The New Kid (Book 1)

Chapter 20

Colton

Elliot tried his best to distract me from that call from my dad by starting to kick around my soccer ball again, which worked.

He was getting the hang of it, definitely, although he was still having trouble with the whole concept of dribbling. There were quite a few times when he ended up falling down, but none of those times turned into heated make out sessions again. I don't even know what had gotten into me then. All I was thinking about was Elliot, although I completely forgot that he had only turned fifteen a couple months ago. He was just a kid, no matter how tall he was getting. Why did I think I could do that with him so soon?

But, all in all, I think he had a great time today. At least I hope so, because I did.

It was only when I got home in the late afternoon after dropping Elliot back at his house that reality had to push back into my life.

As soon as I tossed my backpack onto the floor of my bedroom, my dad was in the doorway, his arms crossed.

"I thought you were going to be home earlier," he said.

I shrugged. "I was with my boyfriend, Dad, on a date that we've been trying to have for weeks. I wasn't going to rush home for someone that doesn't matter to me."

"She really wants to talk to you, Colton, and I'm willing to drive you there."

"Really? And how do you know she's not lying or something?"

He sighed and shook his head. "Your Aunt Marcy called me."

Of course. Mom's sister, Marcy, always seemed closer to my dad than to my mom. Apparently they were close even before my parents began dating however long ago that was. It didn't really surprise me that she was the one to share the news.

But if Mom went to Aunt Marcy to get to me, that meant she wasn't kidding about wanting to see me. If only she knew who I was now, then she totally wouldn't want anything to do with me.

I let out a sigh, sitting down on the end of my bed. "I'll go, if -"

My dad cut me off. "You are not bringing Elliot along."

I groaned, rolling my eyes. "That's not what I was going to say! I will go talk to Mom, if Kyle comes too."

Dad didn't say anything as he walked over and sat next to me. "Is that the only way I can convince you?"

I gave him a single nod. "Yup."

It was the only fair way. If I had to go talk to my mother, than so should Kyle. Especially because we we both had boyfriends, which was the whole reason we were even having this conversation in the first place, even though she doesn't know about me yet.

Dad pulled out his phone to call my brother. It took a minute of just waiting, but then Kyle must have picked up. "Hi. Did you see the text I sent you earlier?"

So he calls me with the news during my date, but only texts Kyle while he's probably not doing anything? How was that fair? I kept listening though, laying back on my bed to stare at my blank ceiling as Dad kept talking.

"I know you probably don't care, but your mother is in the hospital, and she doesn't have much longer." He paused again to let him reply. "She wants to talk to your brother, but he is refusing to go unless you do too."

Sure, blame it all on me, Dad. Thanks for that. Well, I did kinda drag him into it, but still.

"I was thinking we'd leave early tomorrow morning. Is there anyway you could come back tonight?"