Chapter 2

I wolfed down the remaining eggs, more to avoid the taste than out of enjoyment. Grabbing my bag, I rose and headed to my little, beat-up burgundy car parked in the driveway.

Dad hurriedly stood up as I passed him. "Wait, I can take you to school if you want," he suggested, retrieving his keys from the silver hook on the wall.

I shook my head. "Oh no, that's really okay Dad. I need to learn how to get there myself anyway."

He narrowed his eyes. "C'mon, you can do that tomorrow. Let your old man drop you off on your first day." His insistence cut through the air, making it clear this wasn't just a suggestion anymore.

I rolled my eyes. "Ughhh, Dad, haven't you done enough? You've already dragged us to this hellhole, and now you can't even trust me to get to school by myself? I'm not a little kid anymore, Dad. I just need some space—five minutes where it doesn't feel like you're breathing down my fucking neck!" I exclaimed in frustration.

A shade of disappointment clouded his face. Instantly, I regretted my choice of words. "Sorry, Dad, I didn't mean that... of course you can take me to school," I sighed, forcing a small smile. I gave him a quick hug and headed towards the front door to the driveway. I hopped into his enormous black truck, and he closed the door behind me. After he settled into the driver's seat, he started the engine, and we headed for my new school.

Besides the GPS on Dad's phone, silence engulfed the car. I wanted to tell him about my weird dreams about Mom, but I knew he would just brush it off like he did everything else.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke. "Angel, I'm sorry if you feel like I'm suffocating you. It's just... after your mom left, I realized how much I need to love and protect you because if I don't, who else is going to do it? Of course, you won't be able to understand this, but it's just a lot of pressure being a single parent; especially since I never imagined your mom would just up and leave the way she did," he explained frankly, his gaze fixed straight ahead at the road as he drove.

"I understand, Dad. I'm not trying to make things harder on you," I mumbled, a lump forming in my throat. An overwhelming sense of guilt washed over me. I've always carried the belief that somehow it was my fault that my mother left, so he's right. How could I be anything but grateful to him for stepping up and trying his best to raise me by himself? Sure, he made mistakes, like all parents do, but he didn't just disappear when things got hard like my worthless mother did. It would be incredibly selfish not to forgive him more easily.

I tried to muster a more optimistic outlook as we reached the school. He maneuvered the car to the front of the enormous, red brick building that proudly displayed the name "WinterCrest High." Above it, a logo featuring an imposing black wolf caught my eye, its gaze seemingly fixed on me. A shiver traced up my spine, a disconcerting reminder of the wolves that haunted my dreams.

Bringing the car to a halt at the curb, Dad gestured for me to exit. "Thanks for trying to see things my way, baby girl. Text me when you're ready to be picked up, okay?" His words carried a newfound cheerfulness, and he gently planted a kiss on my forehead.

A faint smile graced my lips. "Thanks, Dad. Love you!" With my bag in hand, I stepped out of the truck, closed the door, and observed as he waved and swiftly drove away.