Saving the Heart

♥ Chapter Five ♥

♥ Chapter Five ♥

    “So, did you get my texts?” I rolled onto my back on my bed, eating my frozen pizza in my room as I always did for a fatherless supper.  

    “Yes Tricia, all five.  And no, there was nothing going on between us.”

    “Good.  I just saw you picking up the druggie and totally went, my god, she’s buying weed.” I rolled my eyes.  “How bad does your car stink?”

    “Like cigarettes?  Enough to make me cringe.” I could hear Tricia shudder on the other line.  “I know, disgusting.”

    “So...what were you doing with him then?” I paused, thinking of what to say.  I honestly didn’t want it floating around that I was getting tutored by Sam Smith.  Sam Smith.  Any more generic and they would call him John.

    “Just...giving him a ride.”

    “Uh huh.”

    “What?” I asked, poking fun at Tricia’s tone.

    “Kennedy, I know you, and I know that you know that I know you and I am not going to fall for some bull.  If there is something going on, anything at all...I want you to know that you can always talk to me.”

    “What are you getting at Tricia.”

    “Drugs are bad.”

    “I’m hanging up now.” I pulled my phone from my ear and rolled my eyes as Tricia tried to yell at me to not hang up from her side of the line.  I hung up anyways.  A light knock on my bedroom door followed shortly.

    “Come in!” I called.  

    The door opened ever so slowly as my dad poked his head in, eyes closed.

    “Are you decent?” He asked.  I simply grumbled to him on the fact that I wouldn’t have asked him to enter if I wasn’t.  He made a prompt recovery, sitting down beside me on my bed.

    “So…” He started turning to face me.  Like me my father had dark brown hair, yet every day he seemed to age more, gray quickly replacing it.  It didn’t help that his eyes were red and puffy from looking at scans all day.  “How’d your tutor pan out?”

    “Good.”

    “Well.” He corrected me.

    “Well,” I drawled.  “I think.  I don’t know.  I really don’t think this is a good idea.  You would think the same thing if you met the kid...trust me.”

    “Now now, don’t jump to conclusions.  I’m sure he’s a perfectly respectable young gentleman-”

    “He smokes dad.  He skips school.  He’s a tease and a bully and acts as if he is the freaking king.” My father’s eyebrow rose.  “Not a swear dad,” I informed him.  “A euphemism, not a swear.  Anyways...I don’t want to.”

    “Well I think you don’t have a choice.  Where are you meeting this kid at?”

    “The school library, why?”

    “Because if he is what you describe, unless I get a chance to meet him, I want don’t want you to go to his place, or him to come here unless I’m home.”

    “What happened to giving this tutor a chance?”  My father smiled, leaning in and kissing my forehead lightly.

    “There is a difference between giving someone a chance, and protecting your baby girl.”