The Boy Who Cared For My Bruises And Scars

part 13

The next few days were bliss in my eyes. I would go to my new school, where I had made many new friends, and come home to be with my dad the rest of the day. We would watch movies, go to interesting, new restaraunts, play board games, shop... Things that I had been wanting to do since I was five.

We laughed a lot because our humor was simliar. I could see I was wired the same way as him. Being close to someone who was a part of me was a different way of life. He understood me and I understood him. This was the life I had been aiming for, for me and for him.

Dana kept calling and leaving me messages, I would leave her messages back to tell her I was fine. I told her I was staying at Rachel's, but was with Teddy all day. She kept asking for me to come home, but I kept telling her I needed to be with my friends right now. She seemed to believe my lies through my gritted teeth. It hurt that she couldn't see this lie like she had so many times before. I guess she thought I needed some time to heal with friends after seeing my dad. Thats what my mind assumed. I was stupid for assuming.

It had been a week since I had come in to move with my dad. He looked better everyday. His eyes started to fill with life again. The alcoholic drinks were dissapearing. I don't know if he was still drinking them, but they weren't in the house anymore. We were making progress. 

On Friday night, while eating spagetti at the dinner table, we started talking about Teddy. He had suddenly become interested after that night Teddy took me to the graveyard. This was the first time he had asked about him.

"So,"' he said, between his 3rd and 4th bite of spagetti. "What is his name?"

"Teddy."

"Teddy? That's his actual name?"

"It's Ted. But no one ever calls him that." He nodded and shoved more spagetti in his mouth.

"Are you two serious?" I smiled and looked down at my plate.

"Yeah, I think so." My cheeks flushed with embarrassment. So did my dad's. He just nodded. Not having a daughter in your house for 12 years could make these conversations awkward and raw. He didn't know how to talk about boys, or drama, or shopping... Thats what a mom was for. But I had that with Dana. Now I needed a father figure.

"You should invite him over for dinner on Sunday," he said, interupting my thoughts.

"Really, dad?" 

"Yes really!" he nudged me with his elbow and we exchanged smiles. "I'm your father and I need to get to know him too." I took a second to just remember the expression on his face, and admire the light in his eyes. I had never seen that before. That light was something I never wanted taken away from me.

"So should I be a mean and strict "father of the girlfriend"? Or just laid-back and chill? Is he a punk? Because I will..." I stopped him with my laughter. 

"No Dad, he's great. You will love him as much as I do!" 

"Oh, okay. So it's love." we both started to eat our spagetti again. I could feel the excitment run up my spine. But I calmed myself down, for every other girl with a dad wouldn't get excited for her boyfriend to meet her dad. Usually the girl is dreading it and the boy is terrified. I was just crossing my fingers that Teddy would be up to meeting my dad after he heard about his past.

"I'll be nice." My dad winked at me and we finished our dinner in a peaceful silence.

~

"What are you doing tomorrow night?" I asked to break the silence of the breezy night. It was Saturday night. Teddy and I were lying under the stars in the trunk of his truck. I was lying in his strong arms. My hand was stroking his stomach, for he loved that. I could hear his lips perch into a big smile every few minutes. The night was perfect, and the mood was set. Now was the time to ask him to meet my dad.