That Would Be Enough~ Hamilza Oneshots

~Growing Up (Burr and Theo bonding) {Modern AU}~

  Theo grasped at her curly dark hair and shrieked, "Would you just shut up?! God, I hate you!"

  In an instant, Aaron's heart exploded, and he was wide awake.

  He sighed as his hand came to his forehead. Icy silence frosted the air as they finally arrived at the school. After Theo left, Aaron felt the black sludge of guilt seep through him. What had he done? He hadn't meant for her to push him away; he just liked being involved in her life. If she had a problem, of course she could talk to him. He would always be there to help. And what was worse, she might really be struggling with something, and now Aaron would never know about it.

  Oh, Theo... I'm so sorry.

    Since he couldn't tell Theo herself that, he said it to himself. Over and over again. On his commute and throughout the work day, he kept repeating those words in his head. When it was time to pick Theo up after work, he didn't think his practice would be enough. He had no idea how he was going to face her. On the drive to her school, he decided to take a detour to a nearby pharmacy. There, he picked up candy, a little pot of flowers, and a movie Theo had been dying to  watch lately. Armed with his gifts, he felt slightly more prepared to face his daughter.

  "Hey, Dad," Theo said as she slumped into the car. Before saying anything, Aaron thrust the presents into her arms.

  "Here."

  Theo inspected the gifts, her brow furrowed, before saying, "What's this?"

  "I'm so sorry for how I snapped at you," Aaron finally said. The words tumbled out in one big sigh. "That wasn't right, how I tried to pry you. You deserve your privacy, and I'm really sorry."

  But Theo shifted uncomfortably. "No, Dad, I'm sorry. I was being a real bi- a brat. I'm just..." She sighed. "I'm such a dramatic teenager. I don't hate you. Of course I don't, why would I say something so stupid?" She dropped her head into her hands, letting out a miserable sigh.

  Aaron reached forward to put his arm around her, but then stopped himself. "If you ever need to talk... which you don't have to... I'm right here. And there's nothing you could possibly say or do to keep me from loving you."

  Theo peeked through her mess of fingers and gave a halfhearted smile. "Thanks, Dad." She shifted in her seat before saying, "Okay. Here goes... I like someone."

  Aaron's eyebrows shot up at those three words. Like all dads, they came as a total surprise to him. Sure, he should have expected to hear them, but he had never really considered that they would ever come. Especially not now.

  "And I have no idea what to do! When I see him, I freak out and make a fool of myself! It's so embarrassing!" She hid her reddening face with her hands, as if this mystery boy was in the car right then, listening to her every word. "We bumped into him and his friends at the mall yesterday. I didn't know how to talk to him. I felt ridiculous. And then when we split up, all my friends started making fun of me. That's why I was so upset in the car yesterday."

  Maintaining focus on the road and listening to his daughter pour her heart out at the same time was the most difficult bit of multitasking Aaron had ever done.

  "Hang on a second." Without another word, Aaron pulled the car into the parking lot of a strip mall.

  "Guess you finally got to pull me over, huh?" Theo asked with a smirk.

  Aaron chuckled. "That was my whole plan. So, tell me about this boy."

  Theo's smirk was quickly lost as her eyes went wide with panic. "Oh. Uh... you might not like him. He doesn't do drugs or anything like that, but..."