Chapter 1

Did you ever have that feeling that everything was going your way for a change? A sudden alignment of occurrences, coincidences, and signs?

Good, because that was hours ago.

My name is Darcy Griffith and I'm 17, you're probably imagining me to be a tall awkward brunette who slouches all the time and wears a tacky blouse, jeans two times with white shoes. I am not.

I live in Detroit with my dad Burt Griffith who's a plumber__not the kind of job I imagined. When I was five years old, I asked what he did for a living, he said he 'saved people from drowning', I was pretty psyched about it till career day, the kids had a good laugh and he didn't take himself so seriously, the trait I'd be on my knees asking why it didn't pass on to me.

Anyway, we lived in a decent house in the suburbs, I grew up without knowing my mom till I was old enough and she seemed to be the WORST person in the world. Mila Griffith was self-obsessed, materialistic ,and had the temper of a bull terrier!.

Three years later my dad met another lady and her name's Jacqueline and she's a French Canadian illustrator who earned twice dad's salary. She's the nicest person you would ever have the privilege of meeting. No stereotypes intended.

I groaned when I accidentally turned on the white lights instead of the Red ones in the dark room. The pictures on the paper slowly vanished, they were ruined.

"Darcy!" Jacqueline called "Come on, I'm running out of time"

Agitated, I dumped the papers and switched off the lights in the darkroom, and hissed, stubbing my foot against a box. How I hated the dark.

Jacqueline was slender with full brown hair, green eyes, and thin lips, natural beauty but her lips needed more gloss, she wore a peach sweater with a pencil skirt, pantyhose with heels with a scarf around her neck. Hauling her luggage out the door. She pouted her lip.

I rolled my eyes, once again, she was taking advantage of the fact that I had a driver's license now.

She was off to meet a friend in Ottawa for his big reveal for his new book that had been published and a seminar.

"Fine"

"Merci!" She exclaimed, I put on my coat and brushed back my black hair. It was cold today.

The cars sped past us, my eyes kept straying to her side where she applied lipgloss and the rest of her makeup.

"I called your father from work that I was leaving today" She repeated the things I needed to be alert about despite giving me a list.

" I know" I shrugged taking a left turn, the airport was now in sight, I would miss her, it would be me and dad together at home. Collateral damage. Burt couldn't make a flapjack to save his own life, I had to live off candy for a week.

She gave me a sad smile "Look at you, you were only seventeen when I met you and now you're driving a car. I'll miss you" She cooed.

I watched as the luggage was conveyed to the X-ray machine. With a hug, she moved to the waiting area when the officer checked her in. Jacqueline turned a hesitant look back at me and I could swear I imagined her on the cover of a novel.

She waved.

"Au revoir!" Blowing me an air kiss, I blushed waving reluctantly, it felt like an old French movie.

The airport was filling up, I had to push through the crowd and get out, getting some fresh air. I ran to the car and tried to unlock the car, an old black sedan, the door was jammed.

Kicking it, it clicked open. This car needed replacement.

I finally got home to meet dad relaxing on the recliner, wolfing down a croissant and drinking coffee, watching a record of last night's football game. He was still in his blue jumpsuit and smelled like rusty pipes, his wispy brown hair had seen better days, soulful deep-seated brown eyes and he had a stubble!

"Back from work?" I asked and planted a kiss on his cheek. He grunted, God knew how he landed a hot lady like Jacqueline. I saw a bag full of snacks.

"I guess we're not cooking tonight"

I took off my coat and scarf relaxing on the couch, he didn't speak. If he was upset, he usually didn't come right out and say it till his mind was clear.

"How was school?"

I groaned, I had had about just enough of the semester, chemistry was the toughest I've had to face but I came out with a B -

"Boring, stressful....unnecessary" I draped over the couch, my hair draping over the floor. I did a little swing.

"Ok"

"How was work?"

"My client's dog died"

"Awful" I wondered how that had to do with his day but oh well. Something was bugging him but what?

"We're eating out tonight, is that okay with you?" He asked

"Where?"

"Hailey's" We didn't usually eat out with Jacqueline around but it sounded like a plan.

"I'm up for some father-daughter quality time," I said cheerfully, the most cheerful I had been in days. He grinned from ear to ear with his cup halfway to his mouth and I saw a dose of youth on his face. More handsome than before, he was an ok guy but this time his looks stood out.

We walked down the street my hands in my pockets, he wore a baseball cap, black sweater, and khakis, I wore a hoodie with jeans and sneakers. We decided the distance wasn't worth wasting the fuel so we took the bus instead.

We had steak with a side of steamed broccoli, rice and artichokes, and ice cream sundae for dessert at our favorite spot, by the window.

Dad and I shared a bowl and giggled about a weird commercial on the small TV hanging over at the counter.

"Tonight was fun," I said and gave his hand a little swing.

"Yeah," I noticed he looked over his shoulder a few times, I turned to see a man in black hung around a telephone stand. It was already dark and the streetlights came on. Few people were outside.

Another man was nursing a bottle of beer in front of a restaurant. We took three different turns. Dad's hand tightened on mine as soon as we walked past a guy wearing magenta, looking into his phone.

"Dad?" my voice trembled

"Run"