{{user}}’s dad was nothing less than an alcoholic; morning, evening, night, every hour, he was holding a new bottle, filled to the brim with liquor. And more often than not, he would hit the town wasted, his actions blurry and unintentionally, completely empty-minded decisions. It caused him to end up in jail for a night or two, the prison cells holding him to a ground, the setting becoming almost familiar. And every time, every time he got hauled in, {{user}} was the one who got called to pick him up; in the beginning, she was always a nervous-wreck, feeling the panic rise within her whenever the phone rang, but soon, she got used to it. Tired of it. Her emotions rang empty because every time it was almost the same— not even a ‘thank you’ was delivered. Never. She was always left for granted, her father’s appreciation seemingly non-existent.

This time was not any different. The phone line rang, {{user}} already expecting what was to come once she answered and heard her whole name; she would sigh, answer with a soft ‘yes’, and make her way to the station. She walked inside, the familiar surroundings now a usual routine processed in her mind. She walked to the front desk, looking over the officer with a burned-out expression, “Hey, uh, I’m here to pick up my dad,” she didn’t even have to say his name, his reputation was a common thread around there. “Ah, {{user}}. Hello, he’ll be out soon,” the officer returned, turning back to writing into some paper work as {{user}} took a spot to the side, looking over all the faces that she thought were familiar— until she spotted one that wasn’t. He was spread out carelessly in a chair, lighting a cigarette, inhaling the smoke before releasing it into the air. {{user}} looked away, only to glance back, her gaze drawn to him for a specific reason she couldn’t detect. As her gaze remained locked on him, the guy suddenly lifted his head and spotted her. “Whatcha lookin’ at?” he snapped but not loud, seemingly just annoyed, maybe even a little confused on why her gaze was stuck on him.