Flames to Ashes (TnF Trilogy Book 2)

Chapter 7: Heart On Fire

Cole POV
The next days were awful. I kept feeling groggy and tired. My dad suggested I was sick, and I should never go running in the snow, because it can make you ill. Well, how was I supposed to know? I still went out, though. Tei invited me to hang out with her and Tink, along with another one of her friends, Cleo. The new girl was a little odd. Her eyes were— I believe the term is— heterochromic.  One eye was green, the other purple. Very rare colors for eyes, but I'm not one to judge. And I'm guessing she dyed her hair after her eyes became that way, because her black hair had two streaks of purple, and two streaks of green, starting from her roots area, heading to her ponytail. We went out to eat, and then for a walk around town.
"It's so nice out," Tei sighed contently.
"Yeah, but it's still winter." Tink took a handful of snow off the ground and shaped it into a snowball and chucked it across the field we were walking in. "Hey..." Tink smirked. "Anyone up for a snowball fight? Teams, though."
I smiled. "I'll take Cleo." I lightly punched her in the shoulder, where she winked mischievously.
"Prepare to lose, T squared!" We sprinted off across the field.
"T squared?" I echoed as we ran, confused.
Cleo slapped her forehead. "Right. I call them T squared because their names both start with 'T'. So naturally, T squared. You know, like T to the second power."
"Nerd," I teased. We gathered snowballs and hid behind a tree, waiting for the first hit.
When it ended, T squared won, of course. I suck at snowball fights. Tei and I headed back to my dad's house to eat dinner and play cards.
"One two," I said as I placed a card down.
Tei looked down at her hand. "Lies," she called.
"Darn!" I took the stack. "Dad, you're up."
"Three threes," he said triumphantly. I looked at Tei. She shook her head. My dad gestured to the cards. "Go on, call it if you don't believe me!"
"I'm not going to do that. Tei, your turn."
"Two fours."
My stack of cards said otherwise. "Lies!" Tei groaned and took the pile. "Oh, come on! It's only five cards! Look at my deck!"
My dad checked the time. "Tei, it's getting late. You should head back home."
"You're right, Lou. Have a good night!" Tei took her bag (and her win) and left. When my dad and I were cleaning, I tensed. Should I tell him right now?
My father interrupted my thoughts. "Something wrong, son?"
"Um... maybe?" I placed the cards in a cabinet. "If I tell you something, can you promise to hear me out?"
"Yes, I promise."
"Even if it's something you might not like?"
"Of course! I promise!"
"Okay." I took a deep breath and sat down on the couch.
My dad followed soon after. "Now, what is it son?"
I breathed in, and breathed out, then looked my dad in the eyes. "Dad... I'm dating Kai."
My father looked mildly surprised. "Dating?"
"Dad, I-"
He was still speaking. "I thought it was just a crush! Did I miss something?"
I stopped. I- What now? "Dad. Heh?"
"Son. Do you think I don't watch the news? I see you out there, and I see you carrying the dang kid, hugging when you succeed, all sorts of things."
"Well. Crabsicles."
"Come on, tell me. How long have you been dating? How did it happen?"
My heart was doing the aluminum foil thing again. "Um..." I felt myself turning redder. "A few months. We were dealing with a whole curse-thingy. Kai was in a dream realm, where we had to confess our feelings for each other in order for him to get out. He improvised this whole speech that was super dorky and cute. I might've kissed him. Twice." My dad raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Then we dealt with a radioactive vine, but that wasn't important."
"Son," my dad wrapped me into a side hug. "I'm just glad you're happy." He pulled apart. "But it's time for you to go to bed."
"Yeah, I'm real tired."
I got up and started to my room, then stopped. I looked back at my dad. He was just smiling, looking at the wall. I jogged back to him and gave him another hug. "I love you, dad."
"I love you too, Cole."
I walked to my bedroom door. A weight had been lifted. I went to bed that night smiling.

Awwwwwwww the boysssss