All It Took

4.Alison

Ordinary World // Duran Duran

I'm worth it? Am I? Because if what I think he's going to have to go through to be with me is what he actually has to go through to be with me...I wonder.

"You don't believe me," he says. Before I can say anything in response, our order is up. "Hold that thought." Jeff stands up. "Wait a second. Don't hold that thought. Get rid of it. Because it's wrong." He winks and walks away to get the pizza.

I take a deep breath and try not to hyperventilate. My dad is great. At least I think so. But having a football coach as a dad has intimidated literally everyone else I know. Misty gets jittery around him and she's the most confident person in my life. He carries a presence, authority or something. I know deep down he's a teddy bear, but no one else sees that side of him.

Jeff returns with the pizza just before true panic sets in.

"I think you need some food if we're going to figure this out. You look a little faint."

"Ha!" I laugh but nothing is funny about this.

"Wow, you're really freaking out on me. Shouldn't I be the one flipping over this? He's my coach, you're his daughter. But I'm totally chill and you're..."

"Having an episode?"

Jeff smiles. "Something like that."

I grab a slice of pizza and slide it onto my plate. Before I say more, I take a few bites, sucking in air as I do because it's still scorching hot. I cool down with a gulp of soda, wipe my mouth with a napkin and focus my gaze back on Jeff. Who is now smirking.

"Ah, there's the look of determination I was waiting for," he says through the smirk.

"I'd call this realism over determination. I think you might be a bit deluded."

Both of his hands cover mine. "Or it's a healthy dose of optimism."

"More like denial. Which is never healthy."

"If it allows a person to face an obstacle and overcome it, maybe the denial can be a little healthy."

"No one will ever agree with that sentiment. Denial by definition implies that whatever it is that you refuse to face is a negative circumstance. Avoidance only creates baggage."

"Now this I agree with." Jeff pulls some money out of his wallet and throws it on the table. Then he walks to the counter where a guy hands him a box. I watch, dumbfounded, as Jeff packs the remaining pizza into the box. When he's done, he smiles at me.

"Let's go."

"Was I that convincing?" I knew this would kill the date, but I'm still surprised at how swiftly it ended.

"You could put it that way, if you want. Or-"

"What's with you always flipping the perspective?" I cut him off before he could give me an alternative.

This just causes Jeff to put his arm around my shoulder.

"Or you could say that you have spurred me into action."

"What kind of action?" I'm almost afraid to ask.

"The kind that gets results."

"Okay, enough with the skirting around the truth. Spill it, Miller." I use his last name the way my dad does thinking that maybe he'll listen.

Jeff squeezes me into him as we walk. "We are taking a trip to talk to your dad."

"NOW?"

"No time like the present."