Stay /// Ethan Dolan /// EDITING

Chapter 12 - Real Dad

How fast does time go when you're at home and when you're at school, it feels like years? I'm at home right now doing homework and it's already 5 pm.

Sometimes I wish school never existed and I was just born a genius.

"Oi!" I hear from my bedroom window. "Shit head!"

I look through my window and see Ethan. "What do you want? I am too busy being Einstein" I shout.

"Yeah, I can't tell by the hair" he says.

"Hey!" I snap, fixing my puffy hair.

"Well me and the others were gonna watch a old films or whatever, do you wanna watch with us?" He asks, chucking a handball at his wall, catching it again.

"Yeah okay" I say.

"You sure? I don't want you bailing on us again, like last time" he says, raising his eyebrows at me.

"That was one time, i promise"

"You promise?"

"IF I can finish my dumb homework Mrs Tonks assigned me" I say rolling my eyes.

"Rip" he laughs, leaning against his window. "Well, see you at 9" he says, closing the window and walking off down the hall.

3 hour later

BLING-BLING I hear my phone ring. BLING-BLING

I pick it up and answer "hello?"

"Hey Bela" it's Josh.

"Josh hi" I say sweetly. Why would he be calling me?

"So what have you been up to?" He asks. I can hear his smile as he talks through the phone.

"Egh homework" I laugh. "But other than that, nothing really. Why?"

"Oh I was going to ask if you would like to come to a drive in movie with me" he says.

"What?" I'm shocked.

"A drive in movie, you wanna come? I was going to bring... Madison, but she said she's too busy" he says.

I don't answer, I have no words. Why would he ask me?

"We can go in my Lamborghini" he chants.

It's not the Lamborghini I care about, it's the fact he asked me out and he has a girlfriend. Could this mean something?

"I would..." I stop myself. I promised Ethan that I could come over to his. I can't bail on him, that's wrong.

But this is one chance I'll never get again, what if this could change my relationship with Josh into something more, again.

But it's wrong to just leave Ethan and the others with a promise I broke. What type of friend am I to do that?

What about Josh?

Well what about Ethan?

It's either you get your boyfriend back...

Or you be a good best friend and keep your promises.

Does it really matter to not go, you can make up for it?

Well, does it really matter to miss one date, he'll eventually ask again, won't he?

But I've been waiting so long for this.

What happened to "I'll always be there for Ethan"?

"Bela?" Josh says through the phone.

My conscience is running from Ethan to Josh all at once, I didn't realise that Josh was still on the phone.

"Ah, so-sorry, umm"

"So you coming or nah?" He asks.

"I would love to..." should I finish that sentence or let it go? "But I have something on, with Ethan" I say.

"Oh" he sounds surprised. "Are you sure or..." I interrupt him. "Yes, I promised him, I'm sorry"

"Oh, no that's, that's... fine" he stutters. I feel bad, but I keep my promises. "Anyway, I'll see you at school"

"Okay, bye Josh" I say sweetly.

"Bye Bela" he says, slightly sadly.

We end the call. I slump back in my wheelie chair, brushing my hair back. I sigh.

That could have been my one chance to get him back...

"BELA DINNER" mum shouts from downstairs.

At the table

"Oh fillip don't put that in your mouth, it's been on the floor" mum says.

Fillip laughs mischievously, sucking the string of spaghetti in his mouth.

Mum palms her face.

"Kids do you want to help dad with the sauce tomorrow?" My step dad says. We make our own homemade tomato sauce. I used to love helping my real dad with it.

"Yeah!" they cheer.

"Bela are you going to help dad?" Mum asks.

"He's not my dad" I mutter.

"Bela" mum sighs angrily. "He is your dad, he is looking after all of us, that makes him your dad"

"But he's not MY dad, it's like everyone's forgotten who really is my dad" I say.

"Bela I haven't forgotten about him. Without John (Bela's stepdad) I wouldn't have been able to raise our family, I need someone to support me." She says.

"Well he's still not my dad! No one can replace MY dad" I snap. It's true, they can't just forget him. He was an amazing dad, he was kind and alway up for something adventurous, like me.

And to say that John is my actual dad is wrong, I'm not related to him and I'll never be.

"Bela.." John stops mum. "It's fine, I understand I'm not your real dad, Bela. But you'll just have to get used to me, it's not like you can just push me away." He says softly.

I swirl my folk in my plate, looking down.

"Marcus was a good man, I knew him." He says. "I'm sorry you lost someone you loved"

I pause, he's never been this affectionate to me before. "It's fine" I say, biting my lip.

"Bela I'm here to fill the hole, I want to be a dad that's there for you, I want to make you happy"

I look up at him. I guess he's not that bad after all.

"So what do you say, am I good enough to be your dad?" He asks.

I slightly smile. "We can arrange that" I say.

I see a smile appear on John.. dads face.

"Thanks Bela, I promise I will be the dad you wish you had back" he says, softly patting my knee.

I smile at him, I could give him a chance, but doesn't mean I'll forget my real dad.

I look up at the time, it's almost 9.

"Mum... dad I'm going over to Ethan's" I say.

"Okay have fun, don't give Lisa too much trouble" mum says. She looks a lot happier, probably because I accepted John as my dad.

I slid on my Nike slippers, opening the door. "Bye" I say. I look at John, he winks at me.

I'm glad I can call him dad, I haven't said that word in a long time.

I walk out the door, closing it behind me.

A/N I am so sorry for not uploading I've had a lot to do lately 😂

I'll try to upload tomorrow though

-Serena