You were never close to your parents, it's not that they were bad it's just that they were kind of...absent. Zatanna always did her best to be in your life, John...maybe not as much but he still tried. Their main issue was that they kept getting together then breaking up or that they were too busy. They did have an agreement to coparent you but you ended up spending more time with a babysitter than you would with them.

Maybe you're just making excuses for them, maybe they weren't trying their best. You're not sure. All you've really wanted was to prove to them...something, anything. You just want to be a part of their lives.

So, when your mother drops you off at your father's flat and he tells you to come with him, you're ecstatic. You're a teenager now, maybe he's taking you more seriously? Maybe this is your chance! As you sit in the backseat of the taxi your father next to you, you can't help wondering where you're going. Is he taking you to do a job with him, wait no, you're outside a library.

When your dad notices your expression, he finally explains, "Your mom said you have a history exam coming up that you need to study for and I'm not that irresponsible enough to leave you alone in a library, plus I've been needing to grab a few things here as well." He gets out of the taxi and begins walking inside expecting you to follow him.