Flying Towards Change

“Alanna! Don’t you turn your back on me! I am your father!”
I ran towards the closet, throwing it open and ripping my coat of the hanger. I turned around while trying to put my coat on when my father stood in front of me, his face as red as the blouse I was wearing, the alcohol on his breath as he breathed heavily.
The French poured out of his mouth in an angry gargle. “Alanna, where the hell do you think you’re going? You’re to stay here! You hear me?”
I took a step away from my father, gulping. “I’m sorry, but I have to get to work.” It was a big fat lie, but I had to get away from him. He’s a horrible person when he’s drunk.
“You’re going no where!” He grabbed my shirt, pulling me towards him.
I yelped and fought against him. “Let me go, dad!” I cried, shoving myself away from him.
As I yanked myself from his grip, his other hand came up and crashed against my cheek, the force throwing me to the ground.
I let out a cry as I landed hard on my elbow. “You little wench!”
I rolled away from the kick my father tried to give, but his drunken state slowed him down and unbalanced him.
As he steadied himself against the doorway, I pulled myself to my feet and fled through the front door, running as fast as I could to get away from that house as fast as possible.
Our tiny little one story townhome is only a few blocks from a popular area in Philly, and that is where I was heading. I was going somewhere busy where I could just blend in.
Once I rounded the corner and stores and restaurants of the wonderful city of Philly opened up around me, I slowed to a walk and made my way towards my second job site, Starbucks, but only to get away from the world.
I ordered a chai tea, my drink of choice here, and settled in one of the chairs in the corner of the cozy place. I pulled my coat around me, gazing at nothing in particular as I lost myself into my thoughts.
My cheek burned from the impact my father made upon it, and I touched it gently as tears swelled into my eyes.
My father never used to be abusive. He was a great man once, with a great job. But then my mom became sick, breast cancer, and she ended up passing when I was 16. Once she died, my father moved us to Philly for no particular reason that I know of, and we’ve been here ever since.
The abuse didn’t start until I told him that I’d be going to university. He started drinking because of the thoughts of being alone, which caused him to lose his job. And then the abuse started up. Only when he was drunk though, not like that’s much of an excuse, did he hit me.
Despite the abuse though... I still went back to that house. I couldn’t just leave my flesh and blood to die a lonely, drunken death. He has no means to support himself.
And that’s why I have two jobs, to try to pay off all my debts from schooling and support us both.
And it’s slowly breaking me down. Soon enough, there won’t be much of Lanna left in this body.
I wiped the tears from my eyes and sniffed when a someone cleared their throat next to me.
I lifted my grey eyes to meet soft brown ones that belonged to a handsome young man with curlyish blonde hair. I swallowed hard and looked down at my tea, a flush upon my cheeks. “Can I help you?” I asked.
“Not really,” he said, and underlying French accent in his voice. “I just saw you curled up over here with tears in your eyes.” I looked up at him, concern showing in his eyes. “I wanted to make sure you were alright since you seem to be alone.”
I dropped my eyes again. “I’m ok.”
“You could have fooled me.” I saw a slight smile form on his lips from the corner of my eye. “May I sit here for a moment?”
I nodded. “Go ahead.”
The man sat across from me, his own Starbucks cup in hand. “Are you really ok?”
I looked at him again, shocked. He was genuinely concerned for someone he doesn’t even know. “Honestly?” I must be crazy for admitting this to a stranger. “No, I’m not ok.”
The man with the cute, boyish face cocked his head to the side. “What’s wrong?” He blinked and then quickly corrected himself, stumbling over his words. “I mean, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to pry. Forgive me.” A flush crept to his cheeks. “I just don’t like seeing people upset. Even more so when they’re alone.”
I smiled slightly, more to myself then to anyone. “It’s ok. Don’t feel bad.” He met my gaze and smiled slightly back at me. “I just... am dealing with a lot.”
He nodded. “What happened to your cheek?”
My hand automatically came up to the bruise that is obviously there. I licked my lips and looked away. “Apart of what I’m dealing with.”
His gazed hardened. “You don’t have a boyfriend that’s abusing you, do you? Cause if so, get out of that relationship. I don’t care if you love him. You don’t deserve to get smacked around like a stuffed animal.”
I couldn’t help it, I had to laugh. This guy must be about my age, knows nothing about me, and is telling me to get out of an abusive relationship with a boyfriend I don’t have. I wish it was a boyfriend. That I could actually get out of.
The man looked confused as I laughed. I coughed once I stopped laughing. “I’m sorry. No, I’m not in an abusive relationship. I’m not in any relationship. So don’t worry about that.” It was my turn to give the curious look. “But your’e sure angrily adamant about abusive relationships.”
He shrugged. “My older sister was in one, once upon a time. I hated the guy for it.”
“Understandable.”
“You’re hiding something.” I looked at him, eyes narrowed. He held up his hands. “I’m sorry. Prying again. I’ll stop.”
My lips twitched into that slight smile. “Again, it’s ok. Curiosity is human nature.”
He smiled too.
We just stared at each other for a long moment until someone’s hand crashed down on the table in front of us. “Dude! Come on, it’s time to go.” The newcomer had black hair and three children behind him, all with something from Starbucks. “Is this a friend of yours?” he asked, smiling at me.
“We just met,” the blonde said as he stood. He looked at me and nodded. “It was nice meeting you.”
I nodded back. “You too.”
He smiled. He had a very perfect smile. “Cheer up, ok? Whatever’s the matter, cheer up, because that smile of yours befits your face much better than a frown.”
I stared at him, shocked at his sudden compliment as he turned with the man and the three kids and left Starbucks.
It wasn’t until he left out the door that I realized that I never got his name.
I shot to my feet and ran to the door, opening it and exiting as fast as possible. I looked around the street, the people of Philly enjoying the chilly evening.
My shoulders sagged as I headed back into Starbucks. The man was already lost into the crowd.
I’m not sure why I cared so much, he is a stranger after all, but after talking to him and everything, I just felt some sort of connection towards him. I mean, he got me to smile. Not many people can make me smile these days. And he cares. Very much so, about someone he doesn’t even know.
And I never got to know his name.