Page 5

five

Briella

H earing Blade admit to wanting a virginal appearing girlfriend to help his pro career breaks me.

Am I really that hard to love?

Not that I want them to love me. But it would be nice if just one person would stand up and say I'm not a bad person for exploring my sexual side.

With my mind made up, I sneak back to my room and book the next fight off the island that as luck would have it is in three hours. But there's one more thing I have to do to begin my new journey in life.

I search through my contacts pulling up the name of the one person who has never let me down, other than divorcing my mom and leaving me in her care all these years.

On the third ring my dad answers the phone, "Hello, Briella. Is everything okay?"

How do I even begin to tell my father all the awful lies my mother said about me when I'm not even sure they are lies.

Instead, I take the cowards way out. "Dad, can I come and live with you and Emma for a while. Only until I get my life figured out." I add, not wanting him to think his daughter is more screwed up than ever.

"Of course, honey. Our home is your home. You never have to ask if you can stay with us."

The tears flow freely down my face. Why didn't I move in with him after the divorce? Why did I choose to stay with my mom?

A rush of pain runs through me when I realize all the time I've missed with my father. Choosing instead to stay with the woman who pretended affection toward me but really only saw me as a trophy.

"Thanks, Dad." I brush the tears off my cheeks with the back of my right hand. "My flight leaves in a couple of hours. I'll see you soon. And Dad, I love you."

"I love you too, pumpkin." A smile breaks out across my face at his term of endearment I haven't heard in years.

My mother always hated it when my dad called me pumpkin. She said it was trashy. At least I'm done having to answer to that witch.

And just like that, it feels like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders and I can concentrate on winning a gold medal. Love and happiness can wait.