My dad wasn't waiting outside when I stepped out of the studio. I rang his phone, feeling the cold seep through the thin jacket I had put on, but he didn't answer. I zipped my jacket up all the way, pulled my hood up, and tucked my chin down to stop the cold from spreading down my neck. I began to long walk back home. All the while I could feel my hands going numb in my pockets and wondered if something had happened at home after what I'd said to my dad.  Maybe the mum problem would be solved by the time I reached the house; I'm good at driving people away afterall.

The house looked the same when I reached it but, once inside, I knew something was different. A few items were missing, for one. Not much. Just a few photos and books that had been cluttering the living room were gone. It took me a moment to realise mum's shoes and handbag were gone too. I wandered back over to the hall and stared at the spot where her coat used to be - a vacant space was all that was between mine and dads now. I felt something swell inside me but couldn't make out what it was.

"Dad?" I called out.
I needed answers. Had she gone? For good this time? Or did she storm out, threatening to leave and taking some items to strengthen the claim?
I realised that the feeling inside me was hope. I was hoping she was gone again. I was hoping she'd never come back. I knew I shouldn't feel that way about her, she is my mum afterall, but she never once acted like my mum since she'd come back. I used to adore her when I was younger. I was a naive little kid to ever think she was great.
I eventually found my dad in the spare bedroom - the one mum was sleeping in because she said she'd find it weird if she shared a bed again. He was sitting on the edge of the bed with his hands in his face, elbows against knees. I glanced around the room and saw a draw flung open, a few clothes were left at the bottom but the rest were gone.

"What happned?" I asked, like it wasn't completely obvious. "Where's mum?"
"She's gone," he sniffed. "She'll be back for the rest of her stuff soon but then she won't be back."
I walked over to him slowly and he grabbed hold of my hand when I was close. He gestured for me to sit down and, when I did, he pulled me into a quick hug. I hugged him back instantly even though it had been a while since we'd been this close.
"I'm sorry," he told me as he pulled back and stood up.
He paced around he room. I stayed sat on the bed and slid my hands across the sheets.
"Don't be sorry," I told him. "I don't care that she's gone again… not like I wasn't expecting it," I mumbled the last bit but I was sure he heard me.
I didn't care if he did because it was the truth. I, for one, definitely wasn't sorry that she'd left and mum should be the only one to apologise to me.
"No," he said and turned to look right at me. "I'm sorry I let her treat you like crap for as long as I did. I never realised she was so twisted. I didn't realise until it was too late and I'm sorry, Dan."
"Its okay."
"No it's not okay," he argued. "From now on I'm going to be looking out for you."
"You can't always be there for me," I mumbled and this time I was sure he heard me because his face turned soft.

"So, dance?" He said after a long moment. "How's that going?"
"Good… today went good," I replied.
We both knew what we were talking about but neither of us would say it aloud. Things were always more real when you spoke about them.
He placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it.
"I know things will be better here from now on but, if you still want to go to London,  I won't stop you." He swallowed and I felt his grip on me loosen. "This is your future, Dan. It's up to you what you choose."
I didn't know what to say so I didn't say anything. He left me alone. I could hear his words going around in circles in my head. The smell in the room, a mix of mum's perfume and old books, hit me all too suddenly. I pushed myself up off the bed and nearly tripped over a left over dress scrunched up on the floor. I rushed out the door and stood in the landing. The door behind me creaked closed and a shadow of darkness fell over me. I was left with the thought that she was gone. She had finally left. I had thought when she went so would my problems but my problems just seemed to be getting worse. Dad was okay with me leaving if it was what I really wanted but I wasn't sure if it was. Besides, he'd be left alone now. He'd have no one.

I slowly made my way to my room and fell down face first. I stayed there, cuddling my pillow, for hours. I didn't know what I was feeling. I was happy she was gone, for sure, but I wished I hadn't tried so hard at the audition now. I'd been thinking about it for so long that a part of me had been longing to get in but that part scared me. It was the part that wanted to leave everyone here behind and start new.
Sometime between the hours I was lying around, I heard the front door open downstairs. Voices followed. Quiet at first but they got louder and I recognised the second voice belonged to mum. I knew what she'd come back for and once again it wasn't me. I heard her in the spare room. Half an hour passed before I heard her bags banging against walls and a suitcases wheels bumping down the stairs. She didn't come into my room to say goodbye. I didn't come out of my room to say goodbye. I guess we'd both already said our goodbyes years ago and the words had become pointless now.  Goodbyes meant nothing when the person you were talking to meant nothing too.
They were just words.

AN: *Ding dong* the witch is gone.
This chapter is so short but I'm letting y'all have a rest before the Phil emotions come back in the next chapters.
- Rach x