can't change what you don't know

i don't like him

*two months later*

"No" jay stated calmly for the tenth time today. Tatum sighed and followed him around the house, "please dad, just give him a chance..." she begged.  Jay turned around feeling rather frustrated with his kid, "for the eleventh time today Tate, no. Now stop begging and go do your homework" he raised his eyebrows with a very stern look on his face.  Tatum took one glance at his angry face and backed down, knowing he would probably take her phone if she didn't stop, she let out a defeated sigh and walked away before running up to her room with her school bag.

Hailey walked up behind him and gave him a small smile, "she still pushing it?" She laughed slightly. Jay sighed, "I'm ready for ripping my hair out honestly" he nodded. Hailey smiled and rested her head against his back, "maybe you should give him a chance" she sighed. Jay closed his eyes, "the kid she's talking about, I don't like him. He's a bad influence, so is his brother" he shook his head. Hailey frowned, "I know, but if you keep on shutting her down she's gonna start getting sneaky and seeing him anyways, just behind your back" she looked up at him as jay turned around.

He let out a heavy sigh, "I just don't want her to grow up" he smiled down at hailey. The blonde smiled, "unfortunately that's something that can't be stopped" she smirked.  Jay smirked back but as Hailey cocked her head to the side he turned it into a gentle smile, "give him a chance" the blonde smiled back.  He let out a heavy huff, he knows that she's right but the thought of another boy loving his daughter makes him angry, he wants to protect her.  After a few seconds of thought, "fine, but I want to formally meet him first" he sighed.  Hailey smiled, "go tell her" she slapped his arm.

Jay groaned as he opened tates bedroom door but smiled when he saw her doing homework like he said, "I wanna meet him first" he sighed. She spun around on her chair, "so is that a yes?" She smiled. He raised his eyebrows, "it's a maybe" he shook his head. She shrugged with a small laugh, "well it's better than a no" she raised her eyebrows too. He sighed heavily, "invite him over for dinner tonight, I'll decide after that" he nodded even though that took his a lot of Will power to say out loud. She jumped up and squealed, "I will" she grabbed her phone. He watched her smile light up the room, "I still don't like him" he shrugged and left the room. She looked at the empty doorway, "you haven't even met him yet to say that" she laughed. He smiled back to himself, "I don't need to" he shrugged as Hailey shook her head in amusement from the couch.

~~~~~~~

                  "Are you sure about this?" Tate answered the door and let Lewis inside.  The boy laughed, "it'll be fine, i promise..." he gave her a quick hug.  Jay appeared with hailey just a few metres behind Tate, "hi mr Halstead, and Mrs Halstead?" Lewis smiled hesitantly.  Hailey smiled a little, she likes the sound of that, "it's Hailey" she shook him off.  Lewis nodded understandably and looked at tates dad, he had a rather unreadable look on his face, "just call me jay" the detective finally stuck his hand out.  Lewis shook his hand and smiled kindly, "nice to meet you both" he nodded.  Tate smiled at hailey for reassurance so the blonde smiled back. 

                 "So, what're you planning to do after school Lewis?" Jay nodded seriously as the four sat at the dinner table to eat.  Lewis smiled, "I'm gonna get a bachelors degree, then hopefully get into law school" he nodded.  Jay looked at Hailey and nodded, so the kid has good ambitions, "and you're going well in school?" Jay added.  Tatum shot him a warning glare but he wasn't going to listen, "uhm yeah, I think, I just need to stick in these last few years..." Lewis smiled weakly.  Jay nodded, good answer kid, good answer.

                 After talking for a few hours it was now 7:30pm and it was time for Lewis to go, "I'll see you at school yeah?" Tatum smiled as she waved him off.  He smiled and nodded before waving back.  Tatum closed the door and returned to the kitchen to see hailey and jay talking, "sooo..." she leant on the table.  Jay turned to face her with a raised eyebrow, "he's alright" he shrugged.  Hailey slapped his arm, "I mean he's not the worst, I just don't know. His brother gets into a lot of trouble Tate and the Apple never falls far from the tree" jay sighed as he watched tates face drop.   Tatum sighed, "so it's a no?" She tilted her head.

                 Jay looked at hailey with a battling look across his face, "it's not a no, I just want you to be careful honey. I mean it" he nodded sternly.  Tatum smiled, "thank you..." she gave him a big hug, she really likes Lewis and she's sure he likes her too...

                 Jay sighed, "that doesn't mean I'm going easy on the kid" he raised his eyebrows.  Hailey and Tatum laughed, they wouldn't expect anything less.