I say in a cold, calm voice. Justin puts his hand on my shoulder and Joe grabs my hand as if to calm me but I was surprisingly calm.
“D-Dead, no not Jason.” Dad says shaking his head.
“Don’t even act like that. You don’t care. You never did, and you never will. Why are you here?” I snap.
“I do care. I’m here to see you. I want to spend time with my kids.” Dad says.
“Then you shouldn’t of left! What did you expect? For us to welcome you with a big hug? For us to run into your arms, hate to break it to you but that’s not going to happen!” I yell getting mad.
“Jessica, I’m sorry that I left. But I had to.” Dad says.
“No! You didn’t. You don’t care. And I’m not wasting my time with you. Come on Justin, we have a movie to finish.” I say grabbing his hand and starting to pull him away.
“Is he your boyfriend?” Dad asks quickly.
“Not that it’s any of your business but no. Oh and when I said I’m not wasting my time I meant it. Goodbye.” I snap.
“Jess…” Joe says and he sort of pulls me back.
“What? You can’t actually expect me to stay.” I say to him disbelievingly.
“He wants to get to know us. Why can’t we give him a chance?” Joe says.
“Because he had his chance, he ruined that when he left.” Josh says speaking up for the first time in a while.
“Josh, son, I love ya’ll. I always have. I’m sorry I left.” Dad says.
“Yeah, so am I, Dad. But you just showing up in our lives now isn’t going to make up for it. And honestly, I don’t want anything to do with you.” Josh says coldly and he goes into the den.
I follow him and they all follow us. Josh sits down on the couch and Joe joins him. Mom and Dad both take a seat on arm chairs and Justin sits down on the love seat. I stay standing and just sort of look at everyone. Dad starts to question Joe about Jason and how life was. I didn’t pay much attention and finally sat down next to Justin.
“Well, I don’t really know what else to tell you Dad, Jess knew Jason the best.” Joe says giving me a pleading look, which a returned with a glare.
“Jess, could you tell me some stuff about Jason?” Dad asks.
“I think, that Jason would agree with me. That Jason wouldn’t want you here. That Jason would agree that you don’t really care. And that I don’t have to tell you anything.” I snap.
“Ok, so don’t. How’s your life going?” Dad asks quickly to change the subject. Big mistake, I finally took all my anger and let it loose.
“HOW’S MY LIFE? Are you kidding me? Seriously, ok Dad; well let me tell you just how my life is. My life is shitty as shitty can be. Want to know why? Well, first my brother died who was basically my best friend died. And he died right after we got into a fight and I said that I hated him. Then, I caught his girlfriend making out with another guy, only like two days after he died, so I got into a fight with her, which led to me getting into a fight with my best friend and us not being friends anymore and her thinking I’m a cold-hearted bitch. Then, my boyfriend and I broke up because I was becoming unpopular and we just didn’t belong together anymore. And my ex-boyfriend and my ex-best friend are now dating. Oh, and I got into a fist fight with my best friend because she was being a bitch. While doing that I met Selena who is now my best friend! Finally things were looking up but no we can’t have Jessica happy! Selena found out she has cancer! Joy!” I yell and while taking a breath I hear my mom gasp and Joe and Justin say Jess.
“Wait though dad! I haven’t even got to the best part! Now my father is back and wanting to get to know me when he left when I was seven! And he really expects me just to act like its normal that he’s here even though the only time he ever came to visit was to visit Jason because the rest of us obviously didn’t matter. That’s how my life is, Dad.” I say finishing with a sarcastic tone.
“Jessica…” Dad starts to say.
“Don’t even say anything. Nothing you say is the truth. You tell us lies and leave us. That’s who you are. And I’m done with it.” I say running out of the den and upstairs.
“JESS!” I hear Joe, Josh, Mom, and Justin yell after me.
I hear footsteps following me but I don’t bother to turn around. I run into the bathroom and the next thing I know I’m on the floor crying. I just couldn’t stop. I let all my anger, sadness, and every other feeling I couldn’t make sense of out. I was crying into my knees when I heard the door open slowly. I didn’t look up and soon felt someone come sit next to me. Finally looking up I realize that it was, of course, Justin.
“You ok?” Justin asks handing me a tissue.
“No, how can he just come here and think that everything is going to be ok?” I ask trying to make sense of things.
“I don’t know. And I know he hasn’t been here. But Jess, he’s here now. And he’s trying. Don’t regret not giving him a chance when you could of.” Justin says.
“Why do you always do that?” I say slightly annoyed, slightly amused.
“Do what?” Justin says cocking his head to the side a bit.
“Make me rethink my decisions and make me realize that I have to deal with stuff that I don’t want to.” I say.
“Oh, I didn’t realize I always did that.” Justin says looking taken aback.
“Well, you do.” I say.
“Sorry.” Justin says.
“Don’t be. It’s helped me get through a lot of things.” I say smiling at him.
“Ok, then I take back my sorry and demand you to come back downstairs with me.” Justin says grinning at me.
“Hey! No demands. But I’ll come.” I say grinning back at him.
Justin takes my hand and pulls me back to the den. Everyone is just sort of sitting there in an awkward silence. I glance at Justin and see he’s watching me, so I give him an ‘I told you it was useless to come back here look’.
“I’m sorry.” Dad finally says breaking the awkwardness.
“Well, I’ve thought about it and I might regret not giving you a chance, so I’m going to, just because you’re actually trying now.” I say glancing over at Justin again, who gave me an approving nod.
“Really? That’s great!” Dad says sounding really surprised.
Then the doorbell rang frantically. All I can think is who in the hell is it now? I run up to the door and open it to find Miley there soaked and crying
“Miley??” Joe says coming up behind me.
“What are you doing here?” Justin says coming up behind him.
“Jessica, I need you’re help.” Miley says turning to me ignoring them.
“And why in the world would I help you?” I say with a glare.
“You don’t have to do it for me. But have you seen Matt?” Miley says quickly.
“I haven’t seen or talked to him since he called me a cold hearted bitch.” I snap.
“Oh, I don’t know who else to turn to. Matt’s gone. He’s missing. We don’t know if he ran away or what. But Ashley refuses to look in the rain and I don’t know who else would help. I need help. I have to find him.” Miley says her eyes pleading.
Forgetting that I hate both of them, forgetting that they both hate me, I automatically say “Yes, we’ll all help.”
Why I agreed I have no idea but all I saw was Matt’s childish face when she said he was gone. And I knew right then no matter what he was still a good guy and I couldn’t let anything happen to him.