Treat You Better

Chapter Forty-Three: The Saturday of Your Nightmares.

Forty-Three: The Saturday of Your Nightmares.

Ah, the weekend. No early days, no school, absolutely no stress whatsoever.

Or that's what I thought.

I basically missed the entire morning because I'd slept right through it, but even after getting up at noon, I still felt I needed more sleep. Alas, the need for food was stronger than that of sleep, so I unwrapped myself from by blanket after a great struggle and falling off the bed, grabbed my phone and my ivory robe before heading downstairs.

"You're home." I said when I saw Dad cradling a mug of something hot at the kitchen island, I walked in with Moo who had followed me from her spot in the dining room. "G'morning."

"I'm guessing you slept well." He asked a bit gruffly before gesturing to my hair, I'd managed to wash the meadow bits out of it before bed last night but now it looked like I had a whole bush on my head.

"It was cool... Are you okay? You sound odd." I said, pouring myself a bowl of cereal.

"Woke up with a sort of cold," He replied, sipping from his cup. "I may have overworked myself yesterday, we had quite the Friday night at the restaurant."

I narrowed my eyes at him, "What exactly happened? Don't tell me those girls didn't leave."

"Somehow those girls caused the highest customer inflow we've had since the restaurant was opened. Had to call for backup, there were teenagers everywhere." Dad said and he seemed to be having war flashbacks as he stared into the distance. "And they ate so much..."

"One would think you'd like more customers." I said, going over to put his blanket that had fallen off back over his shoulders while Moo jumped into his lap, trying to see what he was drinking.

"Teens definitely aren't my target audience, but I believe I can make some adjustments, some of them were nice, I got some adorable compliments yesterday, compliments my own daughter never thought to give me..." He said, pointedly.

"Oh please." I rolled my eyes, setting cereal bowl down so I could sit next to him.

"...they told me I have great hair, you've never told me my hair was great, and you've never told me I have a great b-"

"Come on, Dad!" I groaned, while he went into a fit of snickers. "So glad I wasn't there for that."

"Left me to die."

"Yup, and had the most amazing time while I was at it."

He sipped from his mug, giving me a side look. "Amazing, huh?"

"Yeah," I said dreamily before tapping my phone awake, "Do you want to see pictures?"

"Goodness no!" He grimaced.

"Wh- they're not bad pictures!" I said before frowning at him, "you're unbelievable."

"Well forgive me for trying to be safe, have you seen the kind of things your mates do? I think I'll have to go to therapy after last night." He said and sneezed so loud he sent Moo hissing and running to hide in the pantry.

I shook my head at how dramatic he was and got up to take his mug which had half of its contents spilled from the big sneeze so I could prepare another one. It was full of germs now anyways.

"Looks like he did good, huh?" Dad said, hunched over my phone as I returned his mug with fresh tea. He paused on the video where Angelo was looking at the duck in his hands.
"And you did good too."

"Me?" I chuckled lightly.

"Look at this kid." Dad said, raising my phone as the part where I was fighting laugher behind the camera played. Angelo's adorably confused look had turned into something else as he looked at me.
"Smitten."