I never felt more afraid of my life when I told dad about Daniel and me when we returned to Gold Coast. We sat on the sofa, side by side, while dad sat on the single chair beside us just staring at Daniel and me with wide eyes.
His expression was unreadable. I couldn't tell whether he was angry or shocked. None of his natural emotional features were showing and it terrified me. It didn't help when dad found out after catching Daniel and I making out in my room.
Then suddenly, dad stood up and walked into the study room without another word.
"Is he having a stroke?" Daniel whispered to me.
"I have no idea." I cleared my throat. "Hey, dad!" I called.
"No dating!" dad randomly yelled.
I jumped in startle and so did Daniel. I glanced at him. "Maybe it's best if you went back home," I whispered.
Daniel didn't even protest. He nodded. "Good idea. Call me when it's done," he whispered before getting up and practically running out of our apartment.
I never saw Daniel be scared one like that before in my life. But at that moment, I was terrified too. I have never heard dad yell like that before. Was he really that upset of Daniel and I being more than friends? Or was he upset that we were on a holiday together and something happened? Wait, did he think we did it?
My eyes widened in shock. I should've waited a few weeks before telling him. Well, he did walk on us in my room. We were trying to be discreet. Apparently not discreet enough. Oh, God, this was so embarrassing.
Abruptly, I saw dad pop his head from the hallway and peered into the lounge room. His eyes met mine. "Did he shit his pants?" dad asked eagerly.
"What?"
Dad entered the lounge room, looking at the door with a proud smile on his lips. "Did he run away? It sounded like he ran away."
"You did that on purpose?"
Dad looked at me as if I said the most stupidest thing in the world. "Obviously. Do you know how long I've been waiting to scare your boyfriends?" He had to be kidding me. I should've known this was going to happen.
"Seriously?"
Dad sat down on the sofa in front of me. "Tell me what his reaction like. He looked so scared when I caught you two." Why was he so happy about this? I was beginning to think something was wrong with dad's brain.
"Wait a minute. Did you hope for this to happen? Let us go on a holiday together just so you can scare him later?"
Dad shook his head with a scoff. "Please, I have other plans for that," he said leaning back on the sofa. He crossed his leg over the other and stared at me with a stern expression. "You went on a holiday with your boyfriend and lied to me that he was just your friend?"
Wait, what was happening now? He gave me permission to go. He even encouraged me last term to go out with him. He thought I liked him and that he like me! Why was he acting like I just manipulated him?
"We did go as friends," I frowned. "We only started—uh—realising we liked each other during the trip," I mumbled quietly. I was nervous again.
"You really think I'm going to believe that?" he asked with an arched brow. He knew that was the truth! Unless he thought we were dating before we went on the trip and he finally could reveal he knew. It was like he planned for all this. "You are grounded, young lady. Now go to your room!"
I stared at him blankly. This was one of those again, wasn't it? His dream as a strict father to yell at me for doing average teenager things. Why was my dad so weird?
I stood up without another word and started heading to my room, surprising dad.
"Where are you going?" he demanded.
"My room to study. School starts tomorrow," I stated. And I hated that term three was starting tomorrow. It was meant to be the hardest term of the whole year and I wasn't looking forward to the long nights of studying and cramming.
"Why aren't you being dramatic?" dad complained.
"I'm not partaking in this," I replied nonchalantly.
"Come on, Ellie. It's your father's dream to do this."
I rolled my eyes. He was so dramatic. I continued walking down the hall and entered my room, hearing his footsteps following me to the hall.
"At least slam the door," dad groaned like a six year old.
I closed my eyes, exhaling deeply. "Fine," I said.
I slammed the door behind me, making sure it was loud enough to sound dramatic but not hard enough to break anything in the apartment. I never slammed the door before, and it was like I shook the whole house from doing it.
"Elizabeth Scotts!" Dad suddenly yelled. "How dare you slam your door on me! You just earned yourself another week, young lady!"
I groaned. I should've known this was another trap. Should I be worried how much he was enjoying this?
I was working on the last hundred of the paper cranes when I got a text message from Daniel later that night. Dad hasn't talked to me ever since and not out of hatred. He just went to his room to have a nap before his shift in two hours.
I looked over to my phone and read Daniel's text. 'Meet me at front,' he wrote. Short and vague. Just like every other text of his. Nevertheless, I was practically grinning from ear to ear.
I dropped the paper crane I was currently folding to the ground and picked up my phone, writing my reply.
'Okay, will be there in a minute.'
I jumped up and started going through my clothes, changing from my Hello Kitty top to a regular fluffy jumper. I fixed my hair up a little bit, trying to make it look a little messy but a nice messy before I quickly washed my face. I didn't usually do any of this before whenever I was about to see Daniel. But it was different now. I wanted to look nice. I didn't want to look like the goblin I usually dress myself as whenever I was home.
I snuck towards the front doors, making sure dad couldn't hear me as I opened the door. I left the apartment, closing the door gently behind me. Daniel was already waiting for me in the hallway between our apartment, leaning against the wall. When he looked at me, his eyes brightened, and I felt my cheek burn. But he didn't approach me. He only pushed himself off the wall, standing straight, and maintained the distance between us as if he were afraid dad was watching through the peep hole.
"I heard the screaming from my apartment," he noted. He was looking at the door cautiously as if dad was going to pop out of nowhere. "Is everything okay? Was your dad harsh?"
I shook my head with a smile. "It's just dad with a dream," I answered which only confused Daniel.
"Oh, uh, should I be worried then?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
"No, you're fine."
Daniel nodded thoughtfully. "Okay then," he said as he stepped towards me. His lips stretching into a smile as he slowly snaked his arm around my wait, pulling me slightly closer towards him. "So, I guess he's cool with us dating?"
"I think he's been waiting for us to finally tell him we're dating," I replied, wrapping my arms around his neck. We stood there as if he were gently slow dancing, but we didn't move at all. Just stood there, swaying very slowly.
"Good, because I've been waiting to kiss you all day," he whispered and closed the gap between us.
His lips were on mine. It was slow at first but started to become more urgent. Like he had been waiting for this all year. I usually hated public display of affection, even though there was no one in the hallway right now. But when Daniel's lips were on mine, I couldn't care less who was watching. All that mattered to me was Daniel. I felt like a hopeless romantic.
I felt my back pressed against the wall, one of his hand on my hips, while the other cupped my neck. I know I should be pushing Daniel away. Our parents were only a door away and I don't know what I'd do if any of our parents walked in on us. But I didn't. I only pulled him closer, deepening the kiss.
Seconds had passed, and against my own will, I gently pushed Daniel back. He looked at me pouting. A smile appeared on my lips. I never expected to see Daniel pout for being pushed away. I know he did it intentionally, but it was adorable, and he knew it.
"Ew, don't ever do that again," I heard.
My heart froze. We both turned to our right and found Mia practically gagging. Did she just see that? My cheeks burned and turned to face my body away from Daniel as if it was going to make any difference.
Daniel smirked. "Since you insist," Daniel said, pulling me in for another kiss. He only managed to kiss me for another second before I pushed him away with a scowl.
He was smiling mischievously until suddenly his shoulders tensed and he was looking over my shoulder. I turned around slowly and saw Dad standing at the door. His face stern like he was upset right now.
"Ellie, didn't I say you were grounded?"
"You were serious about that?"
"Did it look like I was joking?" he asked, arching a brow. Since when was dad harder to read than anyone else in my life. "Inside. Now."
"Fine," I mumbled.
I go to walk in and noticed Daniel was following behind me like a lost puppy dog.
"Nah uh," Mia snapped, jumping in between Daniel and me, preventing Daniel from taking another step forward. He looked more taken back than dad or me. "You have been hogging her the whole holiday. She's my best friend, go away," Mia complained childlike.
Daniel frowned. "Well, she's my girlfriend," he disputed.
"She's your what?" dad asked, his voice deeper than usual.
Daniel froze again. He peered up at dad and cleared his throat. "Nothing. I just remembered. I have some chores to do. I'll see you later, Ellie. Goodbye Mr Scotts," he mumbled before turning around and rushing back into his apartment.
This was the second time seeing Daniel being scared of anyone. I thought he was dad's best friend and now, he's acting like dad was a tyrannical leader.
I turned to look back at dad who was smirking smugly. He was enjoying this way too much.