Fake It

(13) i would give anything to be there with you

Sitting on his bed, Josh had just finished getting ready for the graduation dance when he decided to give Hayley a call.

"Hayley, are you there?" Josh spoke into his phone, wondering why someone had picked up but not responded. "Look, I know I made a mistake. A huge mistake. I've been thinking, if I could just-"

"Stop calling, asshole!" Cameron replied, slamming the phone into its holder more loudly than he intended to. Noticing his Dad's confused expression, he shook his head. "Just a prank caller."

Sitting in her bedroom with a canvas in front of her, Hayley was continuing on with the painting she had been making of her Mum.

The prom was far from being on her to-do list tonight. Turning as she heard footsteps, Hayley gave a small smile to her Dad.

"Fridge is pretty empty. I'm gonna go to the grocery store soon. If you need anything..." Hayley's Dad trailed off, looking behind his daughter and at her painting. Gulping, the male quickly shook out of his thoughts. "Just let me know."

Hayley's father had no idea that his daughter had been painting a photo of her mother. He knew it must be tough for the girl not having a motherly figure around.

"Okay" Hayley's father nodded, giving a small shrug. "Y'know... Some people think being a plumber is a shit job - no pun intended - and some people think it's not the best way to earn a living."

"People suck, Dad" Hayley sighed, turning as she added more paint to her canvas.

Hayley was adding strokes of hair to the portrait she was working on. Her mother had long, beautiful hair. Hayley wished she could see it just once more.

"Yeah" Hayley's Dad nodded and gave a small shrug. "I mean, I don't understand. I own a company and I own a home, I put food on the table. I mean, of course Cameron and yourself help me out, but... I've built this all up on my own."

"We're a team, Dad" Hayley turned around once again, placing her palette and paint brush on the table beside her.

Sure, Hayley missed her mother. Maybe she would never have closure and fight out why the woman left behind two kids and a loving husband - but she knew she was just fine having her father and Cameron in her life.

"Okay - but perhaps this team has seen some confusion as to who the real parent is around here" Hayley's Dad suggested.

Hayley felt confused - what was her father getting onto here? Motioning her hand for the male to continue, he did just that.

"You know I appreciate everything you do, sweetie. Sometimes I think you have taken on so much that you haven't had the time to deal with the business of bein' a teenager" Hayley's father explained, before taking a deep breath in. "I can't imagine it's been easy for you to grow up without a Mum but I don't want you to continue putting off your life-"

"Okay. Okay" Hayley nodded, giving a small smile. She knew her Dad meant well but his lecture needed to end before she fell asleep.

Hayley's father nodded, giving his daughter a smile. "Now, didn't you have a prom or somethin' you wanted to go to?"

"Not anymore" Hayley shook her head, folding her arms after she'd placed her paint brush down.

"Oh, you've got more painting to do?" Hayley's Dad joked, tilting his head. He wasn't all that surprised by his daughter's answer, though.

"Worse. I don't have a stupid date" Hayley sighed, looking up at her Dad as he laughed in response.

"l'm fairly certain there's a handsome young man downstairs" Hayley's father explained, smiling when he saw his daughter's face light up. "He's at the front door waiting for you now. Have fun, Hayles. And for you, not for anybody else, promise?"

Hayley was confused, wondering who was there for her. She thought maybe Derek could've gone with her, but then her Dad would've just said 'Derek', right? Either way, the girl was glad someone turned up.

Hayley nodded and leaned forward to intertwine her pinky finger with her father's. "I pinky promise."

Walking upstairs, Hayley gave her brother a nod as he excitedly opened the door and let someone in.

Hayley was slightly surprised to see who it was that had turned up at the house. The guy looked handsome no doubt, but she wasn't sure if she should let her guard down.

"Hey... I uh, I know you don't entirely trust me. I respect that. If we look at it this way, I didn't ask anyone else to the prom on the chance that maybe you'd say yes. That's got to count for something, right?" Parker explained with a wide, attractive smile.

Parker was hoping that he'd be able to convince Hayley to come along with him to the prom. Sure, he hadn't asked anyone else, but if he needed a last-minute date, it wouldn't be hard for him.

Looking at Hayley standing in her paint-splattered apron, Parker laughed quietly. "I mean, you don't even have to change if you don't want to."

Hayley and Parker laughed together, and Hayley gave it all a quick thought. Maybe Parker wasn't all that bad?

- - -

"Are you ready, Miss Franceschi?" Josh smiled at his sister, watching as she walked down the stairs in her dress.

Chrissy had decided to come along to the prom, despite not even attending the same school as her brother and being a year younger than everyone else there.

"Yes, Mr Franceschi" Chrissy laughed, linking her arm with her brother's as they headed out of the front door.

"I really screwed this one up, right?" Josh frowned, stepping out to the night air as he turned to his sister.

"Yes, you really screwed it up" Chrissy couldn't help but laugh a little, though she did feel bad for slightly contributing to the whole thing. "Don't worry, she'll be there."

Sitting at home and tapping her fingers on the coffee table in front of her out of boredom, Tay anxiously waited for Josh.

Josh was late and Hayley regretted making cocktails for the pair - she felt like a total fool. Still, the girl waited and waited, hoping for her date to show up.

Josh couldn't just stand her up, could he? No one could stand Tay up... Right? That's what the brunette thought, anyway.