One Night ✔️

Chapter Twenty-Eight

It'd been 4 days since Alex called her father and revealed he'd be returning home. My eyes almost popped out of my head when the words left her mouth. It'd also been 4 days since the end of final exams and the start of graduation rehearsals. Alex had attended the rehearsals, but once they were done, she spent the remainder of her days at home.

As much as Joseph and I hated leaving her alone, she insisted she would be okay. She just needed time to focus on the impending arrival of her father, and I knew that alone was enough for her to worry about.

I didn't pray often in my life, but that very night I stayed up late and prayed. I prayed and prayed that Alex would find her peace. I prayed Aaron would have mercy on her, because I truthfully didn't think her heart would be able to handle getting twisted up by him anymore. Only time would be able to tell what happened, though.

It'd also been 4 days since I returned home. Being back was interesting to say the least. There was a suffocating amount of tension in any room occupied by my mom and me - that is if my father wasn't there as a buffer. The only thing that really changed significantly was the fact that me and my mom no longer tried to speak to one another. We didn't speak at all. That's the only way we didn't argue.

It honestly didn't bother me a lot, but I guess it was because I hadn't had the time to worry about it. I'd been preoccupied with other things in my life and I wanted to make sure I was prepared for the next phase of it.

I knew my dad wanted us to have a serious talk eventually, but I hadn't put too much thought into that. I mean- why did we need to talk? I spoke my peace. I said what very well had to be said. It was she who never apologized to me.

If she wanted to talk, I expected her to initiate that conversation, but I was not going to sit around waiting for it to happen. My time - especially now - was too precious to spend dawdling.

In about 2 days I'd be graduating. I'd be walking across the football field out of my adolescence and officially into adulthood. I was scared out of my mind but excited nonetheless for what was to come. Having to pick up my cap and gown made everything that much more real.

Joey 😝

4:30 p.m./ Hey.

4:30 p.m./ Hii, are you here?

4:31 p.m./ Yeah, I'm parked out front.

4:31 p.m./ Okay, let me slip on my shoes. I was in the living room binging my drama series.

4:32 p.m./ Sotus, right?

4:33 p.m./ Uh-huh. I'm rewatching the first season :p

4:33 p.m./ What episode are you on?

4:33 p.m./ I'll tell you in the car. I'm coming out right now.

"Pa! I'm heading out to pick up my cap and gown!" I shouted upstairs to my dad.

"Nos vemos, mi amor!" (See you later, my love.) he shouted back as I slipped out of the door.

As promised, Joseph was waiting for me out front. He was leaning on Lucy's shiny red hood with his hands shoved into the pockets of his ripped blue jeans. He was whistling a random tune. When he heard my front door closing, he craned his head in my direction and flashed me a killer smile showing all of his teeth.

So adorable. So sexy. How could someone be both adorable and sexy at once?

I skipped down the concrete stairs of my porch and walked into Joseph's extended arms. He held me for a minute, squeezing me in his warm, strong embrace before beginning to pull away. However, I stopped him halfway, gently grabbing the back of his neck, and greeted him the way I really wanted to.