Books, Boys, and Basketball: Senior Year

SECRETS AND LIES

All anyone can talk about is how Vanessa gave Drew a Rolex. If there were any doubts about her thirst for Drew, there weren't anymore. She thought she was showing me up, but what she really did was show her true colors, and a lot of people took issue with that.

No longer can she play the victim, painting me as the big bad wolf who comes after her without reason. I have plentyof reason. Starting with the Rolex she gave him. A Rolex that I have yet to talk to Drew about on account of the fact that I'm already contending with a Mount Everest-sized Secret. Thankfully, Drew isn't fool enough to actually wear it. It's just collecting dust on his dresser at home since she refuses to take it back.

If Vanessa thought it would sway Drew her way, she's sadly mistaken. If he's not on the court, he's with me. He's been helping me search for Bill.

We went through every place my dad said he might be and came up empty. I'm starting to fear the worse.

No one has heard from him in at least a month, and his number is disconnected. Josh and Em haven't heard from him either. It's like he's dropped off the face of the earth.

"I found him." Grams announces as Drew and I walk into the house.

There's a police car outside, but I didn't think anything of it. Glancing over at the sofa I see someone who looks like he could be my stepdad, only his facial hair is out of control, he's wearing dirty clothes, and he looks homeless.

"Where was he?" I ask.

"Sleeping in a park downtown," the officer talking to Grams answers.

While he and Grams exchange words, I can't take my eyes off of my stepdad. This man ruled our house with an iron fist, but now... now he looks like he's not ruling much of anything anymore. Not even his hygiene.

It's sad.

He used to be ten feet tall to me growing up. I feared him. All I feel for him now is pity.

The officer leaves and Grams turns her attention to Bill. "How long you been sleeping in the park William?"

Slowly my stepdad raises his eyes to meet her gaze. He looks worn and haggard. Like life has been unkind to him since the last time I saw him. "I don't know." He shrugs.

"What happened to you?" I ask. I couldn't help it. This isn't the man who raised me.

He meets my gaze and huffs. "Your mother happened to me. Your mother and her lies and her secrets."

"She's trifling," I nod. "You don't have to tell me that. But, since when do you just give up on yourself like this?"

Sliding his angry gaze to me, he says, "Since no one will hire me after what happened with you."

I know it isn't my fault he is where he is, but I feel bad. For seventeen years I thought he was my father. I loved him as my father even though he wasn't good at it. I didn't think I would care if he fell on hard times, but seeing him like this, tugs at my heart strings. I want to help him.

Heading into the spare room where Grams keeps all of grandpa's things, I find some of his old clothes for my stepdad. After setting some clippers on the bathroom counter, razors for shaving, and everything he'll need to clean himself up, I head back into the living room where I hand him the clothes and a towel.

"You should clean yourself up." I tell him.

"And you can stay here as long as you get yourself back on your feet." Grams adds. "You can stay in your father's old study."