Dedicated to LovelyAwkwardness for making my awesome cover!
A buzzing to my left drew me from my slumber.
I reached around for my cellphone groggily, passing keys and other objects. I finally grasped my phone and slowly brought it to my face. Crap, it's Dad.
"H-hello," I stuttered, rolling over onto my back, my stiff bed squeaking.
"Hello, Adam, could you come down to my office?" His gruff voice wasn't the best thing to hear in the morning.
"Now?" I sat straight up, blankets twisting into an odd mass.
"Yes now!" he spat.
"I'll be there in a second, bye Dad." I snapped my phone shut and hopped out of my bed's warmth. I really wasn't looking forward to seeing Dad that day. My break up the day before screwed up my whole mood that week.
Stumbling, I threw on a musty smelling white shirt and a crisp black blazer. My dad always expected me to look nice whenever confronting him.
"I had way too much last night," I said under my breath as I reached for a pair of black pants. The ringing in my ears and the pounding in my head was a sure sign of it. I looked at the clock, it told me that I had slept past one. Great.
After preparing myself, I grabbed my keys and cell phone and walked out the door.
"Hello Adam," Mya called from down the stairs. I waved to the apartment desk clerk and hopped down to where she was after locking my door. I smiled at her. "Where are you off to?" she asked sweetly.
"Visit my dad, I really got to go," I told her politely, still smelling a hint of last night on my breath. "I'll talk to you later." I looked back at her as I made my way out of the building.
"Bye Adam." Her white teeth shone and her bright green eyes twinkled. If it wasn't for her chunky glasses and conservative clothing she could've been hot. At least she was pleasant to talk to.
I hopped in my car and attempted to start the engine. Each time I tried to start my junker, it made the noises of what you'd expect a dying elephant to make. After another failed try, I thumped my hand against the peeling dashboard.
"Common you piece of shit, start." It continued the "I'm going to make you late game" with me. Finally, it started almost ten minutes later. "Thank God," I muttered as I shifted the clunker into drive. I pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road.
I drove through the streets, the good and the bad, to get to my dad's office. It was located in the heart of the city in a towering building.
I was roughly a mile away when my phone started to buzz. Cautiously, I picked it up, turning my head to it , then back at traffic, then to it again. It was a text.
From:Cameron
To: 555-8321
INSANE PARTAAAY Tonite @ Sharon's house @ 9:00 ~ You need to get over Cas - Be there Adam
I flipped my head back onto the road and smiled. I'd have something to do that night. I was going to forget about Cassy and just have some fun.
I pulled into the parking lot, my car huffing and puffing.
"I really need to get a new car," I said to myself, slamming it's scratched up door. I slipped my phone and keys into my pocket and made my way into the building. The elevator ride to my dad's floor always scared the hell out of me.
The sides were made of glass and he was on the twenty-first floor. I pushed the button of my desired destination and closed my eyes, awaiting the torturous trip to come.
"It's fine Adam, everything's alright." Holding my breath, I felt around in my pockets, coming across cold keys and a crappy phone. Soon, it was over.
The door slid open and I opened my eyes. Desks, closed doors, and busy people were everywhere. I dodged suited workers and cautiously traveled to my dad's office. He ran this whole operation from commanding people to deciding their next financial moves.
What always surprised me was that this was a children's book publishing company. Actually, it was more that my dad, of all people, would be the owner. He considered divorcing my mom when she told him that she wanted to be a foster parent. He hated children with a passion.
"Hello Adam," my father bellowed in his scratchy voice when I entered his office. "Please close the door." I cautiously shut it once I was inside.
"Hi, dad." He puffed his cigar and blew the smoke in my face as I sat down. He chuckled deeply and punched me playfully in the shoulder.
"How's ma' boy?" He reached over his desk, expecting a handshake. I slipped my hand, which was miniscule in comparison, into his clutch. His dry, gigantic hands clamped onto mine and he exaggeratedly shook it. I half expected his skin to flake and peel right then and there.
"Um, good." I rubbed the place where he punched me after my hand was releasedfrom his death grip. It was beet red and it was covered in hand print shaped marks.
"How's your girlfriend Carey?" He grinned, showing his real teeth and his gold molars.
"It's Cassy," I choked, "And we broke up." I avoided making contact with his eyes, because mine were starting to get a little watery. I was always a wimp when it came to girls. I could never get one. Cassy was my first real relationship and we'd met through friends so I didn't have to do much. It was a difficult break-up for me. For her? Not so much.
"Sorry to hear that Adam." He didn't look like he was sorry to hear it.
Changing the subject, I said, "Why'd you bring me here?"
"Ah yes," he started, "You see, I'm not getting any younger and my business isn't running very smoothly, so-"
"I don't think I could run this dad," I interrupted. "It's too much."
"Hold on, I wasn't finished," he told me, putting up his hand to silence me. "It won't be just you, Adam. If you pull it off."
"Pull what off?" I asked him, bewildered.
"I want a married man to run this while I'm retired." I immediately thought of my betrothed brother.
"Married? But Eric is already married, why can't he take it over?"
My dad's tone went down to almost to a whisper, "He isn't very intelligent Adam and his wife scares me, reminds me of your mother."
"I cannot take it over Dad, Eric's your only hope."
"You can get married in a month, I did it why can't you?"
"A month? Married? You never mentioned anything about getting married in a month!" I shouted. "I'm not even in a stable relationship!" My hands gripped the side of my chair.
"Maybe not married, but engaged." My dad smiled smugly. "Let's make a deal, if you get engaged in a month, you get the company."
"I don't want the company and I don't know why I have to get engaged!"
"Calm down Adam, I guess you deserve the truth." I shot him a half grateful half angry look. The truth would've been great the first time. He sighed. "I-I I'm dying Adam, the doctors told me I have two months, it's cancer."
It felt as him he'd thrown a ton of bricks onto me. I froze and so did the world around me. I could nearly feel my heart getting heavy and the tears being made. I wiped at my eye and looked to the ceiling before setting my eyes back on him.
"Wh-what?" I stuttered. He may not have been the best father but I loved the man. I mean, now he was just kind of crazy, but when Eric and I were younger he'd take us to the park and play all kinds of sports. When we needed advice he had it. To learn that he was dying really hit me hard.
"I want to see you getting settled and the business going smoothly before I go." His voice was barely audible. He looked at me with a solemn, yet hopeful expression. "Could you do that?" I nodded, eyes welling up again.
"You can count on me." I looked at him, the corners of my lips slightly pointed downwards. I couldn't deny the last wishes of my own parent.
"Now go you little son of a bitch," he joked weakly. "I gotta get back to work."
"Bye Dad, I lov-," I started. But my dad cut me off.
"I'll see you later Adam, at your engagement party." I heard a deep laugh as I closed the door behind me. It was nice to seem him still be able to laugh despite the situation. I wiped at my eyes. I couldn't cry, I was a man! And men don't cry.
In zombie mode, I made my way back down to my car. I didn't even bother to curse the piece of shit.
I drove into my favorite burger place's drive through and ordered the usual. After I got the food I traveled to my apartment, sat on my bathroom floor, and cried over my burger and fries. Worst week ever.
*Le Wild Author's Note Appears*
Hello my Typereaders!
Aw, Adam :( I'm sorry that I have to take my real world feelings out onto your imaginary self. Anyway, hey readers :) Whats up? Oh same with me. That's pretty cool. This was my first time writing from a guy's point of view for the main perspective. Hope you like this new story I'm starting because I like how it's going so far. But it's my book so... I kind of have to say I like it. The party's going to happen in the next chapter, what should go on during that party * odd eyebrow movement* ? Who is this "Sharon"? What's a good party song for the next chapter? All the unanswered questions of the universe! Nah, just the wattpad universe...or just this book's universe...*Taps chin* what else was I going to say? OH YEAH! Vote, comment, and add it to your library!