Struggles of a Single Father (Book 1 of the Struggle Puff Series)

Chapter 44 - Tilisia

Created 04/30/2020

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"We need to talk."

Well if it isn't the last thing anybody wants to hear when they first open the door.

"Good morning to you too, Ain. How are you?" He didn't wait for me to invite him inside and pushed his way in. "Good to know you lost all of your manners when Amy left." I grumbled as I closed the door.

"I'm not joking around with you right now, Tilisia. We need to talk, and it needs to be done sooner rather than later." He sat down on the ottoman and leaned forward, propping his forearms on the edges of his knees.

"We clearly aren't synched up, because I have no idea what you're talking about." I was lying. I knew exactly what he wanted to talk about. I didn't want to though.

"Tilisia." His hands balled into fists. He took a deep breath and as he released it, his fists unclenched and his shoulders slagged, "Tilisia. I don't want to fight with you, and I don't want to play games with you. We need to discuss this thing about Jessica now. Whether you like it or not."

I knew he was right, but it hurt to think about.

"If I wanted to talk about it, don't you think I would've done it already?"

"This isn't about what you want. It's about what needs to happen. You've been avoiding me since Amy left three weeks ago." He stood up and moved closer to me, "You haven't responded to my texts, answered my calls, talked to me at school, and you've barely spoken a word to me at work. Something clearly has to be done."

"What? Do I need to make it official or something? Do you need my letter of resignation? Fine." I practically ran to my room, wrote on the back of a random piece of paper, and came out to hand him the paper with a large smile on my face, "There. Now it's official."

He took it and read it, his face contorting into one of frustration, "Are you kidding me, right now?" Scratch that; He was seething, "You think handing me a paper saying that you're done with me is gonna change anything?"

"Uh, yeah. The nature of our relationship." I responded, dumbstruck that he would ask that.

Without taking his eyes off me, he ripped the paper in two. "Consider your resignation denied." Gotta admit, that was a pretty cool. "The time you've spent ignoring me is a leave of absence at best, but even then, you're one week past your leave time."

"What a shame. You should fire me for it." I smirked as I watched his face grow angrier by the second.

"Is everything a joke to you?"

"No. Just you." I knew I was pushing his buttons. I was doing it on purpose. If this was how I could get him to leave me alone, I'd do it.

"You're unbearable." He spat out, "You're hard-headed, unforgiving, unwilling, selfish, and you're a spoiled brat that's willing to throw everything away when she doesn't get her way. If anyone is a joke here, it's you."

I was frozen where I stood. To be spoken to in such a way by Ain of all people hurt to an unbelievably extent.

"I'm a joke, huh? Nice to know that's what you think."

"That reminds me." It seemed he was on a warpath now, "You're also manipulative. Acting like you yourself didn't just say the same thing about me. I'm starting to think that the problem with our friendship was never me. It's you, and your ugly little feelings are finally clawing their way out."