𝚃𝚘𝚛𝚗- ᑕ0ᗰᑭᒪᗴ丅ᗴ

ch 35: tristan

"And three more... two more... one more... and done. God job, Kid."

"Thanks, Dad."

I stood on my good foot, pulling the other behind me and stretching it out after another set of weighted calf raises.

During his off time, my dad was helping me rehab my foot and ankle, and as I sat back on one of the workout benches and wiped a towel across my face, I let out a tired huff.

"I felt like I had a good rhythm going for those last two sets, but damn, my ankle's on fire."

"You don't wanna overpush it, remember that. We're on a good track right now, you should be walking without the pimp stick in no time."

I smiled and nodded a little before hanging my head, staring at my lap for a second before looking back up at my dad.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot. What's up?"

I took a deep, nervous breath before releasing it and with it a question that had been looming in my head and heart for as long as I could remember.

"Did it ever bum you out? Ya know, me not wanting to play football..."

My dad's blue eyes were on me, lasered in as a serious look crept onto his face. A second later, it turned into a smile and he chuckled while shaking his head.

"Absolutely not, Tris. All I've ever wanted... was for my sons to do what makes them happy."

I shrugged, still not completely believing him.

"Just seems like you've always liked Nate more."

"Hey."

I looked up at him and the serious look was back on his face.

"I love both you and your brother with all of my heart and, yeah, Nate and I have stuff in common that we like doing, but Dude-- you're like... the coolest kid I know."

I looked up at him with a small grimace of disbelief on my face.

"Re-really?"

"Yes, really. You remember that first skate tournament you had when you were like... twelve?"

"Yeah."

I nodded as I thought back to my first meet; I was scrawny and nervous as all hell and placed 5th, but it was one of the best days of my life.

"I was so proud of you that day. I actually cried; you were so good. You and your brother couldn't be any more different, but there's nothing I'd change about either of you."

🖤

𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤 𝕠𝕟 𝕋𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕟 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕧𝕦𝕝𝕟𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕤𝕚𝕕𝕖?