AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Once I step inside his classroom, he instructs me to shut the door and shuffles some papers on his desk. He’s nervous. No bossy teacher or big brother in sight. Damn it. I shut the door and move to the front row of desks, sliding on top of the one directly in front of his desk.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, my body relaxed but my nerves are heightening the more I pick up on his unease. “Dustin.”
“It’s Dad. He’s back in town and wants to see you.” My brother finally looks at me. “I told him it was up to you, but he’s saying it’s important and he really needs you to hear him out.”
“Of course he does.” I let out a long, slow breath, my hands rubbing over my face. The piece of shit has nothing to say that I’ll ever want to hear. “But I’m not interested.”
“I figured as much.” Dustin moves around his desk, his nervousness not lessening any.
“Is there something else?” I wait for a few seconds and watch him move around in silence before I ask again, “What are you not telling me?”
Dustin halts, looks over to me, and my stomach drops. I don’t like the expression on his face because I’ve only seen doubt on him a few times. “You should speak with him about it.”
“Not gonna happen. I’m asking you.”
My brother slowly moves away out from behind his desk and carefully props against the one beside me, his arms fold over his chest. “Dad’s down on his luck and doesn’t have anywhere to go.”
“Okay,” I reply bluntly. Maybe a little too harsh from Dustin’s shocked expression.
“That’s it? No questions?”
Why is he confused about my reaction? “What am I supposed to say to that? ‘Oh no, life isn’t working out great for the man who walked out on us. What can I do to make him feel better?’”
“He’s our father.”
“Nothing has changed. I don’t have a father. He’s already dead to me. Sorry if that’s not what you wanted me to say.”
“I know. But I can’t just turn my back on him. It’ll only be temporary, but I told him he can stay with us until he figures something else out.”
I thought Dustin was crazy when he asked me to play ball. Now he’s asking me to play house with the man who walked out on us years ago. And before that, when he was around, he was nothing but a tyrant who wouldn’t lift a finger for his kids. In fact, whenever he did “lift a finger” it usually involved him putting his fist through the wall (when we were lucky) or into us (when we weren’t).
Looking to my brother, I attempt to control my rage but it’s pointless. He can’t be serious. He can’t fall for that piece of shit’s sob story. “Are you fucking serious right now? You’re actually helping him? Gonna feel sorry for him after everything he’s done?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know. I guess I’m just not ready to completely turn my back on him.”
“Why not? He did that to us. You think he’d give a damn if the situation was reversed? The bastard wouldn’t even give us a sober second of his time. Now I’m supposed to feel sorry for him and share a dinner table with him? Or hell, he might bail on suppertime for some woman, and we won’t hear from him again until he decides to show up. Count me out. Fuck that and fuck you.”
Shoving off the desk, I head out of the classroom. And my brother lets me leave with not another word spoken between us, because this is so typical. The only thing we ever fight about usually involves the man who gave us life. But that’s where his impact on me stopped. Because everything I have is no thanks to him. And now, the one constant in my life, my brother, is on the wrong side regarding that worthless jackass. How can a person who hasn’t been around in years still make so many people miserable?
14
MORGAN
Where the fuck is Cade? Probably still pouting like he’s been doing the last few days. I don’t know what happened, but he’s been less of an in-your-face asshole and more of a silent mope around school. I don’t know what’s gotten to him, but I need him to fight back. So far, every chance I’ve gotten, he’s only walked away in a silent, disgruntled way. But after yesterday’s uneventfulness, I made sure to secure some excitement for today. And it’s about to get started.
“What is that face?” Ryder asks from beside me without looking up from his phone.
“Mind your business,” I retort, but I know my brother usually recognizes when I’m scheming before I even do.
Ryder shifts beside me but doesn’t look up from the device in his hand. “Morgan, it’s too early in the damn morning for this shit.”
“Does she have an off button any time of the day?” Ava mumbles, her stupid ass warming the bench on the opposite side of my brother.
“No,” Ryder quickly responds. And he’s right. So, they both might as well get the fuck over it.
Waving Neil over, I’m excited to see his silent brooding buddy a few steps behind. Even if Cade lingers, pretends not to socialize with us, I know he’s listening and aware of everything going on around him.
“Here, I brought you a coffee.” I pass Neil the beverage as he takes a seat beside me. “Just a way to say sorry for the trouble yesterday. Just ignore him.”
