A Better Boyfriend (GirlxGirl)

Forty-two- Destiny

"What's yours?" Scarlet asked me. Her eyes reflected her curiosity.

"Getting my first job. Proving to my dad that I was alright on my own- that I could be independent, you know?" I told her.

She nodded in understanding.

"Who was your first kiss?" she asked me.

"Milly," I admitted. "We both had never kissed anyone before so...we decided to."

Scarlet smiled.

"Mine was Elliot," she said.

"Oh, wow. He was hot."

Scarlet's eyes widened at me, then.

"What? I'm gay, not blind, baby," I said with a grin, as I playfully nudged her.

She smirked.

"True, true," she said. "What's the worst thing you've done?"

"What I said to my dad...the way I used to act around the house. I was a little shit bag, really. And I love him. I loved him then, too. I just was so pissed off with the world and mum being gone so I did a lot of shit I'm not proud of."

"We do things we don't mean when we're angry," Scarlet said.

"It doesn't make it any better," I said.

She nodded in agreement, but her expression remained sympathetic.

"What do you want to do in the future?" I asked her, then, changing the subject to a lighter one.

"Get a house, get a lizard, maybe have a kid one day," she said.

I smiled at that. I had a good feeling that Scarlet would be an amazing mother.

"I'd tell my younger self not to stress about the future," I said. "I've got an amazing best friend, a good job... I'm doing fine."

"You are," Scarlet said supportively. "I'm happy with you," she admitted.

"Likewise," I said.

Everything was more peaceful when Scarlet was around. She relaxed me with her energy. That was an awesome thing, to find someone you could peacefully do nothing with and still enjoy your time.

"I don't need much to keep me happy," Scarlet said. "I am happy here."

"With yours truly," I said playfully.

"The fact that you're here makes it a thousand times better, that's true," she stated.

In that moment, there was a spark in Scarlet's eyes, as though she had got an idea.

"I want to write," she said.

"Alright, author girl. I'll talk to you in a bit. I'm going to go and catch up with my dad," I said with a kind smile.

Scarlet smiled back at me.

I left the room and headed downstairs to find my dad was cooking up a meal for the three of us.

I wasn't too hungry, but I was pleased to see my dad up and moving. He even had music on. He seemed happy.

"Hey dad," I greeted him.

It felt different calling him 'dad' again, for sure, but it felt good, too. It felt right.

"Hey Destiny. You alright?" he asked me, with compassionate eyes.

I felt my eyes sting with tears at my dad's chopping up onions, so I took a step back.

"If you run it under hot water it's meant to not make you cry but the last time, I did that the onion got so slippery I ended up dropping it on the floor," my dad said.

I choked on a laugh.

"Damn. You didn't have an onion catcher around back then," I said.

"Yeah, well...you didn't want to talk to me for a long time. I had to do these things by myself," he pointed out.

That was one way to make my heart ache.

"I know. I'm sorry I wasn't around, dad. I want to be, now. I want to be here for you. I'm glad you're doing better. I love you," I said, with a sincere smile.

"I love you too, kid," he replied, his expression softening.

"I wasn't the best daughter. I was cold to you," I said.

"I wasn't the best father for a long time...losing your mother damn near destroyed me completely but...I had you. That was something. That quickly became everything. I wanted to make you happy but I found myself not even knowing where to start in doing that," he confessed.

I shook my head.

"You just being my dad works," I said, with a kind smile. "Are you sure you want to move?" I asked him.

"Hey, kid. You'll have Scarlet."

"Dad...I actually wanted to talk to you about that," I said. "I want to be with Scarlet, and nothing is going to budge me on that one."

"I'm proud of you," he said. "She's good for you. You're good for each other."

I was glad my dad approved, but I was going to be with Scarlet no matter what. It didn't matter to me what other people thought.

It was a good thing, really, that we lived in a more accepting time, one where I could happily show Scarlet off and the only people that would bat an eye were Catholic grandmothers.

"How's your job going?" my dad asked me, as he started to boil some spaghetti.

He was making Bolognese.

God bless.

"It's going well, thanks," I said, with a smile.

It was kind of him to have asked.

We were finally becoming close again.

He was going to move away, but at least he would be leaving on good terms.

We were at peace. The storm had passed.

I no longer had to purse my lips around him or play my music extra loudly. We were fine.

"Your eyes finally less bloodshot?" my dad asked.

I stuck my tongue out at him.

Scarlet soon came to join us in the kitchen and her mouth fell open.

"Oh my god. Are you making spaghetti?" she asked.

My dad released a soft laugh and nodded.

"Can I help?" Scarlet said.

"Sure!" said dad.

Scarlet made her way over to add some ingredients to the pasta sauce.

It was going to be a good evening.

I was with the two people that mattered the most to me in the world. I was genuinely happy.