I Promise

23

My mom looks pale in the face, and downright scared. Good. Now she'll own up to her mistakes. And now I'm starting to realize that if Graham has no idea he was cheating on my mom, then I acted like a complete douche to him.

"I don't know what you're talking about, honey," my mom answers, her tone even, flat.

"Oh come on!! You cheated on dad with Graham!! You are getting a divorce because you decided you were bored of dad!! And you left him! You left us!" Peyton screams. Tears begin to trail down her cheeks like waterfalls, and my mom stands in the living room, shocked.

Graham parts from my mother's grip on him and looks her in the eye.

"Karen, what the hell?" he asks, his voice quiet. His face looks still, and he looks down on my mom from his height.

"Graham, I," my mother begins, but he cuts her off.

"I am the reason you broke you marriage?" he asks.

My mother begins to shake her head but Graham cuts her off.

"Answer me, Karen. Did you have an affair with me?" he asks, his voice still, lethal.

Tears begin trailing on my mother's face, and she bites her lip and nods.

Graham takes a sharp intake of breath, and I see that his fists are clenched, making his muscles look even more menacing than before.

"I am the reason you family is broken. Why would you do this to me?" he asks. His voice shows no waiver of pain, no waiver of emotion. Just a simple question.

My mother just looks up at him, and then she looks down at Peyton. She stopped crying, but she is staring at Graham in shock, like she just found out there is a towering giant in our living room. Nana sits still, not saying anything.

Graham turn around to face us, and his look is soft, gentle even. Hard to imagine he's capable of something like that when he looks like a stone-faced killer.

"I am so sorry. Peyton, Miss Dawson, Rynn," he begins, looking at each of us. "I had no clue. I truly am really sorry."

Graham looks at all of us for a few seconds, at our messed up family, and then he turns around and without a word leaves the living room. I hear the door slam, and he's gone. All I can think about is how he knows my nana's last name. My mom must've told him, because clearly nana doesn't have Connaughy after her first name. She never took my grandfather's name, and I always wondered why.

My mom stands smack in the middle where he left her, pale in the face, with eyes red rimmed with tears.

"Are you all happy now?" she whispers.

I almost scream at the way she says that. How dare she put her happiness or her wants without any consideration for her family? She knew it wouldn't be pretty if anyone found out, and we all did.

"We are spectacular, actually. We're glowing with happiness and we are so thankful to be living in this shitty apartment with a broken family. And we are just so, so happy to know that you decided to be selfish and put your wants before anyone else's. You obviously had nooooo idea that this would break us all," I say. I am smiling at my mom, who looks mortified to see me in this state. She just stares at me and I smile back.

"I am just so happy!" I scream at her. And then I storm to the door and slam it shut, leaving my living room fiasco behind me.

I walk outside, hoping to clear my head. As I step out of the apartment doors, I see Graham sitting on the steps outside.

I join him without a word, and we sit in silence for a while.

"I believe you," I finally manage to say. He nods and mumbles another apology.

"She is the one that has to apologize, you already did," I say.

We lapse back into silence, but I don't really want to leave.

"I'm sorry too," I say. "For acting like a douchebag, I mean. And for you to find out the truth in front of everyone."

Graham nods.

"So, do you like, work for the CIA or something?" I ask.

This makes him laugh, and he offers me a small smile.

"I was an athlete, and now I'm in police," he answers. I nod.

"What sport?" I hear myself ask. God, I'm having a longer conversation with him than I've had with my mother in the last week.

"Soccer and track," he answers back.

"I play soccer too," I say.

"Really? Anyone scouting you?" he asks. "I mean, if you play in hopes of making it a career."

I nod. "Yeah, a few people here and there. But hopefully next year more when I graduate."

Graham raises his eyebrows. "You're getting scouted and you're in junior year?"

I nod.

"That's amazing! I got scouted only in Senior," he says. "If you ever need someone to coach you," he begins. He coughs, as if the question was stupid given the situation we're both in, what with him and my mom, but I nod and smile at him.

"That would be great," I say. I don't know why, but I feel like giving him a shot. He looked downright mortified when he found out the truth, and I feel pretty bad for treating him like he was the spawn of Satan or something. Besides, I could use an extra coach in my spare time. Maybe he could teach me some new stuff.

Graham smiles, and then he gets up, apologizes again, and leaves. I sit on the steps for a moment, replaying everything in my head. God, I can't believe I just agreed to let my mom's ex-boyfriend who didn't know my mom was still married help me out in soccer. Life takes some twists and turns, that's for sure. The person you start to hate can be the one person who can help you out in the end. I'll probably decide whether or not I want him to coach me later. I mean, he's probably not dumb and doesn't expect me to ask him for some training tips anytime soon.

But maybe, just maybe, I'll surprise him. It won't hurt for two broken people to try and help heal each other. Maybe he'll become like a life mentor to me or something. I don't know, but I think it's worth a shot.

Okayyyy. So a HUGE leave of absence took place and I was MIA for like three million years. But trust me, I am back, and totally back. 

Hopefully I'll post everyday and if not, every other day!! I swear, I won't disappear again hehe. Plus, I got some tricks up my sleeve for Rynn so I don't think I could stop myself from posting everyday anyway hahaa. Anyways, stay tuned for my chapters and funny gifs (I mean, I think they're funny). 

PS: This gif is literally what I'd picture Graham to look like. The name isn't menacing, but man this guy is not someone to mess with. Let's hope he and Rynn can get along ;). Also, the rock rocks. (writing this pun hurt me lol). 

PPS: I was gone because school was kicking my ass but now I'm ahead so I'm ready to focus on writing!! 

Yours,

FanaticWriter15