𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛, 𝓂𝓎 𝒹𝒶𝓇𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔

Dad, I missed you

    Staying true to his word, Bryce took Verity to the prison after school next week. Bryce had some random upperclassman drop them off for $50.

"They would do it for ten. You know that, right?" Verity looked up at the prison as their chauffeur drove off.

    "He was desperate for money." Bryce shrugged. "Are we even allowed to be here as minors?"

    Verity shrugged her shoulders as she started walking towards the door. "You look eighteen." She walked her way in and the security guards were staring at them. "Hi, excuse me."

    The fat guy behind the desk looked up at her through the thick glass barrier. "Visitation or drop off? If drop off, sign the clip-"

    "Visitation actually." Bryce said. "My uncle and, uh, her dad."

    The guy clicked his computer. "Name of inmates?"

    "Mine is Dean M. Portman." Verity answered. "His is Devin J. Thomas. Can we get, like, visitation passes for them please?"

    The fat guy clicks more on his computer. "Mr. Thomas lost his visitation right for two weeks. He's in the pit. As for Mr. Portman, would you like one or two?"

    Before Verity could answer, Bryce did. "One would be fine." The guy nodded and started doing things on his computer. "You deserve this time alone. I'll wait outside for you."

    "Name, birth, and last four digits of the visitor's social?"

    Verity turned back to him. "Verity D. Portman Astor, 11-17-06, and 8404."

-

    Verity was sitting at a table waiting for her dad to come out. She was messing with her necklace when the door opened. She looked up and saw her father walking in with a police officer in the doorway.

    He looked more scuffed than she remembered, he had stubble and his hair was sort of in a slick back with his hair brushing his shoulders. His sleeves were rolled up, showing his new sleeve of tattoos.

    Dean took a seat across from his daughter. The officer turned so his back was facing the doorway. "Hey."

    "Hi." Verity stopped playing with her necklace. "You look different."

    Dean let out a low laugh. "Same with yourself. Vivienne with you?" Verity shook her head. "Oh, got it. What about little Ryna and Koa? No? Hmm."

    "Saw you got new tats." Verity pointed to his left arm.

    Dean smiled and flexed it. "I did, yeah. Come look." He moved his arm closer to Verity. Across his forearm was '𝓥𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓽𝔂' and 'XI-XVII-MMVI' below it. "I also got a small one for the others." He pulls his sleeve up more and points. '𝒦 & 𝒩' with 'IX-XXIV-MMII' below it. "Couldn't leave them out."

    Verity grinned at the new tattoos. "So, how's prison treating you? And sorry for not visiting sooner, mom wouldn't let me."

    "Well, people are okay over here. Made a friend named Shark." Dean leaned back. "No offense to Vivienne or anything, but keeping my child from me is pretty cruel. How's Viv doing?"

    Verity clicked her tongue. "Mom's alright. She's been really busy lately and sent me to stay with Uncle Elio for a bit during the summer. Uh, Kat and Koa are in college now. Oh, and I made varsity."

    "Whose shit did you rock?"

    Verity laughed and raised her cast. "Hockey injury. This big player crosschecked me and smacked my wrist really, really, hard. Bryce got him though and he bought me some chocolate and flowers so i feel better."

    Dean raised his eyebrows. "I did the same for your mother, you know." He mentioned. "Look how that turned out."

    "You in jail and her with a good career?" Verity blurted before covering her mouth. "Sorry..."

    Dean actually laughed so loud at her. "You are more like your mother than you think you are. Well our twenty minutes are coming to an end, kiddo."

    Verity looked up at the clock. "I have to get going, Bryce is waiting for me outside."

    "Yeah, well I have to get back to the yard. See you, kiddo." The two Portman's stand up and go towards the door.

    The officer grabbed Dean and started walking down the hall with him. "Dad," Verity called out and Dean turned around. "I miss you."

    "Miss you too, baby."

-

    Bryce was kicking rocks waiting for Verity. "Hey, Banks." Matthew and Zach were walking down the street. "What you doing here, man?"

    "Uh, V is in there." Bryce dabbed them up. "Just waiting."

    Zach looked to the prison. "Best hope that isn't for her dad. Prison dads are scary, especially if you're trying to get with their daughter."

    "Hey, I'm not trying anything."

    Matthew let out a short laugh. "Dude, everyone knows you only got eyes for her. Remember that chick Heather last week? Girl's totally into you, she was fine as shit too. But what did you do? Rejected her and said you weren't in the mood to date anyone, yet you went and bought V her favorite flowers and you've never called her by her name. It's always 'babes' or 'sweetie' or 'hottie' and stuff."

    Zach backed up his best friend. "Yeah. Man, just admit it."

    Bryce sighed. "Okay, maybe... BUT, she's definitely into Trey. Like when she k-" he stopped before continuing. He sighs instead. "You can tell."

    Matt shakes his head. "Trey is just an obstacle. You need to get over them before you reach the prize."

    Verity walks out with a big grin on her face. "Okay, let's go Bryce." She sees her two friends. "Hey, guys."

    They say hello back before Zach patted Bryce on the back. "Just an obstacle." He reminds before the two boys walk down the street together.

    "What did that mean?" Verity asked as her and Bryce walked the opposite way. Bryce shook his head and wrapped his arm around her. "Okay then."

    They walk in silence before Bryce breaks it. He needed to know if the obstacle was really an obstacle. "Do you like Trey?"

    Verity let out a nervous laugh and looked up at him. "Where is this coming from?"

    Bryce shrugs and comes up with something. "I have a feeling that you do, that's all. So, uh, do you?"

    "What's it to you? I swear if Theresa is putting you up to this because Aneli won't tell her that I d-"

    Bryce stopped in his tracks. "What do you mean Aneli won't tell her? Wait. Do you like him?" Verity looked down and Bryce removed his arm. "You do, huh..?"

    "This doesn't mean we'll stop being best friends, Banksie." Verity tried to cheer him up. She elbows him, but he doesn't budge. "Bryce, come on. It's not that deep."

    Bryce shakes his head and suddenly smiles again. "Yeah, yeah." He continues walking again. "Let's get back to the school, doll face. I have to talk with Neli."

    "Yeah, okay." Verity walks beside him. "Somebody wanted to talk with me too."