New Boy [Daniel Seavey]

twenty-two

Daniel is Dad's new favorite.

We got in around six and Dad said to meet him at this restaurant that we always eat at. Now did I expect Dad and Daniel to hit it off so well? Not exactly. But am I happy about it? Yes. 

"Was Portland nice?" Dad asks Daniel.

Daniel shrugs, "I mean yeah, it was great."

"But growing up there you just got kind of immune to it all?"

Daniel nods, "yeah. Sometimes I took it all for granted and I didn't even notice I was doing it, so I would drive up to the top of this waterfall and just look at the view, but eventually, it just stopped working."

"Why'd you move here?" Dad asks.

Daniel looks at me, "should I?" 

I nod, "only if you want to.." 

Daniel looks at Dad and then shifts in the booth. "Do you want the long story or the short one?" 

Dad looks at me. I shrug. Dad replies, "long one we have time."

"Freshman year I started going to parties and going out with friends a lot more and I got caught up in the wrong stuff, but it lead me to gamble. I was good for freshman and sophomore year, but junior year is where I sank. I got out of this really bad relationship and then gambling was the only thing that brought me any.. emotion? I guess, but my calls were off and then I also played poker and being hurt, I miscalled peoples bluffs. I was going through money, which my family had, faster than normal. And I made a big bet of.." Daniel looks at the table and then back at Dad. "I made a bet of ten grand," he says. "That was the last bet I made in Portland because I lost and my parents found out and then they sent me here to live with my older brother Tyler." Daniel takes a sip of his water, "I gambled a little bit in the beginning when I moved here, but with the help of, Ashlyn, I haven't done it anymore."

Dad smiles weakly, "I feel your exact pain." 

I raise my eyebrow... "Wait.." Dad and Daniel look at me. "That sickness you had in high school that Ma hated... It was gambling?" 

Dad nods, "Family didn't have lots of money, but in the long run I lost more money than I gained."

I put my head in my hands, "Lord help me. Of course, I would pick the only guy to fall for that's like my dad."

Daniel nudges me with his knee under the table, I look at him. He smiles before mouthing, "I was right."

-

I really like my best friend and I think I have a chance lol