It's Not Faith

She shrugged. The tears that had filled her eyes has dried, and her green eyes were staring though Matt, past his buff exterior. He felt uncomfortable.
"you're here now, So I suppose that's all that matters." She turned back to the window.
Matt didn't like this girls fast mood swings. Sure, everyone had bad days, but this girl, his daughter seemed to have good and bad minutes. Should he talk to her about it? The social worker told him that she had some problem; but nothing than a few suspensions and fights. He could remember the day he got the phone call. The phone call he had been waiting for his whole life.
Mr. Sanders? I represent Jane Wilson, the-"
"Mother of my child, yes what happened?" Matt asked, panic in his voice.
"Well, sir She is requesting that the courts re-open your custody battle, and grant you full time custody."
Matt's heart almost jumped out of his chest.
"W-What? Why?"
"Ms. Wilson can no longer support Leila, as well, as she is being admitted to a rehabilitation centre."
"For what?"
"Alcoholism and drug abuse. Now, If I can get a good time for the courts to reopen the case.?"

Matt could hardly remember the rest of the phone calls, or the court dates. For three months he had been in a fuzzy haze. The guys and him were recording a new album, but thankfully, vocals weren't done during the court periods. It gave him time to focus on his daughter.
And now look where he was. Driving home, daughter beside him, silence filling the gaps in between.
"Tell me five things." The sound of his daughters voice dragged him from his memories.
"Five things?" He questioned, pulling off the highway and onto the main street on Huntington.
"Five things about you."
"Oh...Well, I'm...I'm Matt. I sing in a band called-"
"Avenged Sevenfold."
"Oh..so you know us?"
Leila smirked, and nodded.
"cool...Well, I uhm, I have a girlfriend named Val, and uhm, and A dog named Bella. And I like chocolate cake."
She nodded.
"I'm vegetarian. That's a first one, because you're my dad I guess, so you should know these things. I'll be sixteen on-"
"October 29th"
She looked shocked, and soon recovered.
"Yep. I like diet coke and ice tea, and skittles."
Matt nodded, and took note to do some grocery shopping.
"Does Val live with you?"
"No, well, we were thinking about it, but we decided to wait, just to uhm, make sure you're okay with things."
Leila looked up, her dark green eyes shining.
"Thanks for thinking of me."
Matt stopped at the red light, and looked at his daughter.
"I think of you every day. Since the day you were born."
Leila looked at her feet, and didn't say anything.
Matt could see a tattoo in her neck poke out from behind her hair.
"Whats your tattoo say?"
She blushed red,
"Don't laugh at me, I didn't know you were my dad!" She cried, pulling down the back of her shirt.
I'm Not Insane.

Matt stared at the script across the base of her neck.
"Jesus Kid, that's fucking cool." He said, smiling.
Leila laughed, and fixed her shirt.
"But I;m not a crazy fan, you know. I just love you're way with words."
Matt nodded.
"According to your social worker, you ahve a way with words too; good and bad."
Leila smirked.
"Yep."
"You take after me." He said, smiling.

"So, the guys really want to meet you, but I told them that I'd see what you wanted to do. So,w e could have a barbecue with them, or go out, just us, or stay in just us, or go out with Val too, or stay in with Val too...I mean it's up to you." Matt was ranting.
She shrugged. "I wouldn't mind meeting the guys, I mean, I'll be around them soon enough, right?"
Matt laughed, and nodded, as he turned onto his secluded street.
He pulled into the driveway of a large house.
"Here we are."