AFFECTED

Chapter 17

Allen's POV

I was more than happy to meet my dad again in about a year. I was tired of always talking and seeing face in some stupid app over and over.

I took the stairs two at a time and ran into the stairs upstairs Kitchen. His favourite of all the places in the mansion, second to his studio, where he had all his paintings made when he had extra time to spare but recently he hasn't even got a breathing space on his business schedules.

I found him sitting at the exact spot I had in mind, near the counter, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"Hi, dad"
"Son" He got up room hug me.

"Uh, what's going on?" I slip into a chair opposite his.
His sipped on his coffee and put in on top of the counter.

"So, what's up with you and Roosevelt?"

Seriously dad??

"There's no me and Roosevelt. Forgotten?"
"Ah" He smiles. "Good." He looks up at me. "I've been meaning to introduce you to Ti but I never get the time."

"Tia Wilds? The mayor's daughter?"
"You've already met her?"

I close my eyes in disbelief.
"Dad?"
"Don't worry about it son, I promise you'll get to meet her later this week."
"Dad."
"Before I...."
"I'm not meeting anyone dad."
"And why is that?"
"The last time mom hooked me up with a girl, I got cheated on. I was the one who suffered the heartbreak not her." I look at look in the face. "And I already have a girl, dad."

"Really. Tell me about her?" He tried to keep his tone breezy. His hand froze far a second in midair. Then he finished turning the page of his newspaper and set it down.

"Son..." He began.

"Hi guys." My mom enters the kitchen.
She was wearing a long floral print skirt and a simple sleeveless linen top.
Her long hair had been blown-dried into a simple flowing wave and was wearing deep red lipstick.

My dad smiled at her.
"You look great."
"So do you, darling." She placed a light kiss on his lips.

"And my favourite boy in the world?"
"I'm fine mom." I peck her.
"And that look?" She looks at me and then my dad. "What are you two discussing without me?"

"Dad wants to hook me up with the mayor's daughter."
"What? No honey, my boy is not dating that spoilt brat."

"What do you mean she's a spoilt brat?" He looks confused.
"I guess you have no idea who she is then. It's gonna be over my dead body!"

I glance at my wrist watch. It was only half past six. I wanted to leave already and spend some time with Taylor.
Maybe I could make it right in time to have dinner with her family.

"Thank you mom." I hug her.
"Your dad is gonna change his mind, I promise you." She whispers into my ear and I nod.

"I have to go now."
"You ain't staying for dinner?"
"No. I'm having dinner with some friends. And don't wait up for me, I'll be staying at my house."

"Take care."
"I will mom."

I drove straight to Taylor's house then pulled my phone out of my pocket to call her.

"Baby come out. I've got a surprise for you."
"What do you mean come out?"
"I'm in front of your house right now"
"I can see you. I'll be there in a second."

I stepped out of the car and lean against it when I saw the front door open and she jogs to me.

"What are you doing here?"
"I miss you." She smiles at the sound of that.
"It been about two hours since you saw me."
"Its long enough." I kiss her forehead.

"I wasn't expecting you to come back. What happened?" She leans right next to me, arms touching.
"What? Is something suppose to happen?"

"No. I didn't mean it the way it must have sounded. I thought you were having dinner with your dad."
I nod.
"I went to see him."I say shortly.
"And?"

"And... I'm throwing a party tomorrow night and I want you to be there." I lied to her. I possibly couldn't tell her what happened. Its been only a week since we started going out and I wasn't planning on ending things now.

I hadn't got anything planned for a party but that wasn't really a problem when all I needed to do was make a few calls.

"Tomorrow is a school day. I'm gonna be exhausted."
"We can skip school then."
"What? No! We started are not!"

"Then you have no excuse either. Besides its a Friday night. You can stay in bed with me the whole day afterwards. I have a whole lot of things I can do to you."
"Don't be naughty!" she hits my arm and I cry out in pain rubbing the spot.

"Does it hurt?"
I nod
"Let me see."
I shake my head.
"Come on."
"No." I shake my head.

The next thing I knew, she was kissing me. How she did that, I had no idea. I held her closer and gave in to the kiss.

I was definitely going to do this often.

"I'm sorry." she whispers several minutes later when we pull away from each other to catch our breath.

"This is a way of saying yes to me, right?"
She nods and smiles at me.

"And the surprise?" She looks into my eyes and when I look back in hers, I see through her heart.
And then I know she's all I needed.

"I can wait."
And my lips find hers again.