What Was Taken

3 | The Herris's

3 | The Herris's

"Who has you all hot?"

At that moment, my mind flew with judgments of how stupid I was to voice how I was feeling when I didn't pay attention to my surroundings. How very stupid of myself. But when my eyes made their way to the source of the voice, I didn't see my mother which only made me blush and feel even more embarrassed than I wanted to be.

And I couldn't exactly do anything about it, like run to my goddamn room like I was being chased by a serial killer or pretend I was at the wrong house. I had to live with the fact that someone I didn't know heard my damn confession. But I guess that was the least of my worries since I didn't know who was in front of me.

The person who happened to be sitting uncomfortably in my living room couch wasn't a familiar face which didn't surprise me at all since we didn't really have many visitors. I knew that the unfamiliar face wasn't a threat, he looked more of a helpless man looking for someone to save him and that made absolutely no sense because judging by his attire, he was a business man. Those type of men know what they are doing.

I looked at him with wide eyes, not certain what to tell him about what he just heard. But I could start another subject and let me tell you, it was pretty damn reasonable to when I asked, "Who are you?" It sounded rude when I didn't mean for it to came out like that.

He looked taken aback for a moment as if he was shocked that I haven't heard from him before, but he soon composed himself like he was meant to. He is a business man who had to keep a serious face to make a very intimidating point. But I wasn't that easy to intimidate.

"Excuse my poor manners, I'm David Herris." He finished by extending his hand, waiting for me to take it but I was too lost to actually do something about it like grasp and shake it.

Herris? 

My mind went from letters being ready to form a word to leave my mouth in nice sentences to having them scramble in hesitation. Had I heard him right?

If this was Ray's father then I had no idea why he was here, in my home, looking fancy—way too fancy for my taste. Ray didn't even look or act professional like this man and maybe that was the first clue to think they weren't related but no one could prove that just yet.

Just when I was about to interrogate him, my mother went ahead and beat me to it. Though, she wasn't asking. She was saying and what she then said, I would have never seen coming.

"Sorry for the wait, Babe. I was getting dinner ready...." Right then her eyes trailed to what David was looking at; which was me. "Abbie! I didn't know you were going to be home so early. I thought you were going to stay the night with Paige, Honey?"

I grimaced, hoping that she didn't actually want me to spend the night somewhere else so she can be alone with Mr. Herris. Something that made me instantly gag if I thought deeply into it.

I shook my head lightly, my head pounding loud. "No, I...um, I wasn't feeling too well to stay over at her house."

Her eyes narrowed, stepping closer to me and reaching for my forehead, the back of her hand against my skin. "You don't have a fever. Here, Honey, let me-"

"No, Mom," I quickly snapped, backing away, her hand falling from the process. "You have company. And I only have a headache which I'm sure can be cured with some fresh air."

"Oh, Honey," My mom continued to frown. "I don't mind taking a rain check and I'm sure David wouldn't mind."

I looked over at him. He seemed to look a bit tired, almost like he had a tough day at work and he needed some relaxing time. I was more than sure he needed it and perhaps he needed it with my mother. But just that, relaxing and nothing else. I didn't even want to think about that right now. My head was pounding enough.