The Older We Get

Chapter 9

               "What's up with the outfit?" Dad lifts his eyes to me, the healthy face he prides so well going over my work out clothes and baggy hoody with my barely brushed hair in two loose braids before I set down my bag to look around in case mom is in the kitchen. I'm guessing she's doing some work on her computer upstairs so no need to sneak but I'm going to anyway. "Sage?" The newspaper in his hand falls into a fold so he can see me better.

               Hello dad.

               "Sh." I smile and tip toe over to take over the ottoman that were comforting his socked feet while he briefly laughs at my actions. I'm always going to be a bit of a goof so I suppose this is a given he'd enjoy it. "Dad, guess what." I raise my eyebrows.

               "You've taken to sneaking out of the house to go running with Joshua?"

               Aha...ha.

               "No." I speak without moving my teeth. "Dad this is important. What I'm about to tell you could revolutionize the entire state as we know it. Sh1t could go down because of this development. It's high priority, and must be kept secure in our secrets."

               "You want us to keep this from mom?" He tilts his head a bit in surprise. "Living wildly. I see, I see." He pats my shoulder almost like I'm a son, but he remedies and balances it out with a cup of my cheek like he used to do when I was his little princess. "Ok, I'm listening."

               "Yesterday, I went to the school to talk to one of my teachers, Coach Rob, because I had a few questions for him and he had a favor to ask of me."

               "What'd you want to ask him?"

               "Just some stuff concerning my future and all that. Anyway, he asked me if this year, for the freshman only, if it'd be ok to help him sort of co-teach the class since there are more kids than usual. I mean I'm pretty sure he was just doing it to be nice, and he said he spoke it over with the principal and even said I could get paid-"

               "Sage-"

               "I'm not getting paid." I widen my eyes in panic that he assumes I am, the act of my lids going bigger not taking him off guard since he's known me since...well since I was born. I don't think I necessarily look like a freak when I widen my eyes. They don't look like they're going to pop out of my head or anything, but people always said sh1t about me looking like a doll with big eyes or even one of those Japanese characters.

               What was I thinking about?

               Ah. Right.

               "I don't need that, but I did sit around today. It didn't affect my schedule either, they've already arranged some loopholes, but the thing is, I know how mom gets when she thinks about me reverting to my old sporty habits. Thing is, I've been dying just hanging around girls and-"

               "You have been getting pale." My father muses.

               "Haha...But this is a perfect outlet. I won't feel so suffocated. I really want to show mom that I could be successful like this. I really don't want to be a doctor and go to New York. I mean college, more than likely I'll go but, not that way. That's not what I want. So if we could keep it a secret for now?"

               "It's not going to be a surprise. It's going to be a ton of bricks. You're mom is a bit high strung when it comes to that N.Y. plan, if ya haven't noticed. Hmmm?"