Metanoia (Hawk/Eli)

Chapter Twenty-Six: Back on His Feet

TRIGGER WARNING: Mention of rape/sexual assault in this chapter. I'll put this ⚠️ emoji when the moment comes and ends

~

"Are you ready or what?" My dad asked Miguel as he held a rope up that was attached to a harness Miguel was wearing.

"I hate this. This is ridiculous." Miguel said.

"What's ridiculous about it?" I asked him as I crossed my arms.

"I look like a giant baby!" Miguel exclaimed. I lightly chuckled.

"The way you're whining and not walking, you might as well be a baby." My dad said.

"Isn't there a more badass way we can do this?" Miguel asked him.

"You think tapping your foot at a concert makes you ready for badass training?" Your legs are still pussies! Now, you ready to stand?" My dad asked him.

"Yes."

"Okay. One...two...three." My dad said and let go of the rope. Miguel immediately fell to the ground. I cackled at the way he fell.

"Alright. Better fall that time. Let's take five." My dad said. I went over and helped Miguel sit up.

"You know, my moms been talking about you a lot recently." Miguel said to my dad.

I sat down on the couch and watched the two.

"Oh yeah?" My dad asked him.

"She says thank you for taking me to that concert." Miguel continued.

"Did she say anything else?" My dad asked.

Miguel shook his head. "No". That definitely wasn't the answer my dad wanted. I chuckled as his face fell. I could tell he had the hots for Miggy's mom.

"Damn, Dad. You writing a novel?" I asked him as me and Miguel looked at his computer screen. He was texting Ali, an old girlfriend of his. I've heard lots of stories about her.

"Oh. No, it's a Facebook message." My dad replied. I snorted. Sure looked like a novel to me.

"That?! To who?" Miguel asked him.

"Babe from high school." My dad answered. I rolled my eyes and turned to Miguel.

"She wasn't just some babe, it was dads first love." I said teasingly. My dad rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Ali." My dad said lowly.

"Ali? Like, the Ali?" Miguel asked him. I nodded my head and clicked my tongue to the roof of my mouth.

"Yep. That's the one." I said. Miguel's face lit up.

"This is huge! This is huge. This is so... but I mean, you're not gonna send that, right? You cannot send her that message." Miguel said.

"Why not?" My dad asked.

"Because it's like 80 pages. In all caps." Miguel stated.

"I have 35 years' worth of stuff to say, alright?"

"Okay, yea, yea, yea. But shorter messages are way cooler. Like, this just looks desperate. And a little creepy. Sending her this would be like if you... like if you liked all of her photos." Miguel said. I looked towards my dad. He had a guilty look on his face. Oh, no way.

"Oh, no. Oh, no!" Miguel said with his eyes wide.

"What the hell, man? I enjoyed the photos! And there's a button for exactly that, why would I not click it?" My dad asked confused. He really did not know how social media works. I shook my head and put my face into my hands.