Tinder Hero

Chapter 2

Just as a warning - this chapter includes inappropriate language such as swearing and sexual references.

If she could put the hollow ache that haunts her into words, she would tell him; "I miss the father you never were." - John Mark Green

"Dad?"

"Honey." Breathes his memorable monotone voice. His greying hair, furrowed brows, structured face and thin lips are only as familiar to me as an actor I have seen in a film or a character I have read in a book.

"What are you doing here?"

"Honey, I'm so-" Zaina begins, and I shoot her a forgiving glance. Whilst I feel like I'm mad at her for not telling me about him being here, I know she's not where my anger should be directed.

"I'm gonna go inside." She half-smiles before taking the untouched mug of green tea out of my hand and awkwardly squeezing through the patio door behind me. I hear her approach my Auntie Mia at the table at the front of the house, and I can feel their eyes on me like bullets in the back of my head.

My arms become a barrier to my heart as I sigh in his direction; not taking my eyes off his guilt-ridden face for even a second.

"I can explain." He starts as he takes a step towards me, and my reflexes lure me back from him.

He stops still in his tracks, conscious that if he makes another move, he won't be able to stop in time and my station will shatter to the ground.

"It's not my fault your mum left." He spits.

Oh, here we go again. Where does he get the nerve?

My eyes become windmills as they roll from one side of my head to the other at his pathetic excuse.

I know him. He's like this. When things don't go his way, he needs someone else to blame or someone else to fix it.

"Does she know you're here?"

"In London?"

"Yes?"

He doesn't answer. Of course she doesn't know.

"Does Cherry?"

"I-" He begins, but he can't even sew a decent excuse with the long thread of lies he's created over the past few years.

I remember reading somewhere that the most colourful insects are the most venomous ones, and now here I am, looking into the bright green eyes of my biological father, only now realising that it's true.

"I've started window cleaning again." He explains.

"I can see that." I sigh, pointing towards the avalanche of equipment gathered behind him.

"I've got a new girlfriend. You'd really like her."

"Is that because she's the same age as me, like the last one?"

He winces at my remark, but he knows my little dig is nothing in comparison to the pain he's caused me over the past decade.

I don't care how bad it hurts. It's what he deserves for breaking me first.

"How are you? I can't believe I've not seen you around Croydon until now."

"That's because I'm living in Manchester."

"Ah, Warehouse City." He winks as I feel bile build up in my throat. One bad comment and my mouth will erupt, burning down this entire conversation.

"What are you doing there?" He pesters.

"Studying." I reply bluntly.

I don't know why I even decided to speak to him in the first place.