honey » david dobrik au

twelve

"Hey, Dad," I smiled as simply as I could, attempting not to look too devious. "How was your day?"

"History is the worst class to teach, and the students in Vernon Hills are not a top notch bunch," he answered honestly as he looked through the kitchen cabinets for a snack. "What do you want from me, Honeybear? I know you hate small talk."

"Well..." I trailed off, fighting for the right words. "As you know, fall break is coming up next week."

"I do know that. I'm very excited to cherish my time with my two children that I feel like I haven't seen in weeks."

"Um, about that," I laughed, nervously picking at the ends of my blonde braid. "Ester invited me to go to Florida with her family. From Sunday to Friday. I was hoping—"

"Tell her no, Dad," Ben yelled from the couch. "Ester has an older brother."

"So?" I frowned at his opposition. "I go to Ester's all the time, and you don't see me shacking up with him now."

Lie. I actually was shacking up with David, but whether or not I went on vacation with the Dobrik family would not change that fact.

"Is David bringing a friend?" Ben asked.

"I don't know. I didn't interrogate her when she offered me a spot," I fired back. "Dad, please let me go! I promise to come back your same pure daughter, just a little bit tanner and a whole lot happier. Please! I never ask for anything."

"Talk to your mother when she gets home from work. Do you want spaghetti or grilled chicken and asparagus for dinner?"

"But that's a yes from you?" I couldn't help the smile growing on my face as I said it.

"Spaghetti or chicken?"

"Chicken. Yes?" I raised my eyebrows suggestively. "Please?"

"I want spaghetti."

"Shut up, Ben. Please?"

"I'm not allowed to make these decisions by myself, Honeybear, you know that."

"But I can tell Mom that you already said yes and I just need her approval."

He sighed, pulling the chicken and asparagus out of the fridge. I smiled at my win on the dinner front, and prayed it was foreshadowing a win on the vacation front. "Yes, you can tell Mom that I said yes."

"Thank you times a million!" I jumped on his back in pure joy, wrapping my arms around him and squeezing tightly. "I love you!"

"How is it possible that she gets everything she wants, but I'm the one who gets called a spoiled brat?" I could practically hear the eye roll in his voice.

"Because I'm sweeter than sugar," I cheekily grinned at him. "They called me Honey Vanilla for a reason, Benjamin. They knew I was something special from the moment I left the womb."

"Is that why they put you in those classes? Because you're special?" Ben smirked like he really owned me on that one. He kind of did, but I tried to keep my face from falling.

"You know, making fun of kids with learning disabilities is just cruel," then with a wink to Ben, I added, "right, Dad?"

"You're right. That's a terrible thing to say, Ben. I should make you write apology notes to every kid in the special ed program at Vernon Hills."

"Yeah, Ben," I smiled, and he stuck his middle finger up at me. I would've made a petty remark back, but I decided to quit while I was ahead, instead focusing on setting the table and helping my dad cook like the angel child I was. The more I helped him out, the more helpful he'd be in sweet talking Mom later.