-ＤＡＵＮＴＬＥＳＳ- 𝑗𝑜ℎ𝑛𝑛𝑦 𝑙𝑎𝑤𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒

𝟏𝟑 • 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐑𝐄𝐃

🅒🅗🅔🅡🅡🅨 🅡🅔🅓
─────•~❉᯽❉~•─────

One week later

Apparently, Dad hadn't mentioned his plan to come visit to mom so when he called a couple of days ago, she wasn't exactly as excited as the rest of us. The divorce has been hard on her yet, she still agreed to let him stay at the house after he offered to go to a hotel, even though it was a reluctant decision.

Andie had persuaded her to allow him the spare bedroom and she agreed with the condition that she didn't need to partake in all of the family activities that we used to. This caused the realization to set in on me, Erik, and Andie that everything has changed for the worst, in my opinion.

A wave of sadness flooded my features and as I stood, leaning against my white-marbled bathroom counter, I watch a stream of tears release from my reddened eyes. I was excited when Dad called and told me that he was coming to visit, but I'd chosen to ignore the fact that nothing was going to be the same as it was in Chicago.

The family dinners, movie nights, and most of all, just sitting in the living room talking about everyday things like school and being able to see each other's faces and not having to travel across the country to do so. A part of me hopes this visit will re-spark something and it'll all be okay again, but in the back of my mind, I know the papers are signed and Mom wants nothing to do with Dad anymore, aside from keeping the relationship between her kids and their father just as strong as it was before we left.

Things between me and Johnny have been calm compared to last week, thankfully. I never mentioned anything to Tommy, but Johnny didn't ask about it again anyway. I'd been going through the motions, just as I planned from the beginning, including the lessons from him.

I've been trying to ignore whatever was going on between me and Johnny, if it was anything at all since I knew it wouldn't do anybody good if something did happen. He's probably just being an ass, but I think a part of me is growing to like that about him and his occasional soft side when I can talk to him about whatever I feel like. 

This alter ego of his usually resurfaces after our lessons or whenever he's away from the rest of the cobras. I'm starting to think maybe he's only like that because of them and the environment of the dojo that obviously rubbed off on him.

"Your skills are improving." He states as I throw my sweatshirt over my head.

"Might as well just say I'm better than you." I joke and he eyes me with his chin tilted down.

"Watch it."

"The only thing anyone will be watching is me when I beat you next sparring session."

"Arrogance isn't a good look on you. I might need to tell sensei to have Dutch start training you instead." I playfully slap his arm and he pulls away with a grin.

"Don't be a dick."

"I thought that was my signature?"

"Don't worry, your label's not going anywhere king karate." He shakes his head and as I stare forward, I feel his eyes lingering on me. I acknowledge that he waits for me to leave the parking lot before he even starts his car and I think back to the moment in front of mine, the way he looked at me, and how I felt when he did so.

A mental fog of confusion clouds my brain and I almost get whiplash thinking back to all of our different encounters. One day, we were arguing like we had at the beginning of the year and then today, it almost felt like the beginning of a friendship.

I pull into the driveway and not too long after, I step into the house, suddenly realizing who was waiting for me in the threshold. "Dad!"

"Hey, Sammy." I sprint into him and he wraps his arms around my body like he wasn't ever going to let go. "I've missed you, kiddo."