I'm officially giving up on explaining my feelings to Aadhi. It's not that he wouldn't get it- he probably would- but I can't figure out the right words to say.
I'm lying stomach-flat on my bed, retyping messages to Aadhi without actually sending them.
So there's this girl...
You know when you meet someone new?
Dude, I need advice.
I want to tell Aadhi about Kiara, but Aadhi when it comes to keeping secrets is about the equivalent of trusting gas station sushi. In other words, not the best idea.
Speaking of Kiara, what was I thinking, going up behind her like that a few days ago? I pretty much crushed the idea of giving her any personal space, but at least she was nice enough to not say anything. She's a really good tennis player; the type that thinks about the future rather than the present.
Sighing, I put my phone on silent and bury my face in my pillow. It's almost midnight, but it's nearly impossible to sleep.
My thoughts drift to Dad abruptly, who'll be back tomorrow from his work. At this rate, he might as well live at his office, judging by the fact that he spends more time there than at home.
I hear Mom downstairs rummaging through pots and pans, probably in the kitchen prepping breakfast for tomorrow. Typical. I'd go and help her, but the last time I did that, she ended up shooing me out of the kitchen to go back to sleep.
I turn onto my side gingerly, hugging the bedsheet closer to my body, and before I know it, I'm asleep.
The next day, I'm sitting at the kitchen table when Dad strolls in, briefcase still in hand. He's adjusting the buttons on his blue button-up shirt, not attempting to talk to Mom, who's lying on the couch, tablet in hand.
"Theo," Dad says curtly, as if talking to his son is the hardest thing in the world. "How are you?"
I shrug half-heartedly, poking the cereal in my bowl to the edge, separating it by color. "Same. You?"
Dad's talking, but it's like background noise, a never-ending lecture about work and meetings I'll never care about. He barely glances at me while he's telling some story about sealing a deal, his fingers typing away on his phone.
I catch a glimpse of a red stain on his collar that looks suspiciously like lipstick. I know better than to ask about it, but I can't shake the feeling that it's not just "work stress" that's keeping him so late at the office.
I clear my throat, trying to interrupt. "Hey, Dad, about the tennis tournament next month..."
He doesn't even look up, just waves me off. "We'll talk later, Theo. I've got too much on my plate right now."
Classic. Later never comes.
Mom cuts in randomly, interrupting Dad with something about her dinner plans, and I zone out both of them. My phone buzzes, and I glance at it, half-expecting another message from Kiara, but it's some newsletter notification.
The beating in my chest slowly subsides, resuming its regular pattern. I don't know why I get so worked up at the thought of her texts. It's not like I have a crush or anything.
Totally.
Now, both my parents raise their voices, cutting each other off with a louder yell, nearly breaking the sound barrier. I stir my cereal exasperatedly, messing up the clean pattern I was making before dumping it into the sink, milk and all.
Their screaming made me lose my appetite.
I jog back to my room, yells and clatters from downstairs slowly fading away before I pull out my phone, searching for an excuse to get out of the house.
Me: Yo, Aadhi.
Aadhi: What's up?
Me: Can I come over, shoot some hoops with you? I need to get out of the house.
Aadhi doesn't ask twice about why; he already knows about my situation at home, so he never interferes.
Aadhi: Yeah, sure. Anytime's fine bro.
Me: Thanks man.
After a quick shower and clothes change, I head downstairs, basketball in one hand and phone in the other as I slip out of the house quietly and head into my car. My parents don't even know I'm gone. They probably won't notice till I come back home, and then dismiss it like they're used to it.
Probably because they are. At the rate of these arguments, I might have to live with Aadhi. Permanently.
We're shooting hoops at the park, the sound of the ball hitting the pavement filling the awkward silence.
Aadhi's rambling about some date he has with his girlfriend this weekend, and I nod, pretending to listen with full intrest.
"She's got this whole thing planned," Aadhi says breathlessly, making a lazy layup. "Honestly, bro, you should try it. Maybe ask someone out."
I laugh weakly. He has no idea. "Yeah, maybe," I say, wiping the sweat off my brow and passing the ball back.
I almost want to tell him about Kiara. How I can't get her out of my head, how I keep replaying every moment from the other day, wondering if she noticed anything.
If there's one thing Aadhi's good at, it's giving advice. So, now or never, you know?
"Dude," I say, raising a hand half-up to let him know I want to say something. "I need advice."
We sit at the wooden bench near the court, our ball rolling like a tumbleweed.
"OK, for what?"
"So there's this girl-"
"Please don't say Hannah."
"It's not dude, calm down. So there's this girl, right? I think she's really pretty, and she's good at tennis, but I don't know what to talk to her about."
Aadhi's wide grin and raised eyebrows tell me that I'm in either really good hands, or really bad ones.
A/n: I like this chapter
I feel like we get an in-depth look at Theo's life, and it's really nice
Aadhi is actually really nice, just trust me!!
I'm not doing double chapter for Theo yet, but stay tuned....
I have a cute idea for the next chapter!! Really excited for yall to see it!!
Bye! <3
