"You're such a joy to be around."-
"Well, you're a pain in the arse."
Jordyn had no idea that befriending the lovely idiot who broke her locker would turn her life upside down. But here she was, amidst bionics, secrets and life-threatening dangers...
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The hydroloop buzzed with the hum of energy, a steady background noise to the anticipation building in Joe's chest. She shifted nervously from foot to foot, glancing at her phone every few seconds. Next to her stood Adam and Chase, watching the girl's anxiety manifest worse by the second.
Adam stepped closer to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, reassuring her, "He'll be here soon, Joe. Relax,"
"I know, I know. I just... what if he doesn't like it here?" Joe bit her lip, her eyes darting around the lobby.
"He's not here to sightsee. He's here for you, so calm down and stop overthinking that stuff."
Her lips curled in a nervous smile; she was still skeptical and couldn't fully let go of her doubts. Seeing this, Chase spoke up, "Your dad's one of the most easygoing people there is. Don't you remember Adam's play back in high school? You said he loved it even though it was a disaster."
Nodding, Joe agreed, "Yeah, you're right." She took a deep breath, shaking off the nerves, and turned toward the hydroloop. "It'll be great."
As if on cue, the hydroloop lit up, signaling an incoming arrival. She shot the boys one last excited smile just as the doors whooshed open, revealing none other than Joe's dad. Craig slowly stepped out, a wide grin on his face.
"Dad!" Instantly, Joe leaped forward, throwing herself into the arms of her father. "I missed you so much," she mumbled into his shoulder, feeling him tighten his arms around her.
"I missed you too, Jody." He released her from his embrace but held her at arm's length to take in her face. "Man, have you grown?" He asked with a chuckle. They moved on from the warm greetings, getting lost in inquiries about each other's well-being. "Can you believe it? One day I come in, and they simply throw me out of there, forcing me to take time off! Like they teamed up with your mother or something!"
She patted his chest, the bright smile unwavering. "Probably for the best." Before her father could launch into a story, like he usually managed to do in the first 5 minutes of a conversation, she looked back to the boys, who until this point had remained silent, not wanting to interrupt the reunion. "Oh, right. Dad, you will hopefully remember these two."
"Ahh! How could I forget? Adam!" Craig greeted the boy with a warm hug and pat on the back. "It's been too long, son."
Chase bit his lip as he observed the display of affection. A subtle ache settled in his chest, and a wave of regret washed over him. At that moment, he wished he hadn't tagged along to greet Craig. A sense of displacement crept in, leaving him feeling like an outsider at this reunion.
Then, it was his turn. Extending his hand, Chase greeted Craig with a firm nod. "Hello, Craig."
The man grimaced, giving Chase's hand an unexpectedly strong shake. "It's actually Mr. Barkeley."
