The Space Between Us (In Progress)
written by ☆kiola-the-iola☆
Gemma Butler's mom died a year ago, and ever since then, her family's been broke, because her dad doesn't want to move on from the job he had when her mother died. She's had to parent her little brother, Israel, at seventeen. What's more, her friends don't get it, and so when she does something stupid, they disown her. Finally, as Gemma sees how desperate their situation is, she tells her dad to move on. She means get a better job or something like that. But that's not how he takes it. Suddenly, her dad is never around. Her rock is gone! And then she finds out why- he's engaged to a movie star! And she has to move to New York City. Gemma feels like she's betrayed her mom. How will she deal with all of this while she's trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life?
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
4
Reads
749
Chapter Two
Chapter 2
My dad walks in the door at eight that evening. He has a dopey smile on his face.
“Hi, Gembear.” I glare,
“Where have you been, Dad?” He looks up at my sharp tone.
“What do you mean?”
His confused tone makes me crack. He’s been gone all week, and I’ve had to deal with cooking, cleaning, and now Josef.
“You’re always gone, Dad! You used to always be here. You were my rock! But something changed, and now you’re always gone! I’m tired of caring for Israel alone. It’s hard enough acting as a mom at seventeen, but doing it alone? This last week has been the longest in my life!” My dad seems taken aback that I would be so affected.
“Gemmy, there’s a reason!” I just turn and walk out. There shouldn’t be a reason that’s more important than his only kids.
I drive to the cafe downtown. As soon as I park and get out, someone puts their arm around my shoulders. I shrug it off and walk faster, but Josef’s voice rings out.
“Wait, Gemma! I have a deal. About Israel.” I slowly turn.
“Yes?” Josef’s signature smile is on his face as he walks up to me.
“If you go on a date with me, I’ll never talk to Israel again.” I narrow my eyes.
“Right now?” He nods. I sigh and almost refuse, but then think about Israel turning out like Josef: lost and aimless.
“Okay,” I sigh. Josef’s smirk widens.
“Great. Let’s go to the cafe, since it’s right here.” He holds out his hand. I say a little prayer and then lace my fingers through his. We walk in the door.
…..
Josef has an arm around my waist. We're waiting for the check. Despite my misgivings, I grudgingly admit that I had a teensy amount of fun, though I still don't want him around Israel.
"So, Gemma, you have a decision to make." I turn to him, confused.
"What do you mean?"
"Choose: another date with me tomorrow, or Israel being friends with me." I gasp.
"You dirty liar!" I try to stand up and walk away, but Josef puts his hands on my waist and anchors me down.
"So, Gem, what's your decision?" I cross my arms, think of Israel, and mumble,
"I'll go on another date with you." He smiles,
"Thanks, Big Sister." I glare. I know he's probably just going to keep making me go on dates with him, but I have to keep Israel safe, even if it means dating a jerk.
Josef drives me home. I walk in the house at nine. My dad runs up to me.
"Gemma! Where were you?" I stare at his splotchy cheeks. Then I keep walking forward passing him as I say,
"At the cafe." He tries to get me to talk, but I'm not done being mad at him. He eventually stops trying and goes to watch something with Israel.
The minute he's out of the room, I start to cry.
.....
It's been a week since my first date with Josef. I'm currently sitting at a table for our fourth date.
Josef sits down and orders for both of us, as usual. We eat and he makes small talk. He kisses me and I stare into the space behind his head.
After a moment of silence, I look up to find him staring at me intently. I raise my eyebrow and he leans forward.
"I know where your dad goes every day." Subconsciously, my body leans towards him.
"He goes to a club." I shift in my chair, shocked.
"Why?" Josef grins,
"To meet a woman by the name of Leeanna Dershish."
"The movie actress? The one who's husband just died?" I gape. He nods.
"She lives in New York, but is here in Texas for vacation." I try to speak, but my voice is gone.
"He's leaving Mom behind. Because of me. I told him to, but I didn't mean by falling in love!" My hurt and feeling of betrayal turns into anger. "He should know what it feels like to be left behind, to be downgraded for love. And I aim to show him."
I grab Josef's shirt, yank him forward, and plant my lips on his.
.....
I giggle as Josef pulls me so I'm sitting on his lap. My knees sink into my family's old couch as he pecks at my nose. I sink my hands into his light brown curls, leaning my forehead against his.
I've become an amazing actress these past few days. My dad and Israel think we're actually dating. Everytime I go on a date and just don't show up to dinner, I know my dad's getting closer to knowing how I feel.
My dad walks in as Josef uses my waist to pull me closer. I know he's there, but I just continue on with business. I lick my thumb and use it to scrub my lipgloss off Josef’s neck. My dad clears his throat.
"Gemma?" I smile at him sweetly.
"What?"
"If you and your… boyfriend are going to be kissing like this, I'd rather you went somewhere else." I shrug.
"We like it here." I hear a sharp intake of breath from my dad that signals his anger.
"Get out of this house and take your boyfriend with you." I spin around and lean back into Josef.
"Too bad. My name's on the title deeds. You can't kick me out." He rolls his shoulders back.
"I'm still your father. I said, get out!" I raise my chin,
"I'm only leaving if you start staying." He sighs.
"That's what this is about. Well, Gembear, I guess this is a good time to make my announcement." I narrow my eyes as Dad gets Israel.
The minute he starts talking my stomach erupts with an anxiety stomach ache.
"Kids, I'd like you to meet someone special." I press deeper into Josef's warmth. He wraps his arms around me and holds me tight. As we watch, a beautiful woman steps into view. Leeanna Dershish, to be exact.
"Kids, I'm proud to announce that Leeanna and I are engaged. We're getting married!" I gasp. Israel starts to cry,
"What about Mom? Are we going to move to New York?" My dad doesn't answer the mom question. He does confirm that we're moving to New York at the end of May, in two months. I bury my face in Josef's neck. He softly kisses mine.
"I don't think they took that very well, Babe," comes Leeanna Dershish's voice. I slowly realize that I'm going to be Leeanna Dershish's stepdaughter! I'm going to be known to everyone in the world- and my family's financial problems will be solved.
But what about Mom? Isn't Dad betraying her? Isn't it my fault that he's remarrying?
Am I a traitor?
“Hi, Gembear.” I glare,
“Where have you been, Dad?” He looks up at my sharp tone.
“What do you mean?”
His confused tone makes me crack. He’s been gone all week, and I’ve had to deal with cooking, cleaning, and now Josef.
“You’re always gone, Dad! You used to always be here. You were my rock! But something changed, and now you’re always gone! I’m tired of caring for Israel alone. It’s hard enough acting as a mom at seventeen, but doing it alone? This last week has been the longest in my life!” My dad seems taken aback that I would be so affected.
“Gemmy, there’s a reason!” I just turn and walk out. There shouldn’t be a reason that’s more important than his only kids.
I drive to the cafe downtown. As soon as I park and get out, someone puts their arm around my shoulders. I shrug it off and walk faster, but Josef’s voice rings out.
“Wait, Gemma! I have a deal. About Israel.” I slowly turn.
“Yes?” Josef’s signature smile is on his face as he walks up to me.
“If you go on a date with me, I’ll never talk to Israel again.” I narrow my eyes.
“Right now?” He nods. I sigh and almost refuse, but then think about Israel turning out like Josef: lost and aimless.
“Okay,” I sigh. Josef’s smirk widens.
“Great. Let’s go to the cafe, since it’s right here.” He holds out his hand. I say a little prayer and then lace my fingers through his. We walk in the door.
…..
Josef has an arm around my waist. We're waiting for the check. Despite my misgivings, I grudgingly admit that I had a teensy amount of fun, though I still don't want him around Israel.
"So, Gemma, you have a decision to make." I turn to him, confused.
"What do you mean?"
"Choose: another date with me tomorrow, or Israel being friends with me." I gasp.
"You dirty liar!" I try to stand up and walk away, but Josef puts his hands on my waist and anchors me down.
"So, Gem, what's your decision?" I cross my arms, think of Israel, and mumble,
"I'll go on another date with you." He smiles,
"Thanks, Big Sister." I glare. I know he's probably just going to keep making me go on dates with him, but I have to keep Israel safe, even if it means dating a jerk.
Josef drives me home. I walk in the house at nine. My dad runs up to me.
"Gemma! Where were you?" I stare at his splotchy cheeks. Then I keep walking forward passing him as I say,
"At the cafe." He tries to get me to talk, but I'm not done being mad at him. He eventually stops trying and goes to watch something with Israel.
The minute he's out of the room, I start to cry.
.....
It's been a week since my first date with Josef. I'm currently sitting at a table for our fourth date.
Josef sits down and orders for both of us, as usual. We eat and he makes small talk. He kisses me and I stare into the space behind his head.
After a moment of silence, I look up to find him staring at me intently. I raise my eyebrow and he leans forward.
"I know where your dad goes every day." Subconsciously, my body leans towards him.
"He goes to a club." I shift in my chair, shocked.
"Why?" Josef grins,
"To meet a woman by the name of Leeanna Dershish."
"The movie actress? The one who's husband just died?" I gape. He nods.
"She lives in New York, but is here in Texas for vacation." I try to speak, but my voice is gone.
"He's leaving Mom behind. Because of me. I told him to, but I didn't mean by falling in love!" My hurt and feeling of betrayal turns into anger. "He should know what it feels like to be left behind, to be downgraded for love. And I aim to show him."
I grab Josef's shirt, yank him forward, and plant my lips on his.
.....
I giggle as Josef pulls me so I'm sitting on his lap. My knees sink into my family's old couch as he pecks at my nose. I sink my hands into his light brown curls, leaning my forehead against his.
I've become an amazing actress these past few days. My dad and Israel think we're actually dating. Everytime I go on a date and just don't show up to dinner, I know my dad's getting closer to knowing how I feel.
My dad walks in as Josef uses my waist to pull me closer. I know he's there, but I just continue on with business. I lick my thumb and use it to scrub my lipgloss off Josef’s neck. My dad clears his throat.
"Gemma?" I smile at him sweetly.
"What?"
"If you and your… boyfriend are going to be kissing like this, I'd rather you went somewhere else." I shrug.
"We like it here." I hear a sharp intake of breath from my dad that signals his anger.
"Get out of this house and take your boyfriend with you." I spin around and lean back into Josef.
"Too bad. My name's on the title deeds. You can't kick me out." He rolls his shoulders back.
"I'm still your father. I said, get out!" I raise my chin,
"I'm only leaving if you start staying." He sighs.
"That's what this is about. Well, Gembear, I guess this is a good time to make my announcement." I narrow my eyes as Dad gets Israel.
The minute he starts talking my stomach erupts with an anxiety stomach ache.
"Kids, I'd like you to meet someone special." I press deeper into Josef's warmth. He wraps his arms around me and holds me tight. As we watch, a beautiful woman steps into view. Leeanna Dershish, to be exact.
"Kids, I'm proud to announce that Leeanna and I are engaged. We're getting married!" I gasp. Israel starts to cry,
"What about Mom? Are we going to move to New York?" My dad doesn't answer the mom question. He does confirm that we're moving to New York at the end of May, in two months. I bury my face in Josef's neck. He softly kisses mine.
"I don't think they took that very well, Babe," comes Leeanna Dershish's voice. I slowly realize that I'm going to be Leeanna Dershish's stepdaughter! I'm going to be known to everyone in the world- and my family's financial problems will be solved.
But what about Mom? Isn't Dad betraying her? Isn't it my fault that he's remarrying?
Am I a traitor?
