Love in a Photograph

"Hayley, are you alright?" Dad moves closer to me and sits next to me. I look in my fathers eyes and don't recognise him, like Harry demonstrated with me before it's an unknown, odd scary feeling.

"Yea I'm fine. Can I ask you a question daddy?" I then put on a young naive school girl act.

"Anything, sweetheart." He smiles. "Do you ever feel you can know someone your entire life and then they do soothing that completely shocks you." I pick at my nails. Then a response I know his lying. "are you regarding you and Harry?" why would he jump to that conclusion, he was never a fan Harry and me, it all fits.



"Umm no, I'm generalising" NOT
Before he could respond "Why would you jump to that conclusion for?" I ask staring him down.
"Your happy were not together."
"No Hayley." He lies. I can't take anymore of this acting so I fire up.

"WHO TOOK HIS PHOTOS"? I yell
"Hayley what are you talking about?" He replies again like nothing is wrong.
"You had a phone call before we ordered dinner, at the same time the pictures were taken. "I throw them on the bench."Why would you do this huh?" I poke his chest. "Why" I question again.

"Hayley, your overacting" I could punch him the face right now. He is the reason Harry is not talking to me, he is the reason I am alone.
"Just tell me the truth." I say more sincere.

He stands up and throws the photos across the room. "YES HAYLEY, IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR, YES I SENT SOMEONE TO TAKE THEM." He finally reveals.
"WHY" I yell back.
"HIS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU HAYLEY, HE WILL HURT YOU AGAIN!".

"HE NEVER HURT ME IN THE FIRST PLACE, IF YOU WOULD HAVE TAKEN A SECOND TO LISTEN TO HIM YOU DON'T KNOW THE STORY".

"HIS NOT GOOD FOR YOU HAYLEY" We continue yelling on this merry go-round argument.

"YOU DON'T KNOW HIM, OR ME. I DON'T NEED YOU INTERFERING IN MY LIFE ANYMORE." I have no idea what has taken over me I feel like I have awaken and spill out everything that is been buried inside of me.

"NONE OF MY BUSINESS HAYLEY, REALLY I'M YOUR FATHER IT IS MY BUSINESS"

"NOT ANYMORE, I AM A GROWN WOMAN, YOU CANT TELL ME WHAT TO DO" I try and remind me that I am twenty one and am capable of making my own decisions , my own mistakes. I begin to walk away, now afford the outcome of this heated argument between my father and I.



"GET BACK HERE HAYLEY" He catches up with me, he does something I never thought possible. He grabs my arm. "YOUR NOT GOING BACK TO HIM" I look into my fathers eyes and look at my arm and can't comprehend him handling me. I try and get his arm off me but his grip is to tight. "YOUR NOT GOING BACK TO HIM" He repeats.
"HIS THE ONLY ONE WHO CARES" I probably should not have said that as it results in his bringing his hand up and slapping me - hard. My father has just hit me, hit me, his daughter, he hit me.

I land falling slowly on the floor and bring my hand to my cheek where is now parentally marked externally and internally. I look up at a man I have no idea who he is anymore. "Hayley" He tries to help me up, but my luck I run up the stairs into my room and being packing my bag.

Notes