Blazing Academy: Semester One (Academy For All Things Scorching #1) - Avery Song Page 0,1
looked back and gave her a wide grin. "Mommy had me. That means she loves me. I miss her...but I hope when I'm older and can be a superhero, I'll find her and tell her that I love her."
Her eyes watered then, and I pouted my lips. Reaching out to press my hands against her cheeks, I got a glimpse of the few red strands of her hair, another common thing we shared.
"Don't cry, miss. Be happy. I'm happy. Daddy is happy when he doesn't drink the yucky liquid. I know he does it because he misses Mommy. He really loves her, and the yucky liquid makes him forget how much he misses her. That's what Grandpa said," I explained. "I'll get superpowers like in the shows I watch, and I'll fly across the world and find my mommy. I'll hug her and tell her she's loved. Then I'll bring her back to Daddy, so he can do the same!" I plopped a kiss on the woman's nose.
"Thank you for helping me," I thanked and took my blanket. Looking at Daddy, I saw his sad blue eyes as he stared at me. I grinned and gave him a wave before looking back to the woman.
"I go invisible now. Night night." I put the blanket over my head and slowly crawled my way back up the stairs.
When I reached the top, I hid on the side and listened closely when Daddy spoke.
"Even with a mom who abandoned her and a father like me, who can't get his act together, she's still able to smile." Daddy sounded sad, like he was on the verge of tears.
"This is for her own good," the woman whispered as she rose up from her crouched position. "If I stay around her, she won't live long enough to reach her true potential. At least this way, she'll be happy."
"If you call that happiness, Liz, then maybe it’s best you stop coming here," Daddy whispered. "Even in my drunk state, I can see the sadness in that girl's eyes. I wish I could set the hurt in my heart aside and raise her right. Then you'd truly see what you're missing."
The woman was silent, and I watched her walk to the door.
"One day, Liz. You'll regret this. I may let you come by and check on her, but your parents won't. They hate what you did to your only daughter, and if you think they'll allow her to come back into your life when you think it's right...it won't happen. Keep doing your thing of 'protecting her from afar'. The only one it’s benefitting is you. Continue being the coward I guess you always have been."
"You have some nerve," she grumbled.
"I can at least acknowledge I have a problem," Daddy replied. "That started when the woman I loved decided to give birth and abandon us. Ya, I'm an alcoholic, but at least I can try and be around my child. Regardless of the consequences."
The woman said nothing else, her red cape fluttering behind her. The door opened and shut, and the room was silent. I covered myself with my blanket once again, feeling a little sad.
"Alice."
I poked out from my blanket and peaked down the stairs to see Daddy standing at the bottom. Slowly, I got up and made my way down the stairs, until I was on the second to last step.
Daddy looked down at me, and his eyes were filled with tears.
"You know, no matter how angry I get...or how scary I may seem, you know I love you, right?" He sounded so sad, and it brought tears to my eyes.
"I love you, Daddy. No matter what Grandma and Grandpa say, you're my daddy. You love me. You didn't...leave me." I gave me him my best smile. "Daddy?"
"Yes, Alice?"
I bit my lip for a moment and looked to my feet as I shuffled from side to side.
"That...was Mommy, wasn't it?"
I hesitantly looked back up, noticing his tears that fell down his cheeks. He reached out to me and picked me up.
I wrapped my little arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.
"Don't tell your grandparents, okay?"
"Okay, Daddy," I replied. "I'll be good. Just don't leave me, too."
"Never, my special Alice," he vowed.
We quietly cried on the stairs, and I hoped the woman in red would one day come back.
Deep within my heart, I knew it would be too late.