The life of a "Nerd"

Chapter 34: Distractions

Viola's POV

I couldn't believe it. I saw dad's face change to shock, his eyes going wide and saying something to mom, who turned around and glared at me. What had I done? Why the hell were they here. I got up, holding my skirt up a little as I walked, hoping not to trip over. "Viola, don't!" Blaise said as I walked passed, but I couldn't help it. I was furious. I felt like a parent who'd caught their child climbing back in through the window, who had snuck out, betrayed their trust. 

I walked past people who glanced my way as I walked past. I didn't care about them. All I cared about was why my parents were having dinner here. "What the hell do you think you're doing? I thought you had the night shift? That starts at 6!" I hissed, standing beside their table. Dad looked upset and mom... She just looked angry at me. "Not here!" She spat, turning back to her food. "I don't get it! Why are you here?" I asked again. Dad cleared his throat, giving mom a look I didn't understand and she sighed. "We're just having dinner before we go back to the hospital. The night shift starts at 8." She said and my jaw dropped. They had been lying to us for years! 

I  hated them. And I gave them a piece of my mind. How could they do this to us? "So what? You thought, let's just have dinner at a fancy restaurant while my kids stay home, thinking that we're at the hospital on the night shift. Are you ashamed of us? or do you just not want to listen to what we have to say, to ask you questions, ask for opinions, to actually be there for your children, huh? Is that it!" I almost shouted, but kept my voice firm. This was just way too much. "No, of course not. We love you guys." Mom said. And I scoffed loudly. They didn't love us! They had both missed Shawn's graduation! He had been so disappointed. I couldn't blame him. I hated them at that moment too. But not as much as I was now.

"You don't love us! Not anymore. Now that we're older we talk back, we fight with our siblings, we challenge each other. We try to understand what it is that you guys do. All we want is our parents back! I feel like I'm the only adult in our household, keeping everyone in check. Shawn may help, but he'll be off at college soon, even though he's living at home. He'll be busier than any of us. I want to see him be the man you two will never be! I want to see him fulfill his dreams. Do you even know what it is that he wants to do?" I said loudly. Everything was quiet. I didn't care. They needed to hear this.

Dad cleared his throat again, he did it when he was nervous. Mom just gave me a blank look. Ever since I was little my mom and I never got along. Even at the age of 6 she hated me. She LOVED Rosalia, at that age anyway. Not anymore. They didn't care for us anymore. "See! He wants to be an actor, and you know what! He's actually amazing! You guys missed his big drama production, he had the leading part! I was amazed at what he could do. Better than I had ever seen him. He thought you guys were there, and guess what happened when he only found me, Rosalia, Anthony and Landon?" I paused. Mom shrugged. "What then?" She asked. "He shouted, at us. But not because he thought it was our fault. He shouted at us about what he really thought. He was sick of you, he was disappointed. He hated you. Still does. And I'm with him." 

Mom never cracked. Not when it came to me. Dad looked uncomfortable. "Can you keep your voice down?" He asked me and I laughed. I felt something on my arm and found Blaise holding my arm lightly. "You guys are bad parents. You know that right? I've spent more time at your house in the last 6 months than you guys have in the last 6 years!" He said and I couldn't help but smile. I was proud of him. He didn't like confronting people, but this was great. "Exactly! He knows my family better than you guys know them. Every day Anthony asks if you guys will be there for dinner so that he can show you his drawings. He's 8 now, you know. And he can draw just like Rosalia could at that age. He has pure, natural talent. And he's ONLY 8. He needs parents, not just his sister acting as one."