The Boy Next Door

[29]

Dam-it!

"Because."

"Because why."

"You're making me nervous."

"And why is that."

"Because of what you did a week ago," I say.

"Exactly, I did it," he stated.

His fingers ran down my arm. I felt tingles creep up on the back of my spine.

I swatted his hand away. "Stop," I warned him.

All of the tingles and the feeling of a racing heartbeat stops because a certain car rolls up to my driveway and a certain man gets out.

My Father.

Ace stops everything that he's doing the taunting and teasing. He takes a step back and glances at the driveway then back to me.

"Who's that."

"My Father." I never told Ace that he was coming because he already has too much going on in his life. He doesn't even know what my father has done to me in the past. He just knows they are divorced.

"Do you want me to leave?"

"No stay, uh meet him."

"Are you sure you want me to do that?"

"Yes, but just a fair warning. Things might not go so well and I might not be so put together."

"What do you mean by that."

"Well he did something to me when my parents were together-"

"Mia stop. I get it divorces can be tough, I will be by your side."

"Thanks."

I take a deep breath and compose myself before turning the knob and opening the door to go downstairs and talk to my father.

****
"Mia my sweet girl it's so good to see you," my dad says while coming on for a hug.

I take a step back "Don't touch me."

"Mia manners," my mom says.

"I just want to talk," he states and takes a glance up at Ace. "And who's this."

"Ace Sterling," Ace says and sticks his hand out for my dad to shake and he does.

"So this is Ace Sterling, your parents have told me so much about you."

"You know my parents."

"Yes I do, I work with them. Well beside them."

Ace doesn't say anything. He tenses up. Maybe it's because someone mentioned his parents and Ace never had a normal bond with them.

"Let's take a seat at the table now shall we," my dad states.

We all walk over to the table and grab a seat. Ace is seated next to me and across from us are my parents.

Why does this start to feel like an interrogation?

"I heard you are quite the basketball star Ace," my dad says.

"Yeah I have been playing my whole life," Ace says.

"Aren't you the best on your team," he sips his wine. "Well second best, who was the other player you were telling me about Lucia."

"Jordan Meyers."