Down Ball

Chapter 5

 My dad nearly spits his wine across the table at Nina. I put my head to my straw and take a sip of my water. I look up at Kail who's in just as much shock as me. There are only three people at this table that know the truth. Me, Daniel, and Kail.

"What do you mean, your girl?" My dad says as if his ears are deceiving him. No dad you heard that right.

Benji jumps out of his seat and heads to the door. Oh great. I rush behind him. I was going to tell him. No, you weren't. Eventually, I swear I was.

"Benji wait," I yell as he opens the door. He doesn't stop, so I continue to follow him to his car. "Benji, let me explain." I finally make it to him and grab his arm.

He turns to me, "Rylee... I-" He pauses. Silence falls between us because I cannot explain this.

"Benji, you weren't supposed to find out. Not like this." Or not at all.

"Rylee, this is why isn't it? This is why he was such a jerk. And why you guys were so visibly awkward when me and Tiffany were around."

"Benji, I-"

"Save it, I have to go Rylee." Benji begins to open his car door but stops at the sound of my voice.

"Don't act like you don't have skeletons in your closet. What is this truth that Daniel is so pressed for me to know."

"That is none of Daniel's business."

"Maybe it's none of his but it's definitely mine."

"Rylee, we're both angry. We're both confused. And you have a lot of shit to deal with right now." Benji points to the house. "We're gonna continue yelling and screaming. We can't talk without processing first."

Silence...

He walks closer to me and of course, I forget how to breathe. "Good Night Rylee." And just like that, he walks into the car. The screeching sound that the tires make nearly break my heart.

I turn around to see Kail standing on the porch with my sweater. Thank God, because it's windy. I walk up to her, "How bad is it?"

"Well, dads.. managing. Daniel's completely out of it at this point nobody even knows what he's rambling about now. How's Benji?"

"Angry."

"Rightfully so."

"But that truth... What the truth, Kail?"

"I have no clue, Rylee. Daniel's just drunk." But I can tell that Kail is hiding something. Because while saying this she cannot look me in the eyes and she's biting her lower lip.

"Well, you know what they say about a drunk mind."

"Speaks the sober truth."

Just then my dad walks out to the porch. Great, I was not ready for this.

"Scoot over." Me and Kail scoot over allowing dad to sit in between us.

"I can explain." Hopefully. He looks at me. I look away. "Dad it was a couple of summers ago. Many many summers."

"I think that's something we should've discussed before moving you guys into the same house."

"It was supposed to be nothing. This isn't even supposed to be happening right now. There was no discussion to be had because I am not his girl."

"That's what he thinks, Rylee." My dad's aggressive tone shocks me and brings me to tears. "Now I have to reevaluate everything, you staying here, my parenting, my engagement, my life."