Austin City Limits

Zackary Helton :: Ch. 3

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© All rights reserved. 2014. LizzieMarie1313.

"Sadie, I'm starting to re-think this idea. If he is keeping tabs on you, he's going to notice when you don't show up for school today."

"Well then tell him I'm sick or something." My phone precariously hangs in between my shoulder and ear as I try to get ready for my first day of school.

"Tell him you're sick for a whole semester?" He voice sounds skeptical.

"Dad, I don't know. Tell them I went to Europe to study abroad for the semester. He's more concerned with you and what you're doing than what your measly daughter is doing, anyway." I take a deep breath and drop the hand holding up the outfit option. "Did something happen since I've been gone?"

Instead of him answering my question, I hear him take a deep breath and hold it for about a minute. "Sadie. Listen to me. Winters and I are working on this... 'situation,' I thought it would be a smart move to send you to Texas, to be out from under his territory, but if this goes south, if Winters and I fail what he wants us to do... I need you to do what we discussed without contemplation. Because Texas, that's the first place he'll go looking for you."

I hold outfit option number seventeen-going-on-a-hundred and sigh as I listen to Dad go on to tell me how you can't just ignore things and expect them to disappear. He sounds eerily like Porter. But Dad's speech doesn't faze me. Hell, I just found out he is the King of hiding problems.

"Yes, Dad, I know. We've talked about this already."

"Just promise me okay?"

"I'll do it, don't worry about me just get whatever it is you need to get done, finished. Dad, I have to go and get ready for my first day of school here."

Dad doesn't even say bye when he hangs up, more concerned with his problems than wishing me a good first day. I mimic a low, gravelly voice as I hit end and throw my phone on top of the ever-growing pile of clothes. "Have a great first day, Honey. As long as you're happy, I'm happy. Blah, blah, blah."

"Awe, thanks for understanding my needs, Father Dearest."

A voice sounds behind me. "Do you always have an in depth, nonexistent conversations with yourself?"

"Only pertinent ones. That was a private conversation." I look up from the mirror to meet Porter's gaze and raise my eyebrows. How long has he been standing there? "Do you always sneak into girl's rooms when they are getting dressed?" Thank goodness, I'm still in my pj shorts and an old t-shirt.

"Only the pretty ones." I hate how easily my cheeks burn crimson.

"Creep." He winks at me and I feel completely perplexed at his change of attitude today as opposed to the brooding one he left with yesterday. "Don't walk into my room without permission."

"Then don't leave your door wide open and ignore me when I knock. Everything okay with whatever that was about?"