The Ring

ten

            I was in my dad's office, alone,while he was coaching. I wanted to get out of the office and find Channing butsomething told me not to. So to pass time, I sat in a comfy lounge chair thatmy dad had in the corner and did my homework. Or at least I tried to. It washard to concentrate knowing that he was on the other side of the door. I wasstuck on a math problem when I heard the door. Assuming it was my dad, I didn'tlook up.

"Arewe going home now?" I asked.

"Um." That wasn't mydad. I mentally face-palmed. I turned my head to the left and saw Channinglooking at me. I put my pen and book down and sat up so that I didn't look soarched.

"Sorry, I thought you were mydad."

"Yeah. He left to getbandage tape but he said he had a little bit left in here." Channing explained,walking further into the room

"Oh okay." I simply said even thoughI was dying to say more. He didn't reply. He just walked behind my dad's deskand started searching threw the drawers. I discretely observed him. Hebrows were in a horizontal line as if he was concentrating. "Need help?" Iasked. He looked at me and didn't answer but continued to scurry through thedrawers. I figured he needed help so I stood up and went to help him. He movedaside a bit allowing me to assist. I could feel his gaze on me but I decided toignore it. I was beginning to feel uncomfortable but luckily I found the tapeand handed it to him.

"Thanks." His deep voice said.

"Mhmm." I hummed. Iwas about to walk away but I heard a voice.

"You know your dad admires you." Iheard him say. I turned around and saw him lean on my dad's chair, smiling tohimself. I saw him looking at something on my dad's desk. My eyes followedhis and landed on a photo of my dad and I from when I was 4.

"How come you saidthat?" I asked.

"I don't know." He mumbled. I walkeda bit closer to him, interested to where this conversation was going.

"Does it have to dowith your family?" I hinted.

"I guess."

"If you miss them,just call or something." I suggested.

"Mia, it really isn't that easy. Idid a lot of messed up shit." He said, his voice becoming thick.

"They're your family.They don't care." I reasoned. "And I am your friend, so I don't care." I said.He didn't reply again so I kept on talking. "Look, as a friend, I'm advisingyou talk to your family. People forgive each other and you'll feel a weight offyour shoulder after." After I had that little prattle, I realized how stupid Imist have sound.

"You actually want to be friends?"He question as if he was trying to hold in a laugh.

"Well, yeah." I saidalmost as if I was saying 'duh'. "It was your idea too, in the past."

"Fine. I'll pick you up at 9 andwe'll do something." He said.

"Why so late?"

"Doesn't matter. Wear somethingcomfortable." He added and walked out of the office. I was hesitant at firstconsidering it was a Wednesday but whatever.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I didn't dress too nice for this. Ihad no idea where we were going and last time, he took me to a diner so Iwasn't expecting anything extravagant. I settled on a black Victoria's SecretPink sweatshirt with white lines on the sleeves and black leggings. My hair wasin a ponytail and I didn't really bother with make up. I hope he meansextremely comfortable because that's how