Smile For Me (Student/Teacher)

Abdonment 101

"It's not fucking funny."

"That really sucks, though." Connor said, wiping laughter tears from his face. I was still laughing. "No more wine for Diana." Connor said.

And we did our usual. We talked like teenagers who had no idea what they wanted with their lives and got really, really drunk.

...
Months passed. And when graduation day came, I was afraid to even look at Charlie.
Because that was the day I decided I would tell him.

I would tell him that I had applied to a liberal arts school in New Jersey, and that I got accepted. I would tell him that I would be moving halfway across the country for four- maybe more- years. I had known for a while prior to that day. April 23rd. Charlie introduced me to his father that day. 

Him and his father were not close. There would always be tension; one that would just sit in the air as if it were to not even attempt to make itself comfortable. A tension that nothing could erase. But his father made an effort, and Charlie was suspicious.

"Daniella?" His father had greeted me with a hand out.

"Diana." I corrected with a smile, and took his hand. His father was tall, like Charlie. Held a bold voice, like Charlie. His father had the same glare just like Charlie, but most if all what I could see- something Charlie never would- was that his father held remorse. Self hatred. Like Charlie once had. I'm not sure whether this man's self-hatred was inflicted by the fact that he was absent most of his only son's depressing life, or maybe the fact that his had abandoned. The idea of that in itself hurt me.

Charlie's father had dinner with us, talked with me most of the time. Charlie spoke little.
But when his father was almost out the door he turned to his son and said, "I like her. She's a good girl."

And that, I felt, was the first time Charlie's dad saw his eyes light up, and a small smile reach his lips. His smile of pride. He was proud he kept me, and proud his father was recognizing that. "You did good, Chance. Don't screw it up." And his father was out the door, and I was in Charlie's arms.

"I'm gonna try to call Austin, today."

"Why?" I asked, confused to why he had to break our moment by telling me that.

"To set things right. I want to be with you, Diana. I want Austin to see that."

I agreed, but Austin didn't. That night we drove separately back to my house, and my brothers were hosting their family dinner at my house. Charlie wasn't invited(under Austin's command) but Charlie said it was urgent.

I'll never forget, the moment we stepped into my house- my oldest brother looked up, and I held Charlie's hand. 

We all waited. We waited for Austin to say something, to react, for Charlie to apologize. But all that happened was Charlie leaving my side to stand right in front of Austin, both sharing a glare that was the way one would look off into a sunset too bright while staring out at the calmness of waves. It was a serene moment, but still. When Austin set his hand on Charlie's shoulder, they both stood strong, and Charlie did it back.

Then they hugged. 

James came over to me and threw an arm around my shoulders. "Diana Apollo, always attracting the old men." And I elbowed him in the ribs.

"You don't hurt her, alright? That's all I have to say." Austin said. "If I so much as hear you've made her cry over the pettiest argument, I'll fuck you up."