1 The Girl Who Always Wins

"Yeah right, Dad! I am not taking an IT class!" I say while laughing, "Besides I'm a sophomore this year, the class is only open to seniors." My dad glances over to me with a small smile on his face. I would win this argument. He always let me win, but our debates were always fun.

I look over at him and compare our features to each other. It's my favourite thing to do because it makes me feel like I belong, like my place in our family can't be questioned ever.

I'm not quite as dark as him, I have a copper skin tone and he is dark chocolate. Normal, thanks to my mom being as pale as a ghost, but I like to think I have his soft eyes and strong personality.

"What?" He asks while glancing over, but keeping most of his focus on the road. I shook my head and look forward again. Just then we see red and blue flashing lights and a siren going off.

I put my phone in my back pocket and turn my full attention to the approaching officer and keep my hands in full view. I will calm into my veins as the news articles and headlines I've been reading about run through my head. It's fine. Dad told you how to act when you were 10, remember? I think to myself over and over again.

"May I help you, officer?" I hear my dad ask as he rolls down the window. An Unarmed Black man was killed as officer kneels on his neck for 8 minutes. A black, Trans Man shot and killed by police. A police officer fatally shot an unarmed, mentally ill man.

All of these headlines so fresh in my mind that I miss most of the exchange until I hear the officer ask my dad to step out of the vehicle. Panicked I tried to remember what I had missed. Something about speeding, or maybe going off-road, but couldn't see why he had to get out.

I silently plead with my dad not to go, but he looked at my panicked face and gave me a goofy 'it will be OK smile.' The kind of smile you get when you fall off your bike and scrape a knee, or when your angry at the world and that smile becomes the only thing that'll cheer you up.

I watch as my dad slowly gets out keeping his hands up and visible at all times and turn to walk to the front of the car. Maybe the light is out or something. I think to myself while calming down. When he turns around you can see the handle of the small gun that he carries everywhere.

I had expected the officer to say something, maybe at most draw his weapon. What I didn't expect, however, was to see the policeman shoot my dad right in front of me.

"Daddy!" I hear myself scream as he falls to the ground. Everything moved so fast and so slow at the same time. My dad's fall was fast and hard, the puddle of blood was rapidly growing. But I was moving so slow, it took what seemed like forever to reach him. I barely registered how hard I slammed my knees to the ground, I just put both my hands over the wound and applied pressure. It's in the abdomen, but I don't know if it punctured anything.

"Call 911!" I scream at the officer. When I didn't see him move I reached behind me to grab my phone out of my back pocket.

BANG.

Another gunshot, only this one hit me in my arm, causing me to fall over. "I was getting my phone!" I call out as I get back into position, this time with my phone in hand.

It was a miracle that my screen registered anything with how much blood covered it and another when the ambulance arrived 2 minutes later.

"The wound is in the abdomen, I can't tell if it punctured anything vital or if the round is still there! He's allergic to amoxicillin if you need to use something!" I say while keeping pace with the EMTs, I refused help until they got him loaded up in the ambulance and we took off.

"It's an arm, I have two. I only have one dad and I need to know what condition he is in!" I practically scream at the doctor trying to stitch up my arm. I guess the adrenaline still hasn't kicked in because I don't feel anything yet.

"Oh my God! Honey are you ok?" My mom screams as she rushes over to make sure I'm fine. "No! I have absolutely no idea on how dad is other than he's in surgery." I say, this time I feel tears well up and I start sobbing.

"The bullet didn't puncture anything vital, we were able to safely remove in. He should stay in the ICU for the next few days but then can be moved to a normal room." The doctor said with a kind smile. She turned her attention from my mom to me and said, "I heard you held pressure on the wound for 10 minutes with a gunshot wound of your own. Brave girl!" I shrug and thank her as I get up to find his room.

A few days later, when he was moved to a normal room we all stood at the foot of the bed. My mom, two older sisters, non-binary little sibling, wild baby brother, and I all greeted him when he woke up. We took turns sitting by him and talking.

I watch my dad frown up at the hospital food served to him. "You know hospital food is actually pretty good," I say with a small smile. After the adrenaline wore off everything hurt and my arm constantly ached from the sling it was in.

"No, it's not. It's bland with no flavour." He replied with his usual grin. "Yes, it is. Not only is it healthy, but the jello is also awesome," I say while reaching over to steal his jello. I was already feeling victorious as my dad rolled his eyes and started to eat. With an overdramatic sigh and a poorly hidden smile he said, "Fine. You win."

I couldn't help but smile back, because after all, "I always win."

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