Senior Squad

30| "I'm Full Of Surprises."

Lyle

"Morning Dad."

"Good morning, Lyle." He came into the kitchen and ruffled my hair before grabbing a Granny Smith and taking a bite. "How's that project comin' along?"

"What project?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and wrinkling my nose in the process.

"The one you have to do with your friends."

"Oh, that's a planning committee." I explained. "We're actually supposed to come up with a proposal very soon."

"Well I hope it all goes smoothly."

"Thanks." I smiled.

He did the same and was about to speak up only for Mother to intervene.

"Do you know what day it is?"

"Uh... Friday?" I forced a crooked smile which got me a stony glare in return.

She folded her arms and huffed. "No, today is the annual church bake sale."

"Bake sale?" My ears perked up. "Ooh, that sounds delicious."

Mother scowled and shook her head. "You must've forgotten, but we're not there to buy goods. We are there to sell them."

"Then the profits go to charity?"

"Of course." Mother insisted. "Where else would they go?"

"I always thought our priest stashed some in his pocket."

"That's preposterous. Why would you ever think that?"

"Maybe because the last one did?" I squinted while forcing a crooked smile only for her to groan at my remark.

"Alright. Fair enough."

With that said, I grabbed my things and was nearly out the door when Mother stopped me again. "Wait."

I froze and awkwardly turned back to her. "Yes?"

"I looked onto your calendar and saw a marking that mentioned a date with Dominic." She crossed her arms and stepped forward. "Are you seeing someone?"

"No..." I slowly shook my head while clutching my shirt. "Not that I can think of."

"Dominic is a name of a boy. A date is for two people in love–"

"It's not an actual date." I lied through my teeth. "I just listed it as that because hangout sounds weird to me."

Mother nodded with a skeptical glare in her eyes while I gulped. Meanwhile, the bus honked outside.

"I've gotta go." I told her.

"Have a good day, sweetheart." Her words came off so cold yet completely natural at the same time.

I left in a snap and found myself breathing heavily even after finding a comfortable place on the bus. That was a close one. Knowing how both her and my father felt about boys such as myself... it could've gone much worse. I had to be more careful. Unfortunately, there were forces beyond me that I couldn't control. Somehow those forces always had a way of finding me. Whether I loved it or not.