Closet Hopeless Romantic [ Ongoing ]

CHAPTER SEVEN

   This is it, I can already see him sitting through the glass windows inside the ice cream shop. I still don't know how to approach him, it's been years. He looks different compared to when I last saw him. His hair is now cut short and he's wearing fresh grey shirt.

    I got inside the small shop. It's really him. He stood up as soon as he saw me. Excitement and surprise is what I'm reading according to his reaction.

    "Celin..." He couldn't utter any word and immediately hugged me tight like there's no tomorrow.

    Tears starts to fill my eyes, I tried to hold it in but the more he hugged me tight the more I realized how I missed my dad so much. I can hear him silently sobbing as he hugged me and I lift up my arms to hug him back. We calmed down after a few moments, not caring about the strange looks of the children who wanted more sprinkles in their ice cream.

~•°•♡•°•~

    "You've grown up... Look at you."

     "Of course, I should be. I'm 17." I smiled.
 
      "I'm sorry for not being there for you and your mom."
   
    "How are you dad?" I asked. He didn't respond immediately, I was worried for a split second but his warm smile that I've never seen in ages vanished all that.

    "I'm finally out of it. I got a job through my classmate in college. Luckily I'm assigned here at their main branch. I'm also renting a small apartment outside downtown." He answered with enthusiasm.

    "You won't live with us?" I asked. Why won't he?

    He leaned his back on the chair before answering my question.
   
    "You're mom wants me to prove myself first before I can join you guys again."

    "I can see that."

     My mom's the type of person who won't settle for a 'sincere' apology. She will demand effort and actual practice to see if you've really changed or not. I'm just glad that dad's back and I hope it's for good this time.

    "I owe her a lot. I couldn't snap out of it without Celestine."

    "Mom's been visiting you?"

    After leaving our old house, mom never mentioned dad in front of me. I didn't know she was seeing dad before. I thought she was too angry to go near him. How I got a hold about dad's situation was through my grandma.

    "Not recently, last year she came to visit me and made me realize how I've gone astray. Now I'm here."

    We continued our conversation, catching up to each one's lives while enjoying our ice cream together.

    "Remember when you used to tug my shirt whenever we came across an ice cream shop?"

    "Is that why you took me here?"

    "Yeah, I want to experience it again at some ways." He said, with his gaze afar. Looking outside the window. I don't know what's running on his mind, he was never like this before but I guess people change from time to time. Be it in little ways or drastic ones. All I want is to go home someday where there's someone waiting for me.

~•°•♡•°•~

    "So how'd it go?" Sophie asked.

    We're currently in our Science class and Mrs. Hill is talking fast as usual which makes this class more harder than it already is. Connor seems really in tune with the lesson though. Man, I give up.

    "My dad's trying to get back up little by little."

    "That's good news then. By the way, I think Mrs. Hill is talking faster than usual. She should be a rapper instead of being a teacher."