Involved

nine

isabelle langa

When I told my brother I was going to a frat party, he was 50/50. He trusts Killian, but not so much his frat. Which I couldn't disagree on because I don't trust frats either. All the guys seem terrible. But I wasn't going to beg Junior to approve of my plans because I don't need his permission.

I spent ages trying to find something to wear. This never used to be a problem. I wore whatever I wanted, but after my encounter with Killian the other day, it's safe to say I'm now a lot more aware of the things I wear. But I couldn't start dressing for Killian. So I decided on jean shorts and a tank top. I didn't look in the mirror because that would only make me paranoid.

I marched out of my room with my phone then went to Junior's room. His door was opened and I wish it wasn't. He was over top of some girl that I didn't recognize. He doesn't normally have the same girl over more than once.

"Junior, I'm leaving now," I announced mainly because it was his car I planned on taking.

He pulled away from the girl he was kissing. "You're staying the night?"

"Yeah. I just figured the whole drinking and driving thing isn't a good idea." Before Junior could respond, the doorbell rang.

Jeremiah was on the other side of the door. He held a small gift bag in his hands. After I spoke with my mother, I never bothered to reach out to him except when I asked for Trinity's number. When I think of my father, I think of a man who never cared to get to know me and left our family. It's the truth. But my father is also a man who had a whole other family and was cheating on my mother. When I look at Jeremiah, I don't see either of those men. I don't see a cheater. I don't see the man who abandoned my brother and I. All I see is this stranger who looks like me.

"Junior is kind of tied up right now. I'll tell him you stopped by though," I smiled, hoping he wouldn't stay for long.

"I came to see you, Isabelle."

"I was actually just headed out," I slid my feet into my sneakers. I locked the house on my way out. My eyes widened at the car in my driveway. It wasn't here earlier and it wasn't Jeremiah's because his car was a Mercedes that was parked by the road. This was a black SUV with a Lamborghini symbol on the front. I'm not familiar with cars, but I know it's not cheap.

"Why don't I drive you? We can talk," he kindly asked and I felt bad saying no. If he wanted to explain himself, the least I could do was listen. So I followed him over to his car and got into the passenger seat. "It's your birthday gift. It arrived late, but I figured better late than never. I hope you like it," he placed the gift bag on my lap when he began driving. Peaking into the bag, I removed the tissue to see car keys at the bottom. He bought me a car for my birthday and I wasn't sure how to feel about it. The gesture was sweet and it made my heart race. But it felt difficult being happy about this when I knew who it was coming from.

I had a million questions for him. When I was younger, all I ever questioned was why he left my brother and I and whether he even loved us. But my mother told me everything. She told me that he's always loved me and sent me gifts and congratulations when I made achievements. She told me that the decision to keep me away was her own selfish doing and if Jeremiah had it his way, he wouldn't have missed a moment of my childhood.

"I know this is all weird for you. I've always thought about the day I would finally get to meet you and talk to you and get to know you. But obviously this idea is still really new to you," he did his best to understand me but that seemed impossible considering I didn't even understand my own feelings.

I wanted to be angry. Not quite sure at who, but being angry would make things easier. But I'm somewhere between happy and scared that he's dreamed about getting to know me, but I'll be nothing but a let down.