Surviving You

Chapter 18

" I think we should go back to your parents house."

Two weeks have passed since that moment Austin and I had. I still feel bad that I'm not ready to give it up to him.

" For what?"

I was straightening my hair and he was gelling his.

" Your dad."

" I'm not talking to my dad," I said stubbornly.

" I need to straighten things out with him and so do you."

" There's nothing to straighten out."

He sighed and examined his hair from different angles.

" Yes. There is. Stop being so damn stubborn. He's your father."

" Sure as hell doesn't act like one."

He met my gaze in the mirror.

" He was being a dad. I mean if I had a daughter and she had just gotten assaulted and beaten I wouldn't want her going anywhere or doing anything. I'd have her on lock down. And it wouldn't help that some guy was now going out with her."

" Well he should trust me."

" Think about it May. Alright. Imagine you have a daughter. She looks just like you and what happened to you had happened to her. Would you want her going out?"

I looked away and didn't say anything.

" Exactly," he said softly.

He came behind me and took the flat iron from my hand.

" Come on May. Eventually you'll have to talk to him."

He started flat ironing the rest of my curls in the back.

" He hates me. He's disgusted. Thinks I'm a hoe."

I shrugged it off, pretending I don't care.

" You aren't a hoe and only time you are disgusting is when you're with me," he said with a wink.

I blushed and he laughed, setting down the flat iron and unplugging it.

" Come on. Let's just get it over with."

***

" May! Austin! Come in!" My mom exclaimed happily. She embraced us both, me a couple seconds longer than Austin.

I really missed her. Even if she was rarely home because of work she still seemed to be there. It's hard to explain.

" Hope we aren't interrupting anything." Austin said, getting comfortable on the couch.

" Honey! May and Austin are here!"

" How you been mom?"

" Oh just fine. I don't mean to ruin the mood but I went to the court date."

I felt my heart pace fasten.

" Shit. I completely forgot. What - What happened?"

" He's in jail. For life. No bail."

I let out a huge breath and felt my knees buckle. I sat down quickly next to Austin.

" It's finally over," I said more to myself.

" I'm surprised you didn't hear. It was all over the news."

" The news?!"

" You didn't know?"

" No."

I turned to Austin.

" Did you?"

He shrugged and I glared at him.

" It was for the best."

The sound of footsteps made us all turn to the steps.

" We'll talk about it later," I mumbled just loud enough for Austin to hear.

He groaned but didn't argue. My father came down the stairs and I swear I saw that his eyes were glistening.

Seeing him, I realized how much I missed him.

Before I could react, I was pulled up into his embrace. I could barely breathe but I didn't care. It felt good to be in his embrace again.

Pulling away, he quickly blinked away his tears.

Austin stood and held out his hand.

" Sir."

" Austin. How you been?"

" Fine and you?"

" I'm hanging in there," he said, giving his hand a firm shake.

" I came to apologize for what happened before. I don't regret what happened but it was wrong. I really do lo- care for your daughter."

My heart stopped and it seemed like everyone else wasn't breathing either. Austin's jaw clenched then unclenched but he didn't look away from my fathers steady gaze.

Did he seriously almost say he loved me?!

" I understand. I forgive you. I over reacted also. With everything going on I wasn't ready and I've never seen May so into a guy."

" I'm right here," I groaned.

Austin sent me a wink, making my face become hot.

" We know."