A Reason To Love

Ch. 11

"How was your night?" My dad asks smiling brightly at me from where he was sitting in his wheelchair drinking his morning coffee at the kitchen table. Last night when I got home mom and dad were already asleep for the night. 

"It was amazing. Thank you for being part of Will's little plan. I want to be mad at you for lying about having a doctors appointment but I can't." A small smile spreads across my face as I sit across from my dad and eat some of cereal.

"How else was I supposed to get you to go? You are stubborn and wouldn't have went." My dad smiled sheepishly. He is lucky I love him too much to be mad at him or else he would hear it from me right now.

"You could have just told me you wanted me to go with him and I would have." I took another bite of my Fruity Pebbles, my all time favorite cereal.

"I didn't want you to know that I knew about his plan. Have I mentioned that I like him?"

"You've mentioned it like three? Four times now?" I teased making my dad roll his eyes at me.

"Just making my point clear."

"He told me about his mom." I add. I know Will told my dad too the day they talked. Exactly how much did they share that day? I don't feel like they had enough time to get so deep but apparently I was wrong.

"He did?" I nod answering my dad who looked shocked. 

"I think God placed you two together as partners for a reason." I nod again unable to say much else fearing that if I do I will break down at the kitchen table. A knock at the door breaks the silence and for that I was thankful.

"I will go get that." My dad took a bite of his toast before nodding. I rose to my feet and went to answer the door. There in all his glory was Will dressed in black ripped jeans with a white AC-DC shirt under his black leather jacket.

"Come in, I am in the middle of breakfast." I opened the door wider and waited for him to come in before I shut the door behind him. I led him through my house and into the kitchen.

"Are you hungry?" I ask trying to be polite. I don't know how to act after last night. He dropped me off and promised to be here early enough to get us to school on time. 

"I am starving." I grabbed another bowl from the cabinet and made him a bowl of Fruity Pebbles and handed it to him. He looked at the bowl before beaming at me.

"My favorite!" He shoved a bite into his mouth and followed me to the kitchen table.

"Good morning Will!" My dad smiled welcomingly at Will like he has known him his whole life.

"Good morning Tim, how are you feeling?" Will asked like he genuinely cared and that alone made my heart melt. 

"Oh I am great! The sun is shining and I am eating breakfast with my favorite girl what's there not to enjoy?" 

"She is pretty great isn't she?" Will turned his attention towards me. Thank God I am sitting down because I would have lost my balance with the way he was looking at me. 

"I would like to take credit for how great she is but that is all her." My dad looked at me with pride in his eyes.

"Well thank you! Look now that you are both here I just want to say thank you for that little stunt you pulled last night. I actually had a great time and didn't realize how much I needed something like that."

"Cammy I have more adventures planned for you." Will smiled matter of factly at me. 

"Will I don't-" I was getting ready to argue but my dad was quick to chime in.

"Oh you would love that wouldn't you Cam?" My dad suggests making me narrow my eyes at him. He knows what he is doing. He is using that 'if I told you to you would' that little sneaky man.

"I would love that." I force a smile on my face. They both know it was a fake one but they don't care.

"Perfect!" My dad beams before clapping his hands going back to his toast like nothing happened. I sat there confused, I was just volunteered to God only knows what by my partner and my dad. What the fuck? 

"You are lucky I love you old man." I pointed my spoon at my dad before I gathered all of our dirty dishes and rinsed them out and sat them in the dishwasher. 

"I love you kiddo. Now you two better get going before you are late. I will see you after school." I nod before placing a kiss on the top of his bald head before we all said goodbye.

Walking outside the crisp morning air hit me like a ton of bricks. Even in my dark wash skinny jeans, burnt orange frayed knitted sweater and knee length brown boots I am still cold.

Will hands me a helmet before climbing on his bike. I was shocked at how comfortable this felt, sitting so close to him. Feeling my body pressed against his. Wrapping my arms around his waist. It all felt normal and less strange. Will didn't tense at all he just leaned into my touch. 

"I like having you on the back of my bike." He admits once he parked in his assigned parking spot. I feel eyes staring at us but unlike yesterday they don't bother me nearly as much.

"Why?" I unhooked the helmet and handed it back to him and watched him put it in the compartment under his seat. 

"I like spending time with you Cammy." He closes the distance between us and threw an arm over my shoulder. Unlike yesterday I don't mind it. Like I said it is welcoming. Yesterday we broke a common ground of understanding with one another and that brings me closer to him than I can explain. I wanted to be close to him..to touch him but I don't want to at the same time.

"You're not so bad yourself." I admit nodding once he widened his eyes. As if hearing me say that was shocking to him.

"What are you doing tomorrow night?" Will asks as he walks towards my first period class ignoring the students looking at us. He gives zero indication that he cares what people think. I just can't wrap my head around why he would even want to be seen talking to me. Everyone here thinks I am a freak and yet he seems to enjoy being around me.

"We usually have family game night, my parents and Elise and I." 

"Who is Elise?" He asks curiously.

"My bestfriend. We have known each other since we were a year old. She is homeschooled." I add and he just nods. 

"Would you like to come?" I don't know why I felt the need to invite him but I did. Plus I am sure my dad would be more than happy to have another guy around the house especially since he adores Will. 

"I would love that!" 

"Perfect I will let my parents and Elise know." Suddenly weird feelings started to swarm inside of me. I wanted him to meet my mom and my bestfriend but the insecure parts of my brain kept thinking things like 'what if he likes Elise more than me? What if something sparks between them? She is way prettier than me. She doesn't hoover around in sadness all the time. She is like the sun always beaming and shining with warmth. Maybe inviting him was a bad idea after all....