AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Bria
Iwalked back into the living room, freshly changed from my beautiful pink gown into my pajamas. I hadn’t cried. And I didn’t feel all that sad. This was the way my life went when it came to my dad. I hadn’t expected for tonight to go any differently. Though I’d admit I was hoping it would.
Headlights shone through the window, and I watched Mom squint her eyes toward the door. She was upset—that was pretty clear.
“There’s my girl,” my father said as soon as he walked through the door. “Ready to go?”
Before I could open my mouth to answer, my mother was inches in front of his face. “For crying out loud, the dance ended hours ago. Where the hell have you been?” Her voice grew shaky as she stepped even closer. “One. Fucking. Night. You only had to keep it together for one night.” She tried to whisper, but I could still hear her.
I wasn’t supposed to know the truth. I was supposed to think my father was just horrible with time. Or that he was super busy. And maybe that was what Mom thought I believed at age ten.
But the truth was, my dad was a drug addict. And I had known for close to a year.
For whatever reason, guilt filled my belly when I saw his shoulders slump. He knew he had messed up. I hadn’t done anything wrong, yet I was the one who felt bad for him.
“It’s okay, Dad.” I shrugged, giving him a small smile. “I didn’t really want to go to that dance anyway. I’m sure it was lame.” Taking a step back, I held my hand up. “I’m super tired though. Think I’ll hit the hay.”
As I turned to head toward my room, my dad’s voice stopped me. “Bria, I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you.”
Craning my neck to look back at him, I kept the smile plastered on through the pain. “It’s really okay, Dad. Don’t worry about it. Night. Love you guys.”
I wanted him to not feel bad. I wanted him to believe that I really hadn’t wanted to go. What I didn’t want was to be the reason he needed to go get even higher because he felt guilty.
The truth was, I had wanted to go to the father-daughter dance. And once again, he had let me down.
The professor ending class snaps me out of my trance as the people around me close their books, quickly shuffling them into their bags.
Shutting my laptop, I slide it into its case and shove it into my messenger bag. I slowly drag myself toward the door, for once thankful that I have no work to distract me tonight. After my long run this morning, a trip to the campus whirlpool is what’s on the agenda tonight.
As I exit the classroom, Brody rests lazily with one foot cocked back on the wall. I don’t think half of the class gets past him without feeling the need to say hello. He acknowledges each and every person, saying hi back to them and giving the ladies one of his signature sweet grins.
When he spots me, he pushes off the wall, throwing his arm around me. “Day two into our pact, and I’ve already been tempted to take my clothes off multiple times. Figured that called for an emergency meeting or some shit. A man is only so strong.”
Looking over at him, I shake my head, unable to stop the smile from spreading. “Two days in, and you’re already struggling? This is going to be a long six months.”
Immediately, he stops walking. “Six months?” His mouth hangs open. “You never said anything about six months.”
“I’m joking. Relax.” I shrug. “Although…it could be six months. Heck, maybe longer. Only you’ll know when you’re all healed in there.” I poke his chest. “In your dark little soul.”
“Six months is half of a year. That’s, like…one hundred eighty-some days or something. I think I’d die. I think my penis would pack up and move away. And I wouldn’t blame him.”
“You’re so dramatic.” I snort. “Practice tonight?”
“No, ma’am. Just came from my second practice of the day.” He starts walking, dropping his arm from my shoulders. “What are your plans? Since I know it isn’t sex or drinking and you don’t strike me as the type to throw some bitches down, that doesn’t leave a whole lot.”
“Well, I’m sore from my run this morning, and I’ve heard there’s a pretty sweet Jacuzzi in the aquatics building. I’m hoping it’s accessible to all students.”
“It’s open to athletes,” he says quickly. “Need a special key card to get in.”
My lip pokes out. “That sucks. I’ve been thinking about that damn thing all day.”
Slowly, he holds a key card up to my face. “Good thing you know an athlete then, right?”
“Really?” My eyes light up. “Does that mean you’ll be joining me?”
“Fuck yeah, I will. Just gotta stop at my place and get my banana hammock. You’re like my sponsor. You have to keep me on the straight and narrow, so I can live to be a nun another day.”
“I am so not fit to be anyone’s sponsor,” I mutter. “And please, no banana hammocks. I can’t be seen with that.”
