The Angel Next Door

Chapter 7

"What's going on?" Asher and I walk into his room.

"Nothin'."

"Really?"

I just sit on his bed. My mind is going in 50 different directions and I can feel my entire body stressing out.

"You've been silent ever since I came back from the bathroom at breakfast." I keep looking down at my feet. "If you're not ready to say anything it's fine, but I'm here when you are."

For the next two hours, I just sit there. Asher sits there with me just on his phone.

"My dad's in town." I blurt out, not really knowing how to begin this.

"Oh."

"He wants to meet up."

"Wow. Are you thinking about doing it?"

"An hour ago I was in no way going to do it. But I'm starting to think I might."

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

"I know. I don't owe him everything. But I kinda think I need to see what he has to say. Either we will fix things and have some sort of relationship, or we'll go back to the way it is now."

"Yeah."

"I'm gonna text Mal now. Just get this done with." I text her quickly that I'm up for it and just want to know when and where.

We just sort of sit there in this weird silence for a minute before my phone beeps.

"So?" Asher comes over and sits next to me.

"Tonight."

"Really?"

"Yeah. At a restaurant down the street."

"Did you want me to come? I could just drive you and sit in the car."

"Really?" I start getting teary-eyed and hold it in as much as I can. "That would actually be fantastic."

"It's no problem. Now, how 'bout we go swimming a little and just let it all go."

"That sounds perfect."

"You ready to go?" Asher shouts from the bedroom.

"No." I step out, dressed and ready.

"It's all gonna be good."

"I just really don't have a good feeling about tonight."

"You're just anxious and expecting the worst."

"If I put the bar all the way down then I can't be disappointed."

"That may be the saddest thing you've said before."

"Just wait until after tonight."

"Come on. Just lighten up. Let it go. And maybe things will end up well. This could be an amazing night. The best night."

"You are way too positive."

"You're way too negative."

"You're my little Care Bear."

"You're my Eeyore."

"Oh I love Eeyore."

"Ok enough distraction, we really have to go."

"Come on. Let's discuss Winnie the Pooh a bit more." I don't want to go.

"No. We can discuss it after."

"Fine."

When I come up to the restaurant, Mal is waiting for me. She looks just about as nervous as I am.