I Hate You, I Love You

Franks P.O.V

I studied the downstairs floor as I walked down the steps and my eyes instantly landed on my dad who was sitting on the breakfast table drinking coffee, looking nothing like the man he was the night before. He has replaced his usual slouchy clothes with that of a businessman suit and in his hand was a briefcase instead of a beer can or cigarette.

"Goodmorning" I said hesitantly

"Hey" he answered with absolutely no emotion in his voice

I knew today he was going out for his job interview which is why he is up early and cleaned up well to make a good impression. Back in California he didn't work because it was my mother who was the breadwinner of the house. She did practically everything while my dad sat around all day drinking and tormenting us. It was a mystery why my dad never got a new job after he got fired from his previous one, considering he had his degree in business. However, ever since my mother's death in a fatal car accident a year ago, everything has changed. My dad started drinking more than he's ever had, he's more aggressive and the torment has gotten no better either. We couldn't afford to live in the house we once lived in since my mom was gone and there was no financial stability to keep paying rent so we ended up living in one of my dads friend's basement for a couple of months before he decided to get up his ass and go looking for jobs. Apperantly, a company loved him so much and was so interested in his work ethics that they wanted to meet him in person and that's how we ended up here in jersey. I hadn't gotten the chance to make any friends and I doubt I will considering I've never had any. I mean, I've had acquatances but I've never had anyone that stuck through with me long enough to get to know me.

I was snapped out on my thoughts when I heard a mug being thrown in the sink. My dad was ready to leave without a single goodbye.

"Hey D-Dad ?" I stuttered out

He turned around with a look of annoyance written all over his face.
"What, Frank?" He answered, putting extra force to my name.

"Could you maybe, um, drive me to school ?" I asked quietly

His face turned from annoyed to angry in the matter of seconds.
"I'll be late !" He seethed

"But it's my first day.. Please ?" I said firmly which then changed to hopelessness as I tried to find something in my dads facial features that could indicate that he understood.

He rubbed his face and tried to calm down, trying not to lose his patience and start yelling, since it would look bad if he walked into the interview looking rustled up.
"Fine" was all he said as he walked out and towards his beat up car that he tried to make look presentable with a new paint job and wash the week before.
I scurried behind him not wanting to upset him if I was walking any slower.

The car ride was silent until I saw the school, and I can already see my future out the window in the distance.
"Belleville high" I said to myself as I read the sign in the front of the school.
The car stopped a few seconds later. I got out of the car but before I closed the door my dad grabbed my wrist, cutting all circulation from it which made it turn white and red under his grasp.

"Don't get into any trouble" he spat "you don't want to get on my bad side, Frank" he added with venom laced all over his tongue as he spoke.

"Good luck with the interview" was all I said, ignoring his comment not because I was being sassy but because knowing my luck, I'm sure I'll get into some type of trouble even if I wasn't asking for it.

"Whatever" he said. He let go of my wrist and I instantly held it close my my chest trying to get it back to its original color.
I closed the car door and with that my dad sped off without any hesitation.

The thought of going to a new school in a new town didn't hit me until I was staring at the huge building in front of me, unable to think of what to do. I suddenly felt sick to my stomach and cursed myself for not just walking here In case I changed my mind and wanted to go back home, but it was too late and I was already here and I came to the conclusion that there was no going back now.

-----------------------

Frank saying he was lost was an understatement. Back in his old school he knew every hallway there was, all the hiding spots he can go to skip class, and most importantly, all the routes he could take to avoid any confrontation. But his old school was smaller than Belleville, and it wasn't helping that he didn't know where Rm. 172 F-2 was and with a look of frustration on his face he was afraid he would be late to his first class.
He had a school map with him which he had read frontwards, backwards and sideways and he still couldn't find his first period class. He was so engrossed on the map that he didn't see where he was going when he accidentally bumped into someone. Suddenly the whole hallway stood silent and watched intently at the scene unfolding in front of them. As Frank lifted his head from the map he saw a guy, taller than him by a few inches,he looked older and he had long black hair. His face was stern with expressionless eyes to go with it until he spoke.

"Pick it up" the boy said as he stared at Frank.

Frank stood still, confused and unsure of what exactly he was supposed to "pick up" until he looked down from the boy's cold eyes and saw books scattered on the floor, which he immediately knew belonged to the boy in front of him, yet he couldn't move.
He was thrown back into reality when he heard the boy speak again.

"Pick. It. Up" he repeated himself, more forcefully this time.

He was quick to react this time and swiftly picked up the books from the floor feeling all the eyes piercing from the back of his head which he knew belonged to the people surrounding them. Once he handed him his books the boy shoved him against a locker and held him tightly from his shirt.

"This better not happen again" the boy said only gripping on his shirt tighter to prove his point
Frank couldn't register what was happening fast enough but he nodded his head anyway. The boy let go of him instantly and strolled away without another word.
The bell rang seconds later and one by one people started walking away from the scene that happened moments ago and slipped into their normal first period classes.

Frank was left there alone and confused of the events that just occurred. He was scared to say the least. All he wanted to do was to run to his first period class and hide for the rest of the day, but he was still lost and as he looked back at his map, he still found it as useless as he did when he first read it and he suddenly thought back to those few words his dad had told him that morning, and knew that he had gone against them.