Katie
We all make our way to the living room.
Tyler and Izzy join Mike and Clair on the big sofa.
Ava takes the recliner and Derek sits on the ground in front of her. Leaving Wyatt and me on the small sofa on the other side of the room.
"We have something we want to tell you," Clair says looking at the ground.
"Oh shit, are one of you dying?" Derek exclaims.
"No, no one is dying." My dad groans.
Wyatt and Izzy share a look but before I can decipher what it is Clair starts taking.
"I guess there's no easy way to put this but, Mike and I are... dating," Clair says slowly.
Everyone is silent till Derek abruptly laughs. "That's a good joke, you really had me going there for a second."
Tyler shakes his head. "Der, I don't think they're joking."
I can't bring myself to say anything.
It's like I'm outside my body watching this happen.
Derek looks back and forth between Clair and my Dad. "No, you wouldn't do that. You wouldn't do that to Mom would you?"
Clair takes a deep breath. "Derek, I love your father."
Derek stands up. "Don't say that!"
His eyes dart around the room not able to focus properly. "Some friend you are. You divorce your husband then date your dead best friend's husband."
I notice Tyler tighten his fists and Izzy pats his arm.
"What do you think Mom would think about this? She would be ashamed of both of you.
"I guess it doesn't matter because you obviously don't care." Derek spits out.
Tyler stands up with his jaw clenched. "Derek, leave before you say something you'll regret."
Derek moves closer to Tyler. To be fair Derek had six inches of height over Tyler, but Tyler has the upper hand.
"You're not upset about this?" Derek yells.
Tyler's face hardens and a look I've never seen before flashes for the briefest moment. "I am upset but, I think we should hear them out before we jump to conclusions."
"Hear them out?"
"I have to get out of here," Derek says with his voice shaking.
He slams the front door on his way out.
Ava gets up with a guilty look. "I'm going to go after him."
Everyone nods their heads except me. I'm still trying to process what's going on.
Sometime during Derek's explosion, Wyatt pulled me closer to him.
"How long have y'all been together?" I ask softly, finally finding my voice.
My dad looks at the wall directly behind me. "Almost a year and a half."
It suddenly feels like all the air gets sucked out of me. I look towards Izzy and then to Wyatt; realizing something.
"You lied to your own daughter for a year!"
I yell at my dad.
I take a deep breath but it does nothing.
He flinches at my voice but doesn't say anything.
"You both knew didn't you," I say cold enough to freeze a lake.
YOU ARE READING
Well, You Fooled Me
Romance"We fake date each other for two or three weeks then we have a public breakup." I think he's hit his head one too many times playing football. "Really that's all you could come up with?" He just rolls his eyes. "It's perfect! Stacy will move on beca...
