You and Me, Kid

○ Chapter 21 ○

"You ready, sweetpea?" Pete asked, smiling at his now eleven-year-old daughter. Sandra had been posted to the Naval Air Station Keflavik in Iceland about three weeks, almost a month, back and no longer spoke to Pete or Autumn. After she was posted there, she didn't speak to Pete or Autumn. They were still married but recently, Pete hasn't been feeling like they are. They've been so distant.

"I'm ready," Autumn nodded, taking her father' hand in her own and heading to the man's motorcycle. Jumping on the back, she wrapped her arms around him, and they headed off for Simmons Middle School. Eventually they made it, Autumn hopping off and hugging her father 'goodbye'.

"Remember what I always say?" Pete asked, leaning forward, and resting his arms on the handlebars of his motorcycle. Autumn nodded with a smile, Pete smiling also and ruffling the girl's hair as he sat back up properly. "It's you and me, kid." God was that statement going to bite him in the ass in the near future.

Smiling and saying goodbye to her father, Autumn gave him another hug before meeting up with Harrison and Bethany, the three of them heading to the man office to get their lockers. "What did you guys do over the summer?" Harrison asked once they made it to Bethany's locker, leaning against it.

Beth just shrugged as she placed her books into the locker. "Not much. My mom and dad took us to Alaska to visit family but nothing else. What about you, Autumn?"

"Well, it's been me and Pa for most of it," Autumn replied. "Ma got posted to Iceland about three weeks back. She hasn't really spoken to either of us since she was posted. Sucky, but she was acting distant the entire time before she was posted."

"You think they'll divorce?" Bethany asked as they began their walk to their classroom, Autumn shrugging.

"I don't know, I hope not. They've been married ever since I was about one or two, Sandra's the only person I'd feel comfortable calling 'mom' or 'mother'."

"Isn't Pete technically your grandpa though?" Harrison pointed out; head tilted. "You said that your biological dad considered him his surrogate father, did you not?"

"I did," she agreed as they entered the classroom, blatantly ignoring Leah and Jamie, "but I never really got to meet my father. He died during a mission when I was about four months. Pa's the only one I really know and feel comfortable calling my dad." Noticing the look on the girl's face, they decided to leave it alone. The rest of the day went smoothly, with classes being a case of introduction to their new classmates, their new teachers, and going over the modules they'll cover.

At the end of the day, the trio were sat outside on the school steps waiting for their parents to pick them up when Leah and Jamie came up to them. "Autumn," Leah started, biting her lip as she braced herself. Autumn herself tensed up, eyes going cold and jaw locking in place. "We... we get what we did four years ago was stupid and reckless, but you can't keep it over our heads forever! We're best friends!"

"Were,"

"What?" Leah was gobsmacked and confused. Why weren't they friends anymore?

"I said were. We were best friends. 'Are' is in the present tense, 'were' is past tense. We were best friends in the past. Now we're nothing more than acquaintances." Autumn replied, glaring at the girl before grabbing her bag, saying 'bye' to Harrison and Bethany, and heading to where her dad was waiting on his motorcycle.

Watching the two leave, Leah felt tears sting her eyes. She honestly thought they were still friends, that she had forgiven her and Jamie for what they did four years ago. Apparently not. Looking down at her feet and swallowing hard, thoughts raced around her head. Why didn't she want to be her friend? Autumn forgives so easily! Why... why won't she forgive them? Did they really fuck up that badly?

When they arrived home, Pete noticed something was off with his daughter. "What's wrong, sweetpea? You're never this quiet." Autumn remained silent, looking down at the ground as they walked to the living room. Sitting down, Pete rested a hand on his daughter's knee, holding a piece of paper in his hand. "Autumn, do you want the letter now or later?"

"Now,"

"Alright," nodded the brunette, handing the letter over to the eleven-year-old blonde.

My Little Rooster,

You've grown so much. You're eleven! Last time I saw you, you were just a little baby around four months. Gosh, I miss you, my little baby, but just know that I am so proud of you. Like I said all those years ago, I know you'll move on to do great things. Remember, if you need anything at all, you can always ask Maverick or the team.

Love you loads, honey bug.
Daddy

Tears sprung to her eyes, quickly wrapping her arms around her father. Pete sighed softly, kissing the top of her head as she began to quietly weep. "I know, sweetpea, I miss him too." Suddenly his phone began to wring and when he pulled it out, his face dropped. This isn't good.