"Hello?" My dad said as he picked up the phone.

"Hi dad." I replied.

"Oh Arabella! I have news for you." He said and I nervously bit my lip. "We're moving back in the city!"

"W-what? Why?" I asked shocked. My dad had moved out of the city years ago with his girlfriend and her daughter.

"Mackenzie misses it here so we decided to move back." My dad simply said.

"But what about your job? And Mira's school?" I asked confused.

"I got transferred here and I put Mira in your school isn't that amazing?" My dad happily said and I wanted to say no but I refrained myself.

"I guess." I replied still trying to register the news.

"Why don't you sound exited sweetie? I'll get to see you more often!" He said and I inwardly scoffed.

"You never wanted to see me before.." I muttered.

"Well things are going to change now. You can spend more time with your sister too." He said.

"She's not my sister." I said with a huff.

"Don't be like that Arabella. What has she done to you?" My dad scolded and I rolled my eyes.

"When are you coming back?" I asked.

"Next week." He said and I sighed.

"Okay..." I replied. "I need to go now I'll talk to you later."

"Okay bye Bella see you soon." He hung up the phone and I rubbed my forehead tiredly.

I didn't know how to feel about this.

"What did your father want?" Mom asked as she came into my room and sat down on the bed next to me.

"They're moving back here." I told her and her eyes widened.

My parents started dating in college and my mom was hopelessly in love with my dad. My dad loved her too but it wasn't enough to last a lifetime. During my last year of middle school he told my mom he wanted a divorce.

My mom didn't ask why, she didn't beg for him to stay neither did she shed a single tear in front of him.

She just looked at him with empty eyes and said okay.

I was there that day to witness my parents agreeing for divorce.

A month later he introduced me to his new girlfriend and her daughter before moving away and out of our lives.

"When?" My mom asked.

"Next week" I answered and grabbed her hand in comfort.

"Are you going to be okay?" I asked her.

"Don't worry about me sweetheart. Just focus on your exams okay? Don't let anything distract you." She said and kissed my forehead and left the room.

Even if my mom hadn't cried in front of her ex husband I could hear her crying for days after he left. Every night she would come home eat dinner than go to her room and cry while looking through their marriage album.

She started working longer shifts at the hospital and distracted herself with work until she was okay again.

I was studying for chemistry when the doorbell rang.

"Hey!" I said as I ushered Anissa in. We went in my room and I put my shopping bag in my closet.

"What's up?" I asked her as I plopped back on my bed.

"Dad is getting discharged earlier." She said excitedly.

"That's great!" I said.

"Speaking of dads." I started off and Anissa immediately looked up at me. "Mine is coming next week. To live here permanently with his new family."

"What! How do you feel?" She asked in shocked.

"Honestly I have no idea. I'm obviously not over the moon at the news I just feel... meh." I replied with a shrug.

"How long has it been anyways? Three years?" She asked.

"Nope four." I corrected her and she hummed.

"Doesn't his girlfriend have a daughter our age?" Anissa asked curiously.

"Yeah, Mira she's going to be at our school" I answered.

"Isn't going to be hard on her? It's nearly the end of the year and there's a lot of exams coming up." She said.

"Yeah. But if she needs help I can always help her." I said.

"True. But didn't you not like her when you were 13?" Anissa asked and I laughed.

"Yeah I was intimidated by her, she always had a blank expression and didn't like me at all. She also wasn't happy with her mom and my dad's relationship." I told her remembering the first time I ever met her.

"Ahh. Well let's hope she's a little more nicer now. " Anissa said and I agreed.

"Wanna study with me?" I asked her as I shoved my chemistry book at her and she pushed it away with a disgusted look.

"No thank you! I already studied for this shit and my brain is fried" She said and I laughed. "I have to meet up with Marcus soon too. I'll be leaving now."

I walked her out and gave her a hug before she left and I went back to study.

That night Lee and I were texting when I decided to tell him about my father.

❣️

♡

I closed my phone and stared at the ceiling for awhile, lost in memories.

We were sitting at the dining table all three of us and I was confused since it wasn't dinner time.

I looked at mom who had her fist clenched tightly under the table and when I glanced at my dad he was looking at everything in the room in the room but us.

"I want a divorce Emilia." My dad broke the silence and my eyes widened.

D-divorce?

I looked at my mom who closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath before opening her eyes again.

They were cold and empty.

Mom always looked at dad with so much warmth and love.

Where did it go?

"Okay." She breathed out and my heart dropped.

"W-what? What are you guys saying!" I stood up and yelled.

"Arabella sit down." My dad said sternly and my mom turned to me with a pleading look in her eyes.

I sat back down and faced my father.

"What's happening dad? Why would you say that?" I asked softly, scared of the answer.

"I'm sorry sweetie. But your mom and I aren't happy anymore. It would be best if we went on our own separate ways." My dad said.

"B-but everything was fine. This is so sudden! Can't you guys talk about it or something? Maybe like couple's therapy!" I exclaimed with hope.

"There's no need for divorce..." I murmured as both of my parents stayed silent at my suggestion.

"You're too young to understand Bella." My dad said and I turned away from him and looked at my mom.

"Mom... tell me this isn't true. You love dad and he loves you!" I said and grabbed her fist unclenching it and slipping my hand through hers.

"I'm sorry sweetheart..." my mom said as she caressed the side of my face. "Your dad is right this it the best option for all three of us. There's no point in staying in a loveless marriage."

"What's going to happen now?" I muttered as reality slowly dawned on me.

"I'm going to move out and you're going to stay with your mother." My dad said.

"You won't see me anymore?" I whispered and his face softened.

"Of course I'll see you! But just not as much as before." He replied with a smile and I stared at him.

How could he smile?

Why doesn't he look as sad as mom.

Why is mom the only one holding her tears back?

Why does he look somewhat relieved?

Did he want to leave us?

Does he really not love us anymore?