𝐁𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑

𝟐𝟒

I squeeze Summer's hand reassuringly. She gives me a look of uncertainty, but I shake my head at her. No way am I letting her talk herself out of this, or scare away with the idea with some scarier thoughts.

Before she can close the car door, she slides back in. The look she gives me now is a plea for help. Who the hell am I to say no to her?

"Please come with me, Noah."

Admittedly, I want to. But this is her fight, isn't it? I guess that's what should make it mine then. Except we're not together. So, does that still apply... Oh, God.

"Sum, you can do this."

She swallows, nodding more to herself that to me.

"I know I can. Just... I'd do this better with you."

While I hate this guy I've never even met, I still don't want to go about meeting him before an argument or conversation or whatever. I don't know what's going to happen yet. All I know is that I might punch the guy, and if I do that, will I lose the girl? I don't want to lose the girl.

Again, I can't say no to her. So I grab her hands.

"You've absolutely got this." Her face falls before she realizes that I'm unbuckling myself. "We've got this."

She flings herself at me, wrapping her arms around the best she can considering the console between us. Then she winces, falling back in her seat as she rubs her side. I try not to laugh.

"Bad idea, bad idea, bad idea." She complains under her breath.

Within a minute, we get out of the car to meet Mason at the front door.

I've go to say, this kid is resilient. He doesn't seem to be upset or mad. And if he is upset, he's good at not showing it.

Maybe our situations aren't exactly the same, but even before my mom left me, I always had this huge attachment to the man that gave me the other half of my genetics despite him having left me before my mom ever got the chance to think about it.

I know what it's like. I didn't have to see him every once in a blue moon to know a part of me—the part of me that didn't slightly resent him—loves him in the kind of consuming way a kid loves their parents.

I could waste more time pretending I hate my parents with every bone in my body, but I know myself better than that. And at the end of the day, everyone is just trying to get around. Just trying to survive.

That "understanding" for my shitty family, doesn't make me even a little sympathetic for their dad, though. As far as I know, he isn't a druggie or foaming at the mouth half the time.

Summer unlocks the door, and the second it swings open, there is standing this guy who's four sizes too big. I might be taller than him, but so help me God, while he hasn't been living here, I swear he's been living at the gym. So much for punching him.

He fits the douchebag profile, I guess.

Summer's hand is holding mine so tight, I'd be worried that she's going to break my hand if she didn't smell so good and feel so warm. Ahem. 

I. Am. Moral. Support.

His gaze sweeps over me dismissively before dropping to his daughter's hand wrapped around mine. His brows almost shoot off his face.

"Hi." His voice isn't as deep as I...

My gaze wanders to Summer. She's pale as a ghost, lip quivering.

I squeeze her hand. You can do this.

She can absolutely do this. Maybe I haven't know her the longest time, but I know she's tough. She's strong, and I know she can stand her ground. This guy's got nothing on my girl.

She looks at me, squeezes back, and looks up at her dad.

"I'm not..." Her voice breaks. Chin up. I don't have to even say it before she does it. "I'm not staying."

"Phone." Is all he says.

She frowns. "No. I—"

"Phone and keys." He looks at me, his lip twitching in blatant disgust. "And tell your... friend to leave."

"He drove my car." She protests.

"Get him an Uber."

"I'm not staying!"

Mason frowns up at their dad, almost like he can't believe his eyes. Because I'd rather not see the image of his father wither away behind his eyes, I get his attention and nod inside.

He doesn't have to see this. Sure, he can eavesdrop if he wants. He's not seeing this though. If his sister starts crying, if I throw a punch—he's not going to see it.

This look of uncertainty passes through his eyes before he shakes his head at me, crossing his arms and staying exactly where he is. I suppress my smile to the best of my abilities.

So much for him not seeing it. Hey, I can always cover his eyes if push comes to shove... literally.

"What did I tell you, Summer? Do I have to repeat myself?" He side eyes Mason, silently repeating his words to his daughter.

Her hand slips away from mine. And maybe I'm crazy, but she grows fifty times this fucker's height.

"You don't know how good I feel being away from here. I feel better than I've felt in my entire life. You can pull, and you can pull, trying to take it away from me, Dad. But I am going to push like hell." She tells him. She's standing tall and proud, and I don't think she's ever looked any more beautiful to me than she does right now.

"You're not going with him." He finally says tightly after a moment, but he doesn't sound so convinced.

"I'm turning nineteen tomorrow. What's stopping me?"

"You won't be seeing Mason if you go."

Something flashes in her eyes, and when I think she's going to falter, I grab her hand again. You've got this, you've got this.

Then something else flashes in her eyes. Regret. Regret for her next words.

"You're the one who won't be seeing him if you try keeping him from me. Don't make me, Dad. I have more than enough evidence to support that you basically neglected us. We've had enough people who know. Nannies, teachers—you name it."

Her hand is trembling in mine, her nails digging into my skin anxiously. I hold her hand just as tightly.