Mixed Feelings

22.

Riley

"Ooo someone is dressed up nice!" Giselle sung as I walked into the common room, I rolled my eyes at her as I continued to come over to join them all. Michelle and Hunter were nowhere to be seen and right now. That is probably a good thing
"And James is not so where is little Riley off to?" West smirked this time earning an eye roll from James
"Hey" He whined making me laugh

"My Dad wants to see me" I sighed making James offer me a sympathetic smile, he had been constantly offering to come with but I don't think this is the right time to rock that boat 

"More Daddy issues?" I heard Beth mutter under her breath as she took a seat opposite James 
"On that note, he's probably downstairs waiting" I said smiling at them all, James leant up pecking my lips offering me a smile once he was back in his original position

"See you later" He said making me nod
"See you guys" I continued before walking out of the common room
And to my dismay, Hunter Michelle and Eldon all walked in the moment I left 

"where are you going?" Eldon asked causing me to stop
"It's Dad's monthly meal today" I said making Eldon widen his eyes but both Hunter and Michelle weren't even the slightest bit bothered. They continued to walk into the common room

"I should get going" I said earning a sympathetic smile from Eldon, just like the one James had offered me moments prior to that

--

It wasn't long before Dad and I were sat in the same restaurant he brings me too each month. This month was different though, he was alone
There was no hidden catch, no hidden argument

Mum and Emily weren't here like they usual were which is what confused me the most

"How is school going?" He asked making me raise a brow slightly, not enough that would stem a snarky remark
"It's going well. I've transitioned well into my classes well and no teacher has expressed any issues" I explained 

Dad has never cared about the nitty gritty, he only wants to know what he needs to. He's never once cared about our feelings towards everything 
It's almost as if everything to him was a business meeting 

"Riley, there is a reason it's just the two of us today" he grumbled, I looked at him confused before taking a sip of water in the hope it would cure the dryness in my throat 

"Hunter and Michelle reached out" He said making me furrow my brows at him
"What about?" I asked, I was really hoping this wasn't about to be about James. They would know the backlash I would get from seeing someone - especially how the last one ended

"James?" he questioned making my breath hitch slightly
"We gave you a chance once when it came to a boy. And look where that ended you Riley? You almost lost everything - Are you prepared for that again?" He asked
I sighed looking down beginning to play with the corner of the napkin on my lap

"James isn't anything like Marcus" I said looking up at Dad. There was a moment of silence where he didn't say anything, he just look at me with a small questionable smile on his face

"And that you are certain?" Dad asked making me nod
"Yes" i answered, that would have been the most confident answer I have given in my entire life 

Dad nodded clearing his throat before glancing at me again
"Then I think, I need to meet the boy?" He offered making me nod
"When?" I asked 
We were now falling back into the movement of a business meeting but I don't think this one came with a catch

"how about now?" Dad said making me widen my eyes slightly.. Was James ready for that 

--

After lunch, Dad came back to the school with me. I had text James prewarning him to which he replied

James - I'll be in the common room, just so you know.. There are witness' x

I rolled my eyes at the text before Dad and I walked straight into the common room. Sure enough Hunter sat there with a dirty smirk on his face while Michelle looked a little guilty 
"Where is he?" Dad asked placing his hand on the square of my back, I shook my gaze off of Hunter and Michelle before turning to where James sat with Giselle and West.
To my luck, Beth was nowhere to be seen

"James" I called making his head snap around and the moment he did, a sense of fear washed over him while West tried to hold in a laugh which in turn earned an elbow from Giselle

Dad and I walked over where James met us rising to his feet, Dad looked James up and down before turning to me with a raised brow
He didn't mutter a word but while his gaze was not on James, James' eyes widened with fear before the calmed the moment Dad looked back at him

"It's nice to meet you son" Dad said offering his hand, James looked a little taken back but soon shook it
"It's nice to meet you too sir" James answered
That one sentence probably just won my Dad over 

"It's George" Dad confidently said only confirming that James was now in the good books