Love's A Prick

I Argue With Dad (Again)

** Felix Herald **

Well, wasn't that dramatic? I always do enjoy a nice argument with daddy dearest. Not when I lose, though.

Only now do I remember what he told me, I dunno how many years ago.

No making friends with Addison Whitley.

My only thought then was 'whatever'. It was right after the fight. I didn't want to listen to his face. His stupid idiotic face with the same green eyes as mine. Asshole. Anyways, I wasn't keen on listening to anything he had to say.

You know what I need? B-ball. Nothing like it. Basketball was life. B-ball was bae. One of the greatest things introduced to humankind, next to me, of course. Ah, I'm sappy.

I jogged in my hurry, my mere presence parting the crowd. A few winks here and there (for my adoring fans). I waved over Elliott and Ty.

A quick rundown of my gang. Aidan, as we all know, the good boy and pretty much the only one with a conscience. Elliott was the crazy doofus with a killer sense of humor. Leave him alone and expect your house to be T.P.ed and a whoopee cushion on every chair. If he likes you. Ty was the super dangerous, moody bad boy. He got into fistfights every week and filled the remaining days being, well, moody. Underneath it all, he was a good guy. Maybe. I really don't know. But he was trustworthy with secrets. Maybe I should call him the Secretkeeper! And Elliott the Joker? No, wait, copyright infringement.

Hold up. Where was I?

Oh, yeah. I, of course, am the super suave cool kid. Is that the ultimate dream-team or what?

Aidan was a bit quieter than usual, which reduced his speech to just about corpse level. I knew he was thinking about Courtney.

What?! I'm good at reading people! That, my dear pupils, is why girls want to date me. Girls like it if they feel like you know them. It works like 99% of the time. Otherwise, they just think you're a stalker.

Anyways, I felt like telling him I had it under control, and that I had enlisted help. If we can call Addison help.

But guys don't talk about that stuff! They just don't. Violation of the guy code. No sentimental crap. Goodness knows there are enough emotions in this world.

We played, crushed the other team, and were walking out when the Aidan, Elliott, and Ty froze, spun a 180, and walked away. This could only mean...

"One thing, Felix. One thing."

What was it, the official annoy-the-shit-out-of-Felix day?

"Hello to you too, Dad."

"I told you to stay away from her."

"Tell me why."

"No."

"Tell me how you know her."

"No." He sighed. "Listen to want I said. I don't want her with you."

Why try to improve the methods of the master?

"No," I grinned, knowing that it would irk him. "Buh-bye, Mr. Mystery-monger."

I turned around and jogged away. Dad might have won this morning's battle, but I won the afternoon's. One all. Ball's in your court now, Pops.

"Thanks for having my back, there, guys. I knew I could count on your support," I said as I caught up to them.

"Come on, man, we all know he hates our guts. Except for Aidan, of course," Ty said, mock bowing in his direction.

"Yeah. Be sure to give him our love in heaven, both of you'll be real pals up there," Elliott jumped in.

"Oh, ha ha. He hates my guts as much as you guys. The only reason he tolerates me is because all y'all'd be screwed if I wasn't your conscience. And it's a good thing you have m-" he trailed off.

Sure enough, Courtney was in front of us. She (for some reason) caught my eye and winked at me, violently ignoring Aidan.

He narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously. "Did she just wink at you?"

"I think so, man," Elliott answered. "Almost like you two are friends...." He winced at the glare I gave him.

Aidan just looked at me and stormed away.