Teach Me (GxG)

Ten

I told Noah to wait for me downstairs while I took a quick shower. I had to sit on the floor for too many of those shots, and I needed to clean myself up. The shower was quick and I was back downstairs in no time. I wore satin shorts and a matching satin tank top to match. I figured I didn't need to be too fancy since I was home. Avery was asleep on the couch, so that saved me from having to get her ice cream right now. She definitely wouldn't forget my kindness when she woke up.

We spent a lot of time working on a few different topics. I hadn't tutored her in a while and I needed to cram some things in there. After I finished I went to the kitchen to pour myself some water. At that moment, I heard the front door open.

"Peyton!" The familiar voice of my father called. What was he doing home so early? It was only midday.

I walked to greet him. "Good afternoon, father."

"You're finally using your manners. I don't know whether to be disappointed or impressed since it took you eighteen years."

Oh, how badly I wanted to roll my eyes at him in that very moment. I refrained, though. I pissed my dad off a lot-because he deserved it- but I did not feel like hearing the lectures and stern talks that would follow. I walked into the dining room to see a timid Noah. My dad's footsteps soon followed. He looked at the unfamiliar face before looking towards me. "And who might this young lady be, Peyton?"

"She's in the room. You could easily ask her."

"But I was asking you, Peyton." His voice was always stern, but this term it was lower, more agitated.

"Her name is Noah." Well technically I answered his question. I knew that he wanted me to go into more detail, but I was positive he didn't know about me having to become a peer tutor in order to graduate. My mom was the one who dealt with school-related matters, so if the counselor called, my mom definitely answered. Mom probably wouldn't tell him anyway. He was stubborn and way too angry and would go into a long speech about how much of a disappointment I could be if he knew.

"Peyton, may I speak to you in private." This time I rolled my eyes. I knew he wasn't really asking, but trying to seem polite since Noah was there. I followed him into the hallway.

"Yes, father?" I asked in a monotonous voice and leaned on the wall.

"I don't like your tone. As a matter of fact, I never like your tone. Your mother and I did a great job to raise you-"

I did something that I rarely do, and that was cut my dad off. "You mean Mom? How could you raise anyone when you are never home?" My blood pressure was rising exponentially. I was not about to listen to him spout bullshit. Not right now.

"Excuse me? All the things you see around this house are the reason I'm never home. None of it would be here if I didn't work as much."

I scoffed. "Don't. Don't even try to use that as an excuse.We live in a house with more guest rooms than occupied rooms and countless bathrooms that are so dusty because they're never used. We have multiple kitchens even though there is absolutely no reason for us to have extra ones. We have so much space that's unused and unneeded. That's all for your personal desires."

I could see the anger rising in his face. As if a part of him wanted to snap. But he was a businessman, he knew how to control himself enough.

"You're such an ungrateful little brat. You don't act as an eighteen year-old should. Instead you complain and cause more stress for the people around you. You think modeling is all there is life. Does your naive little brain think that you'll actually be able to keep up with that forever?"

I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. I wanted to yell and tell him how wrong he was. I wanted to tell him so many truthful things that would have angered him even more. But I didn't. Instead I walked away from him. To hell with him. I didn't need this right now.

I walked back to the dining room to see Noah there on her phone, earbuds in her ear. I tapped her lightly on her shoulder. "We can pick up again starting Monday. I'm gonna get some rest, so you should probably go now."

She smiled warmly and nodded before leaving. I watched as she stepped in her car and rode away. I didn't even care that she had a nice car but dingy clothes. What difference does it make? None, at all.

I trailed up the stairs and into my bedroom. I lie there thinking about what my dad had said. I was so used to hearing the constant disappointment in his voice that it hurt a lot less. It still hurt, but I would never let him see that. All he would do is tell me to toughen up.

Being alone with my thoughts was torturous, so I decided to call the only person who I felt I could talk to.

"So, have you thought about what I said?"

I rolled my eyes. "Wesley, now is not the time to be spewing nonsense about me and Noah being a thing."

"But think about it. It would be so unexpected but so cute. You know they say opposites attract."

"That was supposed to be about magnets and not people. Besides, I really don't want to talk about that, Wesley."

"How are you feeling? You seem down."

I chuckled dryly. "Well, besides my father making me feel like a disappointment constantly? I'm doing great, Wesley."

"Oh-uh-that's...I'm sorry, Peyton."

"Don't be. You didn't do anything."

"Well I still feel sorry for you. Your dad can be a dickhe- unpleasant to be around at times. I couldn't imagine living with him."

"Trust me, you would not want to imagine that."

"Do you remember when we were best friends-before you ditched me," he coughed, "we would always go to the dog park with our little puppies. We used to have so much fun there."

I tried to recall those suppressed memories. I was so happy being around Wesley. I was even happier since I had a huge crush on him.

"Lucy died last year. She had cancer." I tried to not choke up while saying that, but my voice cracked anyway.

"Oh. I'm sorry. You loved that dog so much. I remember you were so scared that Avery would be allergic to dogs and you would have to give Lucy up so you packed a suitcase just in case you had to run away."

I laughed so deeply because of that. I remembered that so vividly. I missed her so much. I felt a tear fall down my face. "Yeah. Those were fun times."

Wesley laughed some more before stopping. He probably heard me sniffling on the other end. "I'm sorry for ditching you, Wes. I should have never done that."

"Who even are you? Since when does Peyton Marie Elizabeth Wright apologize?"

I sat up in my bed. "Look, I'm not always a stubborn person. Just accept my apology."

"I will, if that means you date me."

"I don't date anyone."

"Last time I checked, my name was 'Wesley' and not 'anyone.'"

"Nice try, lover boy. But you're a few years too late."

He sighed in such a melodramatic way that I rolled my eyes, picturing how stupid he looked in person. "Well, it was worth a try. But that's okay. You're just too smitten by Noah to be with anyone else."

"Wesley, I will castrate you."

"Aww how sweet. You want all my kids." I shivered in disgust.

"I am definitely gonna hang up now."