My phone buzzed.
I grabbed it and a text from Calvin appeared.
You up for grabbing dinner tonight? I know this great Italian place.
I mentioned how much I loved italian food the last time we hung out.
I quickly typed up my answer, "Sure, what time?"
Just as I hit sent, Liam walked into my room.
I threw my phone onto the bed, "What Lee?"
"I need to borrow your car." He said.
If he borrowed my car then I couldn't meet up with Calvin. I had plans with my dad, and really didn't want to cancel.
"Liam, I don't know." I said, unsure.
"Please Owen. I promised Syd." He whined.
What's the worst that could happen? I could just have Calvin pick me up and drop me off before Liam got back.
"Fine. But if you crash it, you're dead." I settled on.
"Thank you, I owe you big time." He said with a grin.
My phone dinged again, I looked down at it and read, "I'll pick you up at six. See you then."
"Who's that?" Liam asked.
"Nobody. Don't worry about it." I responded.
Today was not the day he was going to find about Calvin and I. Knowing Liam, it wouldn't end the best way.
He walked toward me curious, "No, who is it?"
He lunnged toward my phone but I grabbed it first.
"Jesus, Liam. It's just Hollis, calm down." I lied.
"Oooh yeah, don't want for see Hollis' nudes." He said scrunching his nose.
I shook my head, annoyed but glad he bought it.
"Goodbye now, William." I said, clearly kicking him out of my bedroom.
He shook his head, "Au revoir, Owen Augustus."
.....
I heard my phone buzz.
Just pulled in.
I grabbed my phone and wallet and ran downstairs. I walked out the door anf saw my dad sitting in his red Alfa Romeo.
He clearly wasn't afraid to show his wealth through the cars he owned, emphasis on cars.
"Hey, thanks for agreeing to hang out." Calvin said as I got into the car.
"Yeah no problem." I answered.
He pulled out of the driveway and drove away.
We were seated at the back, a more quieter section. I bet twenty dollars that he tipped them off to put us here.
I had ended up just orders the basic spaghetti and meatballs. Everyone on the menu was hardcore italian that I couldn't even pronounce. Calvin took the fancier route of food.
"I've been watching some of your football highlights." Calvin brought up.
"Really?" I said, genuinely surprised by that.
"Yep, and you're really good too. I really wish I was there to see you play." He said.
I took a bite into my spaghetti, "You could come to college football games. I'm going to Waylon on a football scholarship anyway."
"I'd really love to, I'm hoping to try to make up for all the lost time. And that's so great Owen, is your girlfriend going to?" He asked.
I had forgotten that I told him about her.
"No, she's actually going to Saint Mary's. We're gonna try the whole long distance thing." I answered.
He paused, probably thinking something along the lines of, "Long distance doesn't work. Good luck with that."
"I think that's smart of you guys. I mean it wasn't like Kiersten and I expected to end up together given the circumstances." He said enthusiastically.
The circumstances? Like his wife and two sons back at home.
He realized his mistake, "I didn't mean it like that. Just considering we were just kids when we met."
I nodded and dove back into the pasta, " I know, dad. "
He smiled, pleased at the way I called him dad.
"Tell me about everything. Don't hold back, I want to get to know you." He said.
I out my fork down, thinking of where to start.
.....
Right as Calvin and I pulled back into the driveway, I knew I was fucked. Sitting on the porch was a really pissed off Liam Windess. Even though I was at least ten feet away, I could see the anger all over his face.
"What the fuck."
Those were the first words I heard Liam say when I got out of Calvin's car.
"What are you doing here?" I asked getting out of the car.
"Sydney canceled. What is hell is he doing here?" He said with a half mad, half confused expression.
"Liam, I can explain." I said to him.
"Explain what? That you're hanging out with our asshole dad behind me and mom's back." He yelled.
"Where's mom?" I asked.
"Esme's. What the fuck does that matter though?" Liam spat.
"Liam." Calvin said.
"No, don't fucking talk to me." Liam yelled in his face.
"Liam calm down." I said to him. I put my hands.on his shoulders, trying to steady him.
That is when his fists collided into my face. Pain went through my body and my vision was blurred in the moment.
I heard Calvin yell but I was too busy wrapped up in this fight with Liam. I punched him back and he stumbled backward a little.
And then the wrestling began. There was no way in hell that the neighbors weren't watching this. I could basically hear them talking about it.
"What the hell are Owen and William doing?"
"Who is that man with the boys?"
"Should we call the police or let Bee handle it?"
Calvin pulled us about and we both got up on our feet.
"Stop beating each other. You're acting like children." Calvin yelled.
"You can't tell me what to do, Calvin. You may be my father but you will never be my dad. And how would you know, it's not like you ever stuck around to see us as children." Liam said, telling him off.
Before either of us could say anything, Liam continued.
"Get the hell off the property and never come back. I'll be calling the cops next time." He said coldly.
And then he walked away, right into the house,
and he slammed the door, leaving Calvin and I standing outside in the cold.
.....
"Hey, let me choose the playlist first." She said before we left for the walk.
Luckily I was able to make the excuse to her that Beck and I were playing baseball and he socked me right in the face. She didn't buy it at first.
She stopped on the porch and went onto Spotify, I knew for a fact that she was going to click on the playlist called, "Hollis' playlist bc my music is of your league."
Made by Hollis Green herself.
"Blank space" by Taylor Swift started playing through the air pods. I couldn't say I was surprised considering this playlist was filled with Taylor Swift.
"Okay, let's go." She said.
I told Copper's leash and started walking him, he was eager to get going.
We walked for a few minutes, listening Taylor Swift, when Hollis spoke up.
"Have you gotten back to Waylon?"
"Yeah." I replied, "I accepted the football scholarship."
Silence.
She sighed but tried making it silent. Just the distant voices and sounds of of footsteps.
"Did you get back to Saint Mary's?" I asked her.
She nodded, "Yep. You're looking at a soon to be Saint Mary's student."
"That's great Holls." I forced myself to say.
I decided on saying what I actually wanted.
"What now?"
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"It's two hours apart, Holls." I pointed out.
She stayed silent for a little bit, thinking of the right response. What was the right response to that though?
"I don't know. We'll get through it." She finally said.
"Maybe-" I started.
"Owen can we move on? Let's not talk about this right now." She snapped.
I nodded, "Okay, sorry."
She skipped the song. Teenage dream how blaring.
I hated to say it but my girlfriend had the most vanilla type of music taste.
In front of us, walked by an elderly couple. They were holding hands, smiling and laughing.
"I hope that's us one day." I said gesturing towards the couple.
She slipped her hand into mine and smiled, "Me too."
"Have you reached out to your dad?" Hollis brought up.
Panic automatically set in. Did she know I met him in secret? Did she know I purposely hid it from her? What did Hollis know?
"No, why are you asking?" I said, trying to play it off cool.
"Chill. I'm just curious and good. Dad's are overrated anyway." She pointed out
Phew.
"Hey, I wouldn't be an overated dad." I added, "One day."
"True. Little baby Windess-Green will have an awesome dad." She said smiling.
I couldn't help but smile at that too, she thought about our future kid. Even better, she talked about.
"Copper, your sister is a weirdo." I said to the Copper golden retriever.
He just looked at me with his tongue dangling out of his mouth. Just normal Copper things. He had grown a lot since Christmas, though. He was a decent size now, not quite out of the puppy stage but not yet full grown.
"And your sister's boyfriend is even weirdo, and has bad taste in music." She said smirking to me.
"Wow thanks Hollis. Copper your sister is very judgey." I told Copper.
He honestly couldn't be bothered by us, he probably just wanted us to pick up our pace.
"Speaking of music, it's been twenty minutes. Can I finally have my one song?" I pleaded my case.
"You're the one with the phone." She shrugged
Fair point.
I opened up my phone and headed for the Spotify app. Accidentally, I clicked on the app next to Spotify, that app being Instagram.
I was about to exit out of it when a specific post caught my eye.
Brooklyn.green: some things are unexpected but a blessing. I was so lonely before you but now I have my new built in bestfriend. it's you and me against the world, baby boy.
I turned my phone towards Hollis so she could see. She grabbed it right out of my hand and read it carefully but quickly.
"We have to get back there." She said automatically.
"Why? Isn't this a good thing that she's finally happy about it." I asked.
"Yes but she's gonna get backlash, being the single lesbian who got pregnant at nineteen." Hollis started explaining.
"Isn't she bi-se-?" I pointed out.
"Owen stop being difficult." She said cutting me off.
"So much for my song." I commented.
"You have next pick, c'mon." She said while turning back to the Lennon-Green house.
.....
We started walking up the stairs when we stopped short at a familiar voice.
"Let me help you. Let me raise this baby with you."
"No Nik, I cant do that to you, I cant." Brooklyn responded, she sounded tired.
Annika.
"But I do. I want to, I want to do this. We can do this Brooke." Annika cried back.
I could see through the cracked door that Annika tried grabbing Brooklyn's hand.
Brooklyn pushed her off, "No Annika! I dont want this, I dont want you and I dont want you in the babies life. Just stop."
"Brooke, dont do this. I know what you need and you need me, I love you." Annika said back to her.
"Don't you get it Annika! I don't love you or even like you. Please just go, just please leave me alone." Brooklyn yelled, finally done with Annika.
"Fine, just remember you wanted this." Annika sneered while walking out.
On her way out she noticed Hollis and I. All she did was give us a death stare and roll her eyes.
She ran down the stairs and slammed the front door shut.
And then the crying started.
Owen.windess: women crush *sunday* dedicated to my ☀️ @hollis.green. also look at that beautiful smile
Thank you for reading this chapter. Please vote, comment, share and follow for more. Stay safe out there.
-Sophie