Surviving The Devil

25. Unexpected

Here's the next chapter! :D
Dedicated to @Fizzsohail for helping me out from something related to the threads! :)

CHAPTER 25: Unexpected

“That’s great news, Dillan. Congratulations.” I exclaimed.
“Thanks. You know, when I shot the last goal, everyone began to shout my name.” he said, probably puffing up his chest with pride.”

I rolled my eyes and said to myself,”Yeah, right.”
“It really happened. Don’t give me sarcasm.” Dillan yelled out from the other side of the phone.
“I didn’t say anything. I bet that happened.” I said innocently. He could be too full of himself sometimes.
He murmured something to himself and then spoke, “And yeah, Ian was great as well. He shot the first goal for our team. That guy’s awesome.”

My full attention immediately went on his words and I released that it had been such a long time since I talked to Ian. We went out on that day and after that, I don’t remember any conversations that I had with him.

“Yeah Ian. I’ve seen him play, he seems nice.” I said, sitting on my bed.
“He seems nice? It sounds like you like ‘him’, more than his play.” Dillan spoke in a teasing tone.

Dillan has always liked Ian more than Ryan since we came to college because according to him, Ryan is a heartbreaker whereas Ian is a heart-welder. Seriously, which guy talks like that? Heart-welder?

“I’m not such a bad friend to steal your crush from you.” I joked.
“I’m not gay, Jade.” he said nonchalantly.
“There’s nothing bad in that. You don’t have to hide it from me Dillan, I’m your friend.” I said dramatically, searching aimlessly through my drawer.
“Yeah, an asshole friend.” he commented.
I chuckled and spoke, “No need to be so verbal about it. Anyways, when’s your next match?”
“On Monday, it’ll be the qualifier for the semi-finals.” he informed, pretty excitedly.
I threw my hands in air dramatically and groaned, “Great, which means I am going to miss another match.”
“It’s alright. You must spend time with your family as well.” he stated and then continued, “Speaking of which, what did you do last night? Must have arranged some kind of family night?”

I gulped in. How to tell him that I was at Ryan’s for the majority of the night?
“Nah, dad was quite tired so we went to sleep early.” I lied.
“Oh. Hey, I’ve to go out with the teammates now. I’ll talk to you later. Take care and have fun.”
“Yeah, bye.” I spoke and placed the phone on the bed.

I went downstairs and saw dad watching television, one of the re-runs of the baseball match.

I smiled to myself, watching my old man lying on the couch in the dark, only the light coming from the T.V was the source of light in the room.

I walked to him and lay next to him, hugged him from the waist. Dad’s attention went to me. He smiled and hugged me tightly.

“How’s my kiddo?” he said, caressing my head gently.
“Great as ever.” I whispered, making myself comfortable.
He kissed my forehead and went to watch his game again. It was a kind of feeling that I had been longing for a very long time. Spending time with my dad, talking to him, playing silly games with him, it was all I wanted at that moment.

I loved my dad and I knew that no matter what happens in the future, he’d be always on my side, giving me strength and love to carry on in life, fighting over every obstacle.

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I stepped in front of the door, ready to ring the bell. I was so tensed to go inside. After what I saw yesterday, it was quite terrifying to go there again and witness a family’s dispute. I used to adore that family when I first met them. They seemed such a power family, a family in which everyone held their own importance. But then I saw the darker side of the night, where the father was so full of himself that he didn’t give importance to his own children and the women he once loved. I just saw a glimpse of it and was so affected, but their whole family goes through it every day. Ryan saw his parents fight through his childhood. As a growing teenager, he saw his father treating his mother in a way that affected his whole life. He had so much hatred for his father that it couldn’t be removed so easily. It must have affected him to trust on anyone, to love someone again.