One Night ✔

56. Valentine's Dates

Avery's POV

A month and a half passes way too quickly when you don't want it to.

After New Year's things seemed to settle back into normalcy with Hayden's family. He assured me that his mom had put down the bottle for the timebeing and was instead spending her time looking into every aspect of life down in Florida. From the best restaurants to the schools nearby the house they were closing on.

The move was becoming unavoidable the closer the end of the year got but today was Valentine's Day so we were going to avoid the subject at all costs.

"What are you wearing?" My father demands when I come downstairs in a pair of light wash high rise jeans and a deep red crop top. My mom lifts her decaf coffee to her lips to stifle a laugh.

"Clothes" I shrug, pretending that I don't know the context beneath his question.

I lean up to grab a bowl for my cereal and I swear my dad's eyes fall out of his head when my shirt rides up. "Nope" he exclaims, shaking his head. "Upstairs. Go change."

I furrow my eyebrows. "What? Dad this is what normal girls my age wear."

Mom puts her coffee cup down and rests her head on her hands seemingly intrigued as to how this is going to play out. "Normal girls aren't my daughter" he replies bluntly. "And I wasn't asking. Go. Change."

I put my bowl down, leaning my hands against the counter as I glare at him. "Hayden will be here in like five minutes. I barely even have time to eat breakfast as it is!"

"Oh I'm sorry. Did I ask you to spend an hour on your make-up?" I purse my lips. I hated him so much sometimes.

I look towards my mother for help. "Mom, talk some sense into him. Tell him this is fashionable and that I don't have to change."

She sighs, standing up and going towards my father. "Honey, what he says goes. Go change."

I huff, turning on my heels as I stomp off down the hall to change.

~ 🌌 ~

Riley's POV

"I think we're bonding really well" Lucas notes sarcastically as he too stands to put his cup in the sink. I frown, leaning my back against the countertop.

"You're her father. The teenage years are supposed to be rocky." Our daughter wasn't perfect nor was she without rebellion from time to time and Lucas didn't back down. I admired him for that and I knew that deep down Avery was glad to have him here to yell at her.

"Whatever" he grumbles. "I still hate it." I smile sadly, stepping towards him as Avery stomps back down the hall, throwing her hands up as she does a dramatic spin to showcase her outfit change.

"Better?" Now she was wearing a blush off the shoulder top that covered much more. Lucas' lips quirk into a grin.

"Better. Thank you."

"Whatever" she huffs, brushing past us to get into the kitchen. "I just don't understand why it mattered" she adds, deciding against cereal and instead grabbing a granola bar from the cupboard.

"Because you're only fifteen Av. And we both know that your boyfriend pays enough attention to you when you're dressed modestly. You don't need to encourage any further physical attention."

She rolls her eyes, opening the wrapper on her granola bar. "I don't think Hayden would ravage me at school but okay." She pulls her phone out of her pocket as she takes a bite of her breakfast, holding the bar between her teeth as she types a quick response to Hayden. "He's here" she states when the phone is put back in her pocket and the granola bar settles back in her hand. "See you later."