The Tough Road

Chapter 18: Making up

"No! I'm home!" I cut dad. "Shocked huh?" annoyance was obvious in my voice.
"Ashley..." Dad approached me.
I took one step back.
"NO! Wait there! Did you guys ditch me?" This time my anger was boiling.
__________

"Ashley! Why are you acting like that? We've only been grocery shopping!" Mom stated as a matter of faculty.
"Aha! Only grocery shopping?!" I almost yelled.

"Babe... you go ahead and put the groceries. I'll join you in a minute." Dad calmly told mom.
Mom confusingly left to the kitchen and left dad and me alone. I was confused as well. Why was dad so calm? I thought he would be angry at me.

"You're still clueless how to make up with people ?" He said rather amusingly.
"WHat? NO! Of course not! I'm really well aware of the ways to make up with people." I answered him defensively.
"Yeah! I can see that clearly with my own two eyes, right now." He chuckled.

When I didn't give him an answer, he came close to me and put his hand on my shoulder. I unconsciously leaned back on the touch.

"Whenever you want to talk with me or apologize to me, you act like this as if I was the one who was in charge of what happened, huh? Ain't I right, Ashley?"
I looked away since I didn't want to agree with what he said, but let it be a secret between ourselves, I am really like that.

Again that he didn't get an answer from me, he came even closer then hugged me gently.
"It's not okay to prank people, and you know it very well; however, I can't keep being mad at you since..." He paused and separated us.

"Since?" I spoke for the first time.
"Since I did the same thing when I was young." He chuckled.
"See! These are your genes, not mine!" I talked enthusiastically.
"I know that you're a carbon copy of me, Ashley." Dad answered with a serious tone.
"So..." I looked him in the eyes.
"So?"
"So, we can come to this conclusion that our prank night comes from your genes, and we are completely innocent."

He laughed loudly while pinching my cheeks.
"Ouch! No touching! They are mine!"
"And, you're my daughter as you said a few minutes ago."
"That doesn't prove anything!" I tried to argue back. Keyword guys! Tried!

Dad patted my hair a few times then went to the kitchen to probably help mom. Well, I got what I wanted, so let's go to enjoy my Sunday.

I walked upstairs, and as I stepped in my room, I realized that I completely forgot about the pasta. Holy shit! Pasta!
I quickly ran downstairs then jumped into the kitchen with a loud voice that got my parents scared.

"What is it!" Mom panickingly asked.
"Is something wrong?" Dad asked somewhat more calmly.
"My pasta!" I yelled as if my life depended on it.

"You girl! You scared me, Ashley! I was on the verge of a heart attack!" Mom talked while grabbing a glass of water to calm down.
"What pasta?" Dad asked with curiosity obvious on his both face and voice.

"My pasta, dad. Look! It's there!" I quickly passed both of them and stood next to the stove.
"My baby! You haven't been burned. Let's go and make you!" Dad laughed while mom looked at me like she had seen an alien.

"Wait... Did you cook?" Mom asked shockingly.
"Yes! I did it all myself without anyone! Isn't it cool?" I praised myself arrogantly.

Mom rushed to me then checked my arms and hands.
"Mom? What are you doing?"
"Are you burned?" Mom checked my arms again.
"What? Of course not! It was just simple boiling water and pouring the pasta in the pot." I reasoned with her.

"Alexander?" Mom called dad amusingly.
"Yeah babe?" Dad answered back skeptically since mom rarely calls him by her name.
"I wish she had met that trainer of hers sooner. He had an effect on her more than just her muscles and academics."
"Mom!" She didn't just say that!