Addicted to You

"Uh Oh, I'm Falling in Love"

As we sat down to dinner, my dad looked at me with a concerned expression. "Hey, kiddo, where did you run off to earlier today? You were gone for a while."

I looked up at him, hesitating for a moment. I knew he was going to react differently than Mom would.

"Uh, I just went out with...a friend," I said, trying to sound casual.

My dad's eyes narrowed. "A friend? Which friend?"

I hesitated again, feeling my heart beat a little faster. "Timothée," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

My dad's expression changed from concerned to protective. "Timothée? The boy from the play? Leia, how well do you know him?"

"Dad...it was just coffee." I tried to calm him down.

My dad's expression turned stern. "Leia, you're still young, and I want to protect you from boys and...from...from things."

I rolled my eyes, feeling a bit frustrated. "Dad, I'm 17. I can handle myself."

But my dad's expression only grew more protective. "I know you think you can, sweetie, but boys can be...persistent. And I don't want anyone taking advantage of my little girl."

My mom, who had been watching the exchange with a mix of amusement and understanding, chimed in. "Hey, dear, maybe we should change the subject?"

It was dropped from there on. I spent the rest of the dinner silent as my mom and dad talked about work and about my mom's friends.

After dinner, my dad pulled me aside into the living room. "Hey, kiddo, let's talk about this Timothée guy," he said, his expression still protective.

I sighed, feeling a bit frustrated. "Dad, I told you, we're just friends. He's a nice guy, and we like talking about the play."

My dad nodded, but his eyes still looked skeptical. "I know you think he's a nice guy, but I want to make sure you're being careful. Boys can be charming, but they don't always have the best intentions."

If I only knew in that moment that that sentence was the truest thing ever.

I rolled my eyes, feeling a bit annoyed. "Dad, I know. You've told me this a million times. But Timothée is really into the play, and we have things in common."

My dad looked at me for a long moment, then nodded. "Okay, kiddo. But just remember, I'm always here to protect you, okay?"

I smiled, feeling a bit grateful for my dad's concern. "Okay, Dad. I appreciate it."

My dad smiled back, looking a bit relieved. "Good. Now go do your homework."

I nodded, and headed off to my room, feeling a bit grateful for my dad's protectiveness, but also a bit frustrated that he didn't trust me more.

~

I was sitting at my desk, surrounded by textbooks and notes, trying to focus on my homework. But my mind kept wandering back to Timothée and our conversation earlier that day.

Just as I was starting to get into a study groove, my phone buzzed on my desk. I looked down to see a text from Timothée.

"Hey, Leia! Just wanted to say thanks again for grabbing coffee with me today. I had a really great time"

I felt a flutter in my chest as I read the text. No one had ever made me feel so seen and understood before.

I quickly typed out a response. "Yeah, no problem! I had a great time too"

We went back and forth for a few minutes, talking about everything from the play to our favorite books and movies.

As we texted, I couldn't help but feel a connection with Timothée that I couldn't explain. It was like we were on the same wavelength or something.