Happy 18

I'm your average senior in high school. Standing out has never been my thing. I prefer books and animals over people so I have little social life. It's not that I have not tried to make friends because I have but they never quite stick.

The only person I talk to is my Dad but that's very little because he is never home. He is a traveling zoologist. I only hear from him on holidays or when I let my grades slip. I did that a lot as a kid just to talk to him but I gave up when he set up a tutor instead of calling. At this point, I am not sure if he cares or just got stuck with me after mom passed in childbirth.

Today is my 18th birthday which means I should get my birthday call from Dad. I got home from school an hour ago making it 5 pm in the afternoon. Waiting is the hard part but a good book should pass the time. I started reading the Twilight series over again for the 5th time. I am an Edward fan and before you sigh it's because of the whole soulmate thing. I just don't approve of imprinting on a baby.

I am at the part of her birthday party where she gets pushed into the table. I get to the part where she jumps off the cliff when my cell rings. "Hello, Dad".

"Happy birthday," my father sounds tired. "your finally 18 right?" What's with the undertone to that question.

"Yeah" I would think he could at least remember my age even if he's tired.

"Well then you're no longer my responsibility," Wait where the hell did that come from. I know he's never been around but that relieved tone left me in shock

"Now that you're 18 I think it's best you get a job and start paying for your own expenses such as…" As he talked I felt like the world was crumbling from under me. What in the world is going on right now?

The call I was looking forward to turned into a... well what do you even call this. It's worse than a nightmare. Tears were pushing to the surface but I never was one to allow myself to cry. Pushing them back I finally opened my mouth cutting my Dad off.

"So basically you're telling me you're done with me even though you're my father just because I am 18. What a wonderful birthday this is turning out to be." Venom oozed from my lips.

My Dad didn't seem to notice my anger. "You're 18 now and I see no reason I should continue to support you at this point. You're legally an adult now".The way he said it was cold and unattached.

I felt like he stabbed me in the gut. All these years he had never been the loving father I wished for but he also never was this cold. That moment something dawned on me. He never really saw me as his daughter. If he had he would not have stayed away my whole life. The way he acted now was the way you do when you're getting rid of something holding you back. To him, I am just the burden he never wanted.

We were both silent for what felt like forever. Finally, I said, "I will start looking for a job tomorrow."

"Good" was all he said before he hung up. I crumbled to the ground still clutching the phone unable to hold the tears back any longer.