Song: Crossroads by Evie Clair

I don't dare look back at him, afraid that if I do he wouldn't even be there. Or maybe he will still be standing there watching me and then I'm afraid to see what he sees. I never planned on hurting him and I can't handle seeing him in pain. I could have easily left with him, all I had to do was to take his hand. Instead I chicken out and leave him standing there, hoping that he will still come after me. 

As I come around the building I see my dad waiting on me. I roll my eyes and huff along the way as I kick up the grass as I drag my feet over. All the other teens my age have their own car but not me. And since I took their car over to his place they will never trust me alone with it again. I dread getting in the car with him.

"So how was your day?" My dad asks as I get in the car. He sounds a tad annoyed that he has to take time out of his day to pick me up. I refuse to ride on the bus and he refuses to let anyone take me home and since we live so far out walking is not an option so needless to say he has to come get me. I'm hoping another week or so of him picking me up he will get tired of it and finally give in to let me use the car.

"Boring as usual." I slam the door and lie through my teeth...well it was a little boring until I seen Zayden, then it was totally awesome. Well it would be if we could have just stayed there together. I just don't know how much longer he will wait for me.

"As usual, huh!" he huffs just as loud as I do almost mocking me in a way. 

I sigh, "Dad do I really have to be grounded this long...I'm dying here."

"Are you now?" He looks over at me with a puzzled look. He grabs the stirring wheel and turns to head out of the parking lot. 

I throw my head back and hit the head rest as I moan out in frustration. "Yes...I am...if I don't do something I'm really going to die," I exaggerate.

"So what do you want to do?" He asks with a crooked smile. I know he is dying to take me home so that he can get back to work.

"I don't know." I lie...what I want to do is spend the day with Zayden or at least talk to him on the phone for crying out loud. Just hearing his voice calms me down tremendously.

He waits a few minutes and glances at his watch. "Uhm...well how about we stop and get some ice cream before going home."

I sigh again, "Sure." I know he is just trying to find away to make me smile. When I was really little this was his way of making things up to me because he would have to be out with clients verses seeing me at my dances or swim meets. He always tried making up that time by buying me ice cream like that was going to make a difference.

As he heads towards the ice cream shop he reaches over and turns up the radio. It's not that I don't like his music it's just that it's like he is stuck in the seventies or something and when he sings he is so out of tune and he only sings words here and there, never all he way through which annoys the hell out of me. I'm excited to get to the shop because as soon as the car comes to a stop, I jump out.

We get ice cream and since the weather is really nice today we sit outside the shop. He takes a bite of his ice cream and moans lightly. He then looks up at me and I know he is either waiting for my reaction or wanting me to spill it...what's on my mind that is. And that is the real reason why we are here because he wants me to talk. I use to blurt out and tell him everything, well until Derrick came along that's when I started changing and I didn't even want to go out for ice cream anymore. I remember shrugging him off and telling him there was no point in going. And even those few times he did manage to take me, I would bite the inside of my cheek to keep from talking to him.

"How did you know mom was the one for you?" I ask out of the blue. I watch his facial express change at first it was just one of those looks but then a smile forms on his face. 

"She just was. She was actually dating someone else when I first saw her." He stops as if his is thinking of that day. "She took my breath away. I made sure she seen me and went out of my way to make her smile...buying her flowers, leaving her notes. I guess I won her over." He smiles wide and then takes another bite of his ice cream.

"So...do you think you could ever live without her?"

"No! She is the only one for me. Why you want to know?" He looks at me raising his eyebrow.

"Just wondering." I take a few licks of my cookie dough ice cream. "Dad...I know you don't believe me but I love him."

"This again," he sighs heavily while rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"Dad...I can't live without him. I can't think. I can't eat or sleep. I'm going insane. I'm really going to lose it."

"Coralie you're just so young..."

I cut him off. "Dad how old was mom when you met her?"

He doesn't say anything.

"You were there, once, young...in love and you guys still are in love with each other."

"Cor..."

"Dad, I'm fixing to be seventeen then eighteen and it's either now or later. I will wait as long as I have to because I love him and only him. Please just give him a chance...please. I bet you would even like him if you just got to know him."

"Coralie I don't..."

"Please...he is the only thing that really helps me...the voices are coming back. They keep my up at night flooding my mind." I didn't mean to let that part out. I have been keeping it a secret for the past month or so, well really I have always kept Cora and Willow a secret.

I don't have to explain to him about the voices, he knows exactly what I am talking about. "Why didn't you say something?"

"Because everyone thinks I'm ok." I roll my eyes. "The stupid doctor...he's a quack. He doesn't know what he is talking about. I keep trying to tell him and it's like he only wants the money it has nothing to do with who I am. I want Sarah back at least she understands me."

His expression changes to sadness, "You want to go back there?"

I close my eyes for only a second. I have to be honest. "Not to live...just for therapy. It's getting worse and the pills aren't helping any." I fight back the tears. "Dad you asked me to be truthful and honest with you. I am trying. I want to get better, I do but it's not looking good for the home team."

"Wow!" He lets out a very long sigh. He nods his head in understanding. "Ok I'll call her first thing in the morning and see what we can do."

"And Zayden?"

He huffs, "I'll talk to your mom and see what arrangements we can come up with. You really love him uh?"

"More than anything."

"Can I ask why?"

I close my eyes and think of him. I picture him in my mind. I open my eyes and look my at my dad dead in the eyes. "Because he understands me. He doesn't judge me. He doesn't force me into taking things to hurt myself. He cares about me. He would probably even die to protect me and he doesn't mind the voices in my head."

"Well then...sounds like you are in love."