Half a Heart

27. Cute Idiot

"Taylen Elouise, get your ass in here now!" Dad demanded from the living room.

I walked in and placed my hands on my hips, "What? I would like to eat before the food gets cold."

He looked at me with fire in his eyes, "I swear, little girl, get your ass in that corner now and do not get out until I tell you to. You're not eating supper tonight."

"The heck I'm not," I raised my voice slightly, "You need to sort your issues out and stop projecting them onto me."

Dad stood up off the couch quickly. The next thing I knew, he had ahold of my arm and was dragging me to the corner of the living room.

"Stop! That hurts!"

"Dad, that's enough! Go calm down," Carter's voice brought us back to the present.

Dad paused and looked at him, "Mind your business."

"I'm making this my business. Look at her. Her arm is white."

Dad let go and stomped outside. I stood in place trying to catch my breath. I had never seen my dad get so upset before, even with Carter who, lord help him, finds some sort of trouble to get into constantly. Dad's truck started and pulled out of the driveway.

"So quick question, why the hell are you acting like a spoiled brat?" he asked me with sass.

Does he really think I know?!? I really haven't a clue.

I shrugged and walked back into the kitchen.

"I'm seconds away from getting you a dose of that wooden spoon you threatened me with earlier. What is going on?"

"How do you know something is going on and that I'm not just done being a 'goody two shoes'?"

Carter has called me a goody two shoes for as long as I can remember.

"I know that something is going on because I know you. I know this behavior isn't you. What happened this weekend?"

I sighed, knowing he was right. I prided myself on being the good kid that acted like an adult.

"MasonkissedmeandIlikeditbutIstilllovePeter," I rushed it out of my mouth faster than I thought possible.

"Hold on...What?!" Carter was really good at hearing the fast talk, his girlfriend was probably the fastest talker I knew.

"Mason, Peter's brother, kissed you and you liked it, but you still love Peter? Sweetie, we gotta your life sorted out. I don't know how to handle these situations."

"Trust me, I know the feeling," I muttered.

"Ok, let's start with Mason. Do you like Mason as more than a friend?" Carter asked.

"I don't know," I groaned, "I'm pretty sure."

"Actually, I have a better idea. Go get a piece of paper and something to write with. I'm going to heat the sandwiches back up."

I saluted him and went up to my room. I grabbed the purple notebook I have in the basket beside my bed and a pen. When I went back down, Carter had our sandwiches back on the table, ready to eat. I sat down in my normal seat and he sat in Dad's.

He took the notebook and pen from me and drew four boxes. At the top of two of the boxes, he wrote Mason's name. In the top of the other two, he wrote Peter. It occurred to me that we were about to make a pros and cons list for my love triangle. He wrote the words in the boxes and asked me for a pro for Mason.

"Mason is kind," I replied.

"Is Peter not?" he asked.

"Yes."