wrong number ; jack gilinsky

epilogue: part one

there was an awkward silence as all four of us exchanged looks.

"good morning, mrs richards" jack greeted as she replied with a small smile.

"i'll, uh, text you" i told jack to relieve this awkward tension as quick as possible.

he agreed, promptly kissing my cheek before leaving the house.

"...is he your boyfriend?" mom looked up at me as she stirred her coffee.

"yeah" i bluntly replied, fancying some orange juice instead of water from the fridge.

"did he stay the night?" she added. "i hope you were safe, dakota".

i frowned, "what, so now you're worried about me and not looking at me as if i was the reason that dad left and not his drug addiction?".

my response drew a silence in the room until i glanced over at the front door and couldn't see my father's worn out shoes thrown carelessly by it.

"speaking of him, where is he?" i sipped my drink. "doing a line of coke in the bathroom?".

mom and nate stared at one another before she gave in and spoke up.

"i kicked him out, dakota".

i scoffed, "good".

"i found drugs in his bag and..." mom paused her sentence and gently closed her eyes. she seemed like she could barely continue whilst nate gave her sympathetic sigh.

"he came home high and got angry at your mom" nate placed his cereal bowl in the sink. "he slapped her, dakota".

my eyes widened, leaving me to immediately feel bad for my attitude towards her.

"oh my god, mom" i came and held her hand. "are you okay?".

"don't worry about me, sweetie" she smoothed down my hair. "i'm sorry for taking everything out on you, you were only doing what you thought was best and it was".

"yeah, i'm sorry too" nate added on. "we don't need that monster in our lives".

i smiled lightly at them both - i woke up this morning ecstatic about jack and i, but dreading the thought of my dad being back in my family's lives.

but now that he's officially gone, i can finally breathe and feel like i have nothing else to worry about now.

"now come on," mom patted the island chair beside her. "tell me about the gilinskys' son".

"tell you what?" i sat down and laughed with embarrassment.

"last time i checked you told me that you two decided to stay friends" she raised her brows.

"things changed".

"you mean you forgave him after he slept with his ex-girlfriend again" nate revealed, keeping his eyes glued to his phone.

"nate, shut up!" i exclaimed. i looked at my mom and caught the worried expression on her face.

"dakota, i don't want this boy hurting you" she said. "are you sure you know what you're doing?".

"yes, mom. i really like him, i promise" i smiled, feeling butterflies circle my stomach just at the thought of jack in my head.

+

later that day, jack texted me to say that there was a small football win pool party at connor's tonight. i didn't even manage to ask hum how the game went last night because we were a little too preoccupied.