Seeing you again

Chapter 9

Francisca's POV
* Flashback to three years ago *

I'm sitting alone at the dance, the father- daughter dance . I didn't want to come to this dance, I didn't want to think about how all these girls are with their fathers and I'm just missing mine.

I hear about him. Almost every time I open my phone I search for his name, for my brothers name.

I never have the courage to try and make contact though. Why? because I'm such a coward when it comes to this.

I don't want to make mom mad, I fear to know if my father actually gave me up.

But I guess because of those fears I'm where I am right now, alone in a father-daughter dance.

I really really didn't want to come, but Jenny and Lori convinced me to, we've only been friends for two months and I don't want them to think I'm lame or something.

They said that we'd be  hanging out the whole time and we have, until it was time for the father - daughter dance.

So here I am being miserable, just watching the fathers with their daughters. When suddenly I hear a tap on my shoulder.

I turn around and I see Matthew in front of me.

What is he doing here? He doesn't know the nature of this dance does he? I never said anything about this dance being a father - daughter one!

"Hey Kiddo" he says smiling at me.

"Umm...what are you doing here?" I ask.

Matthew and my mom married two years ago, when I was 11 years old, only a year after she left dad, I guess...after we left dad? Anyways, it all happened really really fast, and it's safe to say that I didn't like it, still don't like it, I don't like him.

Sometimes I do feel guilty with the way I treat him, but it's just that being nice to him feels like me betraying dad, like me moving on too, me accepting what happened and what mom said, but I don't and I never will.

It's just always awkward for me when he's around, he tries and tries to make me like him, and I know he's a good guy, my mom is happy with him, but every time I look at him, I just see "not dad".

Matthew smiles gently at me when I ask my question.

"I heard about the dance and I came immediately" he says, "why didn't you say anything? To you're mom at least?" He asks looking at the fathers and daughters dancing together the same way I was, longingly.

I just shrug at his question, and look at the dance floor again.

Lori is laughing with her dad, Jenny is rolling her eyes at him. They seem to be having a good time.

I hear Matthew take a long inhale and exhale and then asks me a question I was sure he was gonna ask but hoped he wouldn't.

"Do you want to dance?" He asks.

"Um.." I say, "I don't know about that" I say not looking at him, because I know he has a hurt look on his face, I don't want to hurt him, I just...I just don't want him to be my dad's replacement.

Just because mom could replace dad so fast doesn't mean that I can.

I hear Matthew leave and his footsteps gradually disappear and I think that he got the hint and left, but before I know it, he comes back with a chair and sits next to me.