The Unknown Road

37 - Tessa

I know I told a white lie, but I don't want Matt to be angry with Archie. Not when there was clearly a reason as to why he'd been acting the way he had this afternoon.

"Doesn't seem like him to just call it off?" Matt asks, joining us in the kitchen. "He just dropped you off?"

I nod. "It was mostly me. I still had my essays to do so I wanted to use the time I had back to finish them."

Dad nods but again he doesn't look convinced. But when he stays quiet and just smiles at me, I'm grateful.

"I was going to say... he's been so excited. Looking forward to it for ages," Matt pushes and I can't help my reaction.

"I know... Did you think I wasn't?" I ask Matt, and my voice is harsher than I'd intended it to be.

He puts his hands up defensively. "Alright, I didn't mean it that way. Chill." He scoffs before he continues. "I just meant he would have at least joined you for homework. You guys are always working on that Art project. You're attached at the hip."

I test Matt's voice for any hint of sarcasm, but can't find any.

He'd given us a lot of stick over the last week, but true to his word he'd laid off us after Archie had spoken to him after we got back from Canterbury. But now things were slightly better.

I mean, he still got a bit funny when Archie disappeared into my room for nearly an hour before dinner on Thursday, but he also didn't rat us out to Dad when he got home, so that's something. Despite us not actually sleeping together since last week, I can imagine what sneaking off like that may have looked like to him.

"A bit too joined at the hip if you ask me..." Dad notes with a sly smile on his face. He looks like he's joking, but I can't help but think he's being serious.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Matt asks, and I'm actually surprised he asked that, given how he felt just a week ago. Me, though? I'm too shocked to answer after hearing those words come out of his mouth.

Dad looks at me and I know exactly what he's thinking before the words come out of his mouth.

"I'm not saying how you think I'm saying it."

I shake my head. "I love him, Dad."

He smiles. "I know that. But I just think a little bit of space will do the two of you some good. You're seventeen. Well... he is."

Matt looks at me, obviously wondering why I'm not kicking off. A week ago I probably would have done, but Dad had said exactly what I'd said in my message to Archie. We needed space.

"Believe it or not, you'll be amazed at how much space can help a relationship."

"Yeah right, Dad," Matt scoffs and walks away from us to the living room.

"I suppose we have been close," I say after a few seconds of silence. "Really close."

"And there's nothing wrong with that kiddo, okay. But I just want you to still be your own person. And I know that you're not the sort of person who lets themselves get behind on things."

I look up and roll my eyes. How does he know me this well?

"You've been in a honeymoon period for so long... and that's completely normal for teenagers. But it's okay to have moments where you want to kill each other. In fact I can guarantee there will be many more of those moments as the months and years go on."

"Years? Come on, Dad."

He laughs. "I have full faith that you guys are it for each other. Which is why I'm glad you've done the right thing in walking away today, before you say or do anything you'll regret."