My Neighbor

Chapter 28: Decisions

"So I'm going to visit some schools in two weeks," I tell Landon.

"Sweet. What schools are you going to visit?" He looks up at me from my lap where his head was gently placed.

"Hm, I might visit Columbus State. Maybe Kennesaw and Armstrong Atlantic. I also applied to Savannah State but I'm going to visit that school in January next year."

"So are you ready to meet my dad?"

"Of course. " He sits up and looks at me. "You think he'll like me?"

"Of course. You're amazing. Anyone that doesn't like you are crazy lunatics," he says.

I smile and lean forward to press a kiss to his lips.

"Okay." I move away from him so that I could stand up and move towards my bathroom. "Your dad will be here in a couple of hours so I'm going to go ahead and shower so that I can get ready."

***

I never liked meeting new people. My anxiety was crazy when it came to meeting new people. Taking a deep breath, I play with the fork on the table. Landon had taken a notice to my behavior and placed his hand on top of mine in an effort to calm me down.

His father -- a literal replica of him -- sat casually across from me. He finally glances up his eyes darting directly to me. His gaze was skeptical, speculating.

"So, Kayla tell me something about yourself," he comments in an effort to appease the awkward intensity in the room.

"Well, I take advanced classes." I start to say but quickly stop squinting my eyes at Landon's father. " I'm sorry, Mr. Robinson I don't know what to say to you," I admit looking over at Landon.

"Well, Garrison, how's your wife?" Landon's mom, Sherrie interceded taking a large gulp of her red liquid in her long stemmed wine glass. "See you decided not to bring her."

"Not that its any of your business, she couldn't take off of work this weekend," Garrison replied matter-of-factly.

Sherrie rolls her eyes and leaned back glaring at him with a distinct amount of animosity.

"Surprised the bimbo has a job," she snarled under her breath. "Why are you here exactly?"

"I wanted to see my kid," he says in a dry tone.

"Oh, the kid you rarely see?" Sherrie cocked a brow as her eyes bore into him in inquiry. The back and forth between Landon's parents only made the nervous, jittery feeling in my body  more intense.

"Sherrie." His voice had dropped, yet remained dangerously calm.

"No need to answer the question, Gar. You have proven that enough," she spoke taking another sip from her cup. "If you all would excuse me." She forced a smile standing up from her seat and walking out of the room.

The room grew thick with even more awkward tension.

"Well that went well," Mr. Robinson scoffs his voice drowning in sarcasm.

Anxious for this dinner to be over with I found myself glaring down at my half eaten smothered baked chicken.

"Do you know what school you're choosing to go to, Kayla?" His father asks attempting to ease the tension in the room, once again.

"I'm not quite sure yet," I answer lifting my head so that I could look at him.

He seemed a lot more at ease now that Landon's mother had exited the room. He sat casually in his chair staring at me in curiosity.