❖His Gem♦💎♦Ashtray❖

Going out with Dad and Jules

"So.. how's school been?" I blinked at my dad impassively, my sister's face just as unenthusiastic as mine. School was fuckng hell. The whole talk of the school was of Nate's arrest.. and yep. He was arrested for assaulting his girlfriend. All day in school was talk and lectures of how abusive relationships and assault is not okay. All of it.

   All day long, we watched videos in class on this. Every class was handing out papers saying how it's not okay to hurt your partner, and if the other person loves you than they wouldn't hurt you. One or two classes fine, but every single class.

"Look dad, one rule, no school talk." He smiles, knowing our dislike for school.

"Alright, well.. how about someone from school. Jules? So is this like a friend thing with Rue or is it, like..." I chuckled wickedly under my breath, ducking down to eat some of my food as Jules sent me a look. She failed to make the smile leave her face, slightly bashful at the mention of her relationship.. thing she had going on with Rue.

"I don't want to talk about it." She finally made eye contact with dad, gesturing with her chopsticks, before looking back down at her food. Dad and I shared a look, both of us smiling knowingly and teasingly before looking back at Jules.

"I was just wondering.. are you two, like a thing?" I grinned wider at Jules, her giving a playful glare before looking back at dad.

"No, we're not a thing. I don't know what a thing is." I grinned more, eating more of my low mien. Eyes flickering between the two of them in entertainment.

"'Cause I've been thinking, you know, if it was, if you two were a thing.. We could all just do, like, a family thing together. Maybe go out to dinner or something." I smiled at this, a nice and genuine one to my father, because it was a nice idea and gesture.. and then a nice big taunting one to Jules. The reasons being obvious. Jules looked down at her food, trying hard not to smile, but still, she smiled wide.

"I don't want to go to dinner with you two and Rue. I'm sorry." She tried to say in a guilty voice, both of us knowing better.

"Why? Because your embarrassed of me? Or 'cause your sister? Or is it because you're a thing?" Dad questions mockingly?

"Ooohh." I laughed out.

"You're hilarious."

"I know.. Is she still going to meetings?" Jules nods after taking a bite.

"That's great. You're a good influence." I take a bite, Jules going quiet.

"Oh, but I never am? That's just cold." I fake sigh. He gives a laugh with a scoff mixed in.

"I'm sorry who damaged th-" I shook my head quickly, trying to shut the conversation down. Him referring to the a few hundred-dollar amount of damage I caused once when I was younger. Having uh.. having knocked over a storage shelve over in the garage one time, and everything fell onto my dad's car.. Yeaaah. We don't talk about that.

"Okay, okay go back to Jules and her thing." I pointed towards Jules with the chopsticks, taking a bite of food.

"Uh, no. We're done talking about me and Rue, what about you and your thing?" I shook my head, pulling back some, humming disagreeing. I tried to chew my food quickly to dismiss the conversation before it could continue.

"Oh? Do we get to invite your thing to dinner too?" I looked at dad horrifying, shaking my head. I choked on my noodles some, clearing my throat some as I reached for my water.

"I have no thing!" I yelled in defense. Jules laughing out as my dad smiled at me.

"So, who is he? Is he in one of your classes?" I looked to Jules, her raising a brow tauntingly at me. I tried to bite back my smile, looking down at my food.

"It's not even like that.. " I tried, poking at my food. I could tell Jules was enjoying this.

"So, you guys aren't a thing?" I rolled my eyes playfully to my father, chewing on my lip as I stared him down.

"No, we are not a thing." I clarified. He hums, not buying it but lets it pass, done teasing us about our current interests. Though if I was being honest, I've never had an interest in somebody as much as I did Ashtray. I've had crushes in the past.. Kissed and dated a few in the past. Mostly to just kinda, get the experience of it out of the way. I didn't even really like who I've dated, not really.

   But Ashtray.. he's the first one that's literally made my heart skip a beat. He makes my nerves run haywire, my stomach and chest flutter and twist in such anxiety and.. so many other things it's hard to function. But all at the same time I feel like I don't have to worry about anything. I can just.. be. Well, other than his taunt and teasing but, I do the same thing back to him. It's fun. It's fun to be around him. To be with him. He's.. He's become my new favorite person.

"Oh dad, is it okay if me and Marina, go out tomorrow?" I looked up suddenly at this, not thinking we had anything planned, well other than me just visiting the store.

"Where do you guys' plan on going?" I looked to Jules, also wondering. She smiled, giving a slight shrug.

"To a roller rink." I nod, as if slowly coming to terms with the idea.

"Yeah, that's fine. Do you two plan on coming home after?" I shrugged, Jules doing too same.

"Alright, well just be safe." We nod, him looking between the two of us.

"We well be dad." I try and assure.

"We'll be fine, dad." He nods, a little better now that we've verbally assured him.