A Collection of Short/Long Stories I've Written;

Becoming Ronnie: 27.

We got out of the car. Breathing, heavily, in and out, I knocked on the door while Dylan straightened out his outfit. I expected, when I heard footsteps, that my dad was coming to the door but I was surprised when Elijah opened it instead.

“Oh.” I said. “Hi.”

“Hello.”

“Um, can I come in?”

The young girl, my sister Chloe’s best-friend (maybe not so much anymore) moved out of the way, and let us in.

“Ronnie?” My dad shouted, walking in from the kitchen with an apron on.

“Hello father.”

“Ah.” He replied. “Ronnie. Dylan.”

His eyes, I noticed, were full of so much life compared to the other day at the office.

“Evening.” Dylan said, looking around dad’s elegant house.

Elijah moved from behind us and my dad’s eyes snapped to her.

“Elijah,” he said suddenly, reaching into his back pocket, “I’d like you to go out for the night.”

“Bu—”

“Here two-hundred dollars.”

“Uh…”

“Have a good night.” He said, before grabbing my hand.

“Yes.” She replied, as if in tone to say ‘yes father’.

 He pulled me into the kitchen and Dylan dogged along behind. I smirked at how my dad treated his girlfriend. He didn’t call her any pet names, like honey, and she didn’t say anything affectionate back. Their relationship wasn’t strong like my parent’s relationship was.

“I’m so glad you came.” My father said, taking out three glasses.

***

*Dylan’s POV*

“Would you like some more wine, Dylan?” Ronnie’s father asked.

“No, thank you. Someone has to drive.”

“Nonsense.” He replied. “You can get a taxi.”

“Yeah!” Veronica perked up, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. She then went to place her arm on the table but missed. She began laughing and her father slapped his hand on his leg.

I watched her intently, as she laughed and smiled with a man she probably never thought she’d be able to look in the face again due to a misunderstanding. Something bubbled up inside me and I felt my cheeks burn a little. Either I was coming down with something or, for the first time in my life, I was actually blushing.

I laughed, to make it seem like my face went red from laughing as I felt my heart skip a beat because I looked at Ronnie when she was smiling and she looked beautiful.

“Go on then,” I replied, holding up my glass. “Pour me another.”

***

*Ronnie’s POV*

“Morning,” I said tiredly.

“Morning honey,” Dylan replied, pushing some of my hair out of my face. He was staring at me, and I guessed he had been staring at me for a while now.

“What do you want to do today?”

“I’m going to church.”

“Church?”

“It’s Sunday.”

“Oh yeah,” he replied, as if forgetting. “So it is.”

I sat up, feeling my head hurt slightly. I shouldn’t have drunk that wine. I only ever drink wine on New Year ’s Eve and it’s never no more than a glass. I can see why, when he stays over, Donnie is grumpy the next morning. He drinks all the time around my sister.