Always

forty-six

L U N A
"I don't care enough to miss you
after all the shit we've been through, my heart's comatose."

"Hi, dad."

I hated those two words so much. I hated calling him that. He didn't deserve that title, one bit. He didn't deserve to hear that word. He didn't deserve to be here, talking to me. He didn't deserve that wide smile which rested on his face, not after what he had done.

"Hello, Mister..?" Leo extended a hand, a huge grin on his own face. Something ticked in my jaw and I had to calm myself down and remember that Leo was just being nice.

"Jordan. Jordan Parker." He took Leo's hand and shook it, the happiness never wavering from his expression. "And you must be a friend of Luna, if I'm not wrong?"

"Leo is actually my best friend. But you wouldn't know much about him." I paused and watched as his smiled flickered slightly. "Or me."

Hurt flashed across his face and if I wasn't staring at him constantly, I would have missed it as he masked it over with his bright grin.

"Well, you seem like a brilliant boy, Leo, and I'm glad Luna has a friend like you." Leo's eyes flickered over to me and the confusion was evident in his gaze. Clearly, he wasn't expecting him to act like an angel when he met him for the first time.

Realizing we were all still standing beside the table, dad blinked and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Oh, I was so distracted I didn't realize we were still standing. Take a seat, please." Gesturing at the seats, he looked over at me expectantly but I didn't move from my place.

"Actually, I have to leave. I just came to drop her off." Leo looked over at me with a small smile and I nodded in response, giving him a strained one of my own. This morning Leo had explained how his mother was sick and that he won't be staying long at dinner with me but he still wanted to drop me off. And to be honest, I felt I would manage to get more out of my father if there wasn't a stranger sitting between us.

After exchanging goodbyes between the pair of them, Leo turned to me and his smile dropped as he searched my face. And then a sad one split on his lips before he pulled me in for a quick hug.

"I love you." I smiled slightly as he whispered those three words in my ear.

"I love you more." I gave him a soft smile as he pulled away and gave me one last encouraging look before turning around and walking towards the cafe exit. I watched as he disappeared behind the door before slowly turning to look at the man who I came here for.

He was looking at me expectantly and when our eyes met, a smile split on his lips but I didn't reciprocate his actions. I couldn't.

Looking away, I was about to reach for a chair but he was faster and pulled it back for me. I found myself looking at him again and this time I couldn't hide the hurt in my expression. It killed me to even look at him. Everything he did and everything he said seemed unreal; fake. And I didn't know if he was truly faking it or if he was being genuine.

Deciding to keep my bitterness to myself for one second, I sat down in the chair he had pulled for me and silently waited for him to sit back in his seat. When he did, he smiled widely, running a hand through his hair before clutching both hands in front of him on the table.

"Thank you so much for coming, Luna. You don't know how much this means to me."

I gritted my teeth. I hated how nice he was being. I didn't want him being this nice. I didn't come here for a friendly father-daughter reunion. I came here for answers.