DARIAN POV

Watching B drive away without me was hard to swallow, but I’d be right behind her in no time. My mom wouldn’t be able to keep me from her, no matter how hard she tried.

B’s front door whipped open and her drunk dad came stumbling out onto the porch, cursing up a storm and kicking things out of his way. He looked up and saw me then, pointing at me.

“You! Where the hell is Annabelle?!”

“Gone,” I replied sharply as I made my way towards my own house next door. If I have it my way, he’ll never see his daughter ever again. He’s lucky B talked me down or I would have punched him into last week. I fucking hate that guy.

“What do you mean she’s gone?” I kept walking, ignoring him the best that I could, but he wasn’t having it. “I’m talking to you, boy!”

I stopped dead in my tracks, knowing I should just keep walking, but I couldn’t.

“She ran away from you! Are you so fucking dumb and drunk that you can’t see that?!” I was shouting now. My anger for this man for all these years was finally being released.

“Watch how you speak to me, you little punk!” He stumbled down the porch stairs, walking in my direction and I silently begged him to take the first swing.

“Or what?!” I screamed. “Are you going to manhandle me like you do your daughter?! Huh, tough guy?!”

“Darian!”

I whipped my head towards my house and saw my parents standing on our front porch with horror in their eyes.

“You’re a mouthy little shit. Your parents should have spanked you as a kid. You don’t talk to your elders this way, boy!”

There he goes calling me a boy again! I’m going to make this man regret his words in five seconds.

“And you never should have been born! You worthless, drunken piece of trash!”

Apparently, that was all I needed to say to push his buttons because before I know it, he’s marching right up to me as he shoved my chest. I stumbled back momentarily before regaining my composure. My hand came back and I cracked him right across the jaw. The drunken asshole went down hard, spitting blood onto the driveway that separated my house from B’s.

“Darian!” My mom screamed again. “Stop it!”

I ignored her and leaned over this prick while I said through gritted teeth, “I want you to remember this moment for the rest of your life. If you so much as come near Annabelle again, I’ll do much worse than a punch to your jaw. Are we clear?”

He looked up at me with anger in his eyes but nodded anyway. I had a feeling this wasn’t over but as long as I knew B was safe at college, I wouldn’t have to worry about this prick. I hope he drinks himself to death so B can move on with her life without this cockroach looming over her.

I stepped away from him then and headed towards my place, walking past my parents and into the house. They were quick on my heel while my mom began asking me a million questions.

“Darian, what was that?! Where is Annabelle? Why was he so angry with you? Why did you punch him? What if he calls the cops?!”

“Mom!” I shouted, spinning around to glare at her. “Stop.”

She froze in her spot, staring at me as if she had never seen me like this before in her life, which she probably hadn’t. I was livid and one more question away from blowing up on her too.

“What happened?” She whispered out.

I groaned. “What didn’t happen? You know how that man is! I was sick of him putting his hands on B. He deserved it.” I looked over her shoulder at my dad who just leaned against the doorway and silently watched us. He gave me a single nod and that’s all I needed to see to know my dad was on my side in this whole mess.

“He puts his hands on her?” My mom asked, trying to sound surprised.

“Oh, come on. How many nights has B come over here looking for a place to stay because of her dad? You knew, Mom.”

She shook her head, her eyes going wild. “I had no idea it was that bad.”

“How can you be so dense when you’re so smart?!” I tapped my temple, getting right in her face. “You chose to look the other way because you didn’t care. B needs me and you continue to try and keep us away from each other, but you can quit that now. Nothing will keep us apart.” I headed towards the staircase before I spun around and glared at her once more. “I’m leaving for school tonight. B’s going to need me and if you try and stop me, I’ll never step foot back in this house ever again.”

Her mouth opened and shut several times but I was thankful when she didn’t actually say a word and let me go upstairs without any argument.

Like B, my bags were already packed and I was ready to go. The plan was to leave B’s shitty car here and we drive up together, but things changed drastically. I’m going to be driving up there alone and thinking of B the entire way. She needs me more than ever right now and I’m not with her, but I’m coming, babe, just hold on.

I headed back downstairs with my bags in tow to find my parents standing near the front door as if they were waiting for me.

“Darian, I wish you’d rethink this. What are you going to do up there for two weeks until school starts? This wasn’t the plan.”

I groaned, glaring at my mom once more. “I’ll be fine, Mom. I need to make sure B is okay.”

The way she squared her shoulders and groaned told me she wasn’t at all happy about me worrying over B, but she didn’t say anything. If she had, I would tell her to shove it where the sun didn’t shine and walk out that front door, never looking back.

They followed me out to my Jeep and I turned to them after throwing my bags in the back.

Mom had tears in her eyes when she said, “Take care of yourself, Son.” She placed her hand on my cheek. “I just wish you’d find yourself a nice girl.”

“Jesus, Carol, why don’t you push our son away even more!” Dad finally spoke up and I was thankful. The poor bastard never said anything. “There is nothing wrong with Annabelle except what you have her pegged as in your head! Leave these two kids alone, damn it!”

Mom was silent again for the second time today and I couldn’t help the grin starting to pull at the corners of my mouth. It was about time my dad stood up to her. I’m just glad I was still here to witness it.

He stepped up to me then and slapped my shoulder. “Take care of yourself, Darian. Our phone is always on and our doors always open.” He pulled me into a quick hug, something he rarely does, and slapped my back.
I knew his hug and back slap meant more than his words could ever say. I nodded at him once before jumping into my Jeep and backing out of the driveway. As I drove away, my parents stood in the driveway, watching me until I was out of sight. I hadn’t ever felt this free in my entire life and now that I was no longer under the clutches of my mother’s hands, I was going to make something of my life with B right by my side.