𝗗𝗘𝗘𝗣𝗘𝗥 | 𝗦𝗹𝘆 𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲

17. Gifted

Dad appeared at the door behind me in a dark red jumper that I instantly loved and needed to steal from his wardrobe later to wear around the house for comfort. I was getting bored of his other three jumpers that I had stolen a week ago out of his wardrobe and now they needed a wash, so it was time to give them back to him. He studied Janice and Clayton thoroughly, almost like he was glaring at them, then he looked at me in question.

"Are you two the police?" Dad asked.

"Uh, no." Clayton started. "We're just old friends of Aria's."

"What?!" I shouted. "We are—"

"Wondering if Aria would like to come out with us." Janice interjected. "To the park. We made plans last week. She must've forgotten, it's all good, though. Aria told me she doesn't get out that much so we thought that we might take her out."

"And how do you know Aria?" Dad quizzed, his grip tightening over his water bottle.

"We were her camp counsellors when she went to camp a few years back." Janice continued.

"I'm Clayton, by the way." Clayton said holding his hand out. "And this is Janice. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I used to watch your matches years ago. No one could beat the famous Jiving Jerry!"

"Oh! Wow, it's good to meet you. It's a small world, huh?" Dad said, shaking Clayton's outstretched hand firmly. By the looks of it, the grip was bone crushing, because Clayton held back a wince.

"Sure is!"

Clayton knows my dad? As the famous wrestler, fighter or dancer, Jiving Jerry?! Yep, it's definitely a small world. He's still crazy if he thinks I'm going anywhere with him and I still can't picture my dad fighting or stomping around in a pair of tap shoes or even worse, prancing around in a leotard. Oh no. I just pictured it. That's disgusting. Now I need to wash my mind out.

"Aria, go get a water bottle." Dad said, and I slowly moved to go inside, studying the tension between my old "friends" and my dad.

"Okay." I nodded, hurriedly heading off into the kitchen and struggling to find a lid to the plastic bottle.

Once I got outside, Dad took a few steps away from Janice and Clayton, his expression forced to relax.

While Dad briefly chatted with them a bit longer, I just glared daggers at them, furious that they had the nerve to show up on my doorstep after seven years, but also a little curious as to why they were here. I didn't hear a word of their conversation, my inner voice too loud and angry for me to hear anything else.

"Anyway, Aria, do you want to hang with your friends for a little while?" Dad asked, searching my eyes for any sign of hesitancy.

Curiosity got the better of me. "It might be nice to catch up with them again."

Sensing my moment of hesitancy, Dad quickly added. "Just remember to call me in an hour or so, so I can let you know if that thing is still on tonight."

What thing? "Wait, Dad—" Ooh. That thing that might be on, that isn't really on, that never even existed. Wow. Dad's pretty clever using his own code to check in on me.

"Come on, Aria." Janice said grabbing my hand and leading me away. "We won't be long."

Clayton opened the back sliding door of his black van.