𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘅𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 , 𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝗈𝗇𝖾

o n e

|NEW SCHOOL, OLD TROUBLE|

TWO MONTHS LATER

"I'll be fine dad, don't worry about me," I said, as he parked the car in front of my new school where many students already stood scattered around the entrance. I suppressed a sigh, reluctant about how my entire senior year would turn out to be. I smiled quickly at dad, squeezing his hand which clung to the steering wheel tightly for he was as apprehensive as I was. Or probably worse.

"Dad, trust me on it, I'll be good." He sighed, concerned but kissed the side of my head affectionately and gave me a side hug which I gladly hugged back.

"I love you, Dad," I said as I opened the seat belt, my hand resting on the door handle but my eyes fixated on him.

"Love you more honey," He promptly replied, apprehensively staring at me with his observant green eyes, which were nothing like my brown ones. He looked rather pale, almost constipated if I hadn't known better about him. I sighed, leaning towards him with my bag slinging from one of my shoulders, patting him on his back.

"Dad, it's my first day, not yours, so calm down and drive straight to your work, no lingering around here or else I would have to call Pa to drag you to work," I started with a sense of authority, trying to cut in the thick tension that had built around us.

My dad had always been very protective of me while Pa would believe that I should be given some sort of freedom to exercise and with that learn to take responsibility. Dad was always the one who would fuss over every little thing which bugs both me and Pa, but that's also the reason why we love him so it'd quite cancel out.

"I feel like you are my mom," He grumpily remarked as he shook his head in mild amusement, with a tinge of mild sadness.

His parents had always been a touchy subject for him. The Benedicts couldn't tolerate a guy who was gay, so they had kicked him out of their family which was why Pa would always make sure that Dad is loved enough to not make him think and ponder about his family anymore.

His old family.

"Technically, staying with both of you makes me feel that I've adopted you guys and not the other way around. It's not time for a teary goodbye, Dad. It'll be good, trust me," I tried to reason with him as I pushed open the car door and stepped out of it swiftly, closing the door shut and leaning towards the open window.

"Okay, sassy girl. Enjoy your day, drink enough water and eat properly, you have your wallet so be sure to buy something and eat or just walk to the nearby cafe─"

"Hold up right there. Dad, drive straight to your work. Now," I growled at him in a dangerously low tone and he knew completely well that I didn't mean it. He leaned towards me, pulling the door shut, smiling up at me.

"You can't expect me to go straight now, do you?" I loudly groaned at his lame analogy while he laughed back at me, having the car on ignition.

An expression of concern passed over his face again before he grinned for the last time, waving me bye as he drove away, soon out of my sight as I turned around, now facing my upcoming fate.

I found myself standing in front of huge red metallic gates, with intricate patterns carved on them, which looked like crooked rainbows and I knew how my life would be a roller coaster ride once I'm inside those gates. It would be my one step and a whole lot of shit coming my way, maybe good shit or maybe bad shit. But it's the best I can do as there is no turning back─

I suddenly collided with someone who came from behind me, making me tumble towards the front when two strong arms held me from behind and pulled me towards a rather hard chest. The arms were strong but not muscular but felt hard around my plain shirt.