Problems Are Better Left Unsaid

My heart clenched in my chest when I heard my door creak open.

"Lin, come downstairs dinner is ready." My Mom poked her head in.

I ignored her and twisted my body, my face still buried in the book I was reading.

"Lin...they all came here for your birthday. At least come down." She spoke quietly.

"I'd rather not. I have a lot of homework."

"The homework can wait an hour or two." My Mom huffed "If you're not down in ten you're grounded."

She silently closed the door as she exited.

I flipped my book shut and sighed, getting up and out of my bed.

I opened the door and went down the stairs seeing them all around the table. They looked up briefly and then went back to the food on their plates, not saying a word. I sat down next to my Dad (since that was the only seat available.) and pushed the contents around the plate.

"I made that for you to eat not to play with it."

I looked down not saying a word.

Through my peripherals I took a glimpse of my Dad. He stood at least 6'3, crazy brown hair, big brown eyes, nearly a stick. I'm blonde, lucky if I even reach 5'2, green eyes...my nose looks nothing like my mom or my dad. My mind kept on running through the possibilities of this honestly being true.

"Is there anything you need to tell me..." It came out more as a statement than a question.

My Mom looked down at her plate.

"I heard what you said....is there is something you need to tell me?"

My Dad realized I what I was talking about.

"It was nothing Lin."

"Don't lie to me. What did you mean? 'I know' You know what?"

He bit his lip and put his fork down.

"Lin..."

"What do you mean?" My eyes watered. At this point I was blinking back tears.

He took a deep breath and looked at my Mom.

"Lin you really don't want to know."

"Tell me." My voice was stern. Nearly close to cracking "Tell me now."

"Lin. I'm--I'm not--I'm not your biological father."

And there it was. The sucker punch straight to the gut. I held in breath, biting down on my tongue to keep myself from crying. Everyone was looking down at their plates not saying a word. They all knew and never told me.

"Great Birthday." I got up quickly, scraping my chair back and running up the stairs closing my door and locking it.

I sat on my bed, tucking my knees in thinking of what I could do next.

I could always go to that house party... My legs pushed outwards and I opened my window, slowly slipping out.