One Drunken Night

Chapter 26 (A Stab to the Heart)

I stuffed my hands in my pockets as I anxiously watched Dylan knock on my front door. What if Dylan can't convince them? What if my parents don't care if I'm failing as long as I stay away from Dylan? What if Mom and Dad put a restraining order on Dylan? What if they call the cops on him?

Okay, maybe the last two are a bit too much, but still anything can happen, especially with Dylan around. Rookie sat down beside my foot on the porch as we heard ruffling footsteps inside the house. There's no turning back now. God, I sound like a spy on an important mission when in reality, I'm just gonna support Dylan as much as I can.

Dylan rolled his eyes as he saw my nervous posture. "Relax, your parents aren't gonna like pull out a gun to shoot me just because they hate me. Don't be such a drama queen, Steph."

I was about to fire back a response when the door swung open, revealing Dad. Once he saw Dylan, his calm features swiftly changed to an enraged face. "What the hell are you doing here?" Dad normally isn't strict about anything, Mom is more tougher than he is and it surprised me to see his angry face even though it was kinda expected.

"Listen Mr. Coleman, I'm gonna be honest here--"

"That you really are a criminal on the loose and is planning to run my house with some thugs from your little gang? How come I don't find that surprising?" Dad cut him off sarcastically.

I saw Dylan's jaw tighten and I can see that he's trying his best to stay calm and not shout at my Dad for so rudely cutting him off. Dylan exhaled through his nostrils and started again. "Your daughter needs my help with this test tomorrow--"

"You're gonna cheat on the test tomorrow?" Dad gave me a disapproving look. "What the hell has he been brainwashing you with? And why are you outside when I clearly told you to stay in your room with Hailey? I'm gonna have a word with you two later. Come back inside, Steph." Dad grabbed my wrist but I forcefully pulled it away.

"Stop it Dad, at least listen to him for once." I protested.

"I don't want to hear anymore of his shitload of--"

"For the last time, listen to what I have to say." Dylan cut him off firmly, slowly loosing his temper. I saw him clench his fist and I placed a hand on top of it to keep him from loosing it. Dad kept quiet but glared daggers at Dylan. "You see pops, your daughter is failing calculus and we have this crappy test tomorrow. The teacher said she either gets a B in all her remaining quizzes or it's bye-bye to graduation day and hello summer school. I tutor her calculus and help her get a B if you let me in, if you don't, well, I guess I already told you what will happen if you don't. So what's it gonna be?" Dylan said more harshly than he intended to.

Dad looked between me and Dylan for a long minute then he sighed in defeat, making the corner of my mouth lift up a bit. "Fine, come in. You can go study in her room, but this will only be temporary." He said.

Dylan smirked and nodded. "It's just calculus Mr. Coleman, I'm sure you had difficulty too back then."

Dad finally calmed down and looked at Dylan. "Yes I did too and I don't want the same thing happening to her," he gestured me. He pointed the stairs and said. "Surely you still remember the way to her room."

"I'm right here." I said, annoyed that their talking as if I'm not even around.

"Go, I'll go tell Stella about our visitor." Dad told me and Dylan flashed him a charming smile to which Dad just shook his head.

We were making our way up the stairs when Dad called again. "Don't try thinking about getting rough up there, I will check on you two later."

I can't help my face from becoming the shade of a beetroot. "Shut up Dad!" I called back, making him laugh. Looks like old Dad is back.