Mr. Urie is my teacher. I am his student. Sometimes students fall for their teachers. But really, he wasn't supposed to fall for me too.
Cover by @sorryimalana
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I didn't take my eyes off my father. He sneaked into a row quietly. He was older than most of the pictures my mom had of him. His dark hair was starting to grey and his smile lines were deeper.
I tried to pay attention to the whole ceremony, but I could hardly keep my thoughts together. The ceremony was over quickly and many people came up to me to console me.
"Wow, you're doing so strong, Honey," My Aunt Sharon told me.
One of her kids groaned. They wanted to leave. People filed of the church and I stood by myself at my mother's casket. I looked at her.
Her face was grey and she didn't even look alive. I knew she wasn't. Her hair didn't radiate and her eyes were closed. Flashbacks of her glazed eyes plagued my mind.
"Um, hello. I knew your, Mother," I heard a man come up behind me. I turned around slowly, I felt like I knew it was him. My father.
"Hello," I said skeptically. My mom told me he left once he knew she was pregnant. She didn't talk about him much and I didn't really care.
"Yeah, you look just like her," he told me. He was staring at my face and I looked at him. We had the same eyes. I knew he was my father, but he had to know who I was.
"You do know who I am, correct?" I asked him suddenly.
He stopped staring and avoided eye contact. He looked embarrassed. "Yeah, you're Rachel's kid."
"Yeah," I responded.
"I met your mom in high school. We dated for a couple years. Then one day she just kinda left me."
Did he not know he was my father? "You left her, she didn't leave you."
"What?" He was suddenly confused. "I still love your mother, why would I leave her?"
I was shocked. "You left her because she was pregnant."
"She wasn't pregnant when she left me. I would never leave a women with a child, especially if it was mine." He seemed as if he was telling the truth.
"Let me ask this question again, do you know who I am?" I asked him again. He had to know I was his kid.
"Well I assume that Rachel was pregnant with you so that's why she left me."
"My mom did not leave you, you left her when you found out she was pregnant!" I felt anger build up inside me.
"I would never leave Rachel!" His voice grew louder. "If she was pregnant with my baby, I would've never let her go!"
"Well I'm living proof you did!" I screamed at him. His face dropped and he stepped back.
"You-you-you're my kid?" He asked me. He kept stuttering me.
"My mom was with no one except for you!" I yelled at him. "How didn't you know about me?"
Fear covered his face. This man, my own father, didn't know who I was.
He spoke after a few moments of silence, "I want to know you."
I shivered.
"Do you want to get dinner with me tonight?" He asked me. I looked at my father.
"Do you know my name even?" I asked him.
He meekly looked at the ground. "I didn't know Rachel had a kid until today." He didn't even know his child's own name. What a poor sad man.
"My name is Alana Brooke Voyles," I informed him.
There was a sudden smile on his face, "Brooke is my aunt's name." I shrugged. "What do you say about dinner?"
"Alright, but I have to tell my grandparents and my boyfriend," I told him. Brendon, I didn't even want to explain him to my dad.
"Who's the lucky guy?" He asked me.
"Me," Brendon emerged from the shadows. He had been listening the whole time. My father looked shocked at the sudden entrance Brendon made.
"Well hello, I'm Andy," he told Brendon.
"I'm Brendon," He told my father. "May I come with you tonight to dinner?"
My father hesitated, "Ask Alana."
Brendon looked at me. I wanted to spend this time with my father alone. "Bren, why don't you go home. I'll meet you there after dinner."
He looked hurt for a few seconds and walked out of church.
"He's a bit old," my father commented as he left. "He has his own house?"
"Yeah, I'm happy, so it shouldn't even matter," I shrugged.
My dad nodded and thought about what to say next. We were both a little lost for words. "Well what do you want for dinner, kiddo?"
It took everything in me not to glare at him. I may be his child but we're strangers. "Please don't call me that."
"Sorry," he said and started to walk out of church. "Why don't we go get some Mexican."
I nodded and thought about how my life just changed. I met him. My dad.
There was a lingering thought I couldn't get out of my head. I tried to push it back but it kept bothering my thoughts. I was late for my period.
