Happy Everly After

Chapter 27

As we finished our meal, a comfortable silence settled between us. The lingering aroma of the food filled the air and mixed with the faint sound of soft chatter around us. I made sure to keep the conversation light, I was ready to tell my closest friends, I was not ready to tell my dad.

His phone rang as we reminisced, and he hesitated before trying to silence it. "it's, erm Vicky. I can call her back later" he said, looking back at me with a hint of discomfort.

"Take the call, Dad. It's okay", I reassured him.

Surprised but grateful, he nodded and stepped away to answer the call. Returning moments later, he asked if I was ready to leave. I quickly stacked our empty plates before answering with a smile.

Chatting about anything and everything on our way home, my dad pulled over and pulled me into a tight hug before I got out of the car.

"I've missed you Everly", he said, his eyes misty with emotion.

"I've missed you too, Dad. I'm sorry for being distant", I said, feeling guilty.

"I understand completely", he replied understandingly.

Feeling the need to let go, I said "maybe Vicky could join us next time".

"You're definitely not feeling well", he commented, causing me to push him away playfully.

"Stop it, Dad", I laughed.

"She would really appreciate the invite" he added sincerely.

My mum opened the door and watched us fondly as we said goodbye. Planting a kiss on my forehead, my dad promised that things would get better soon. Wanting to believe him but knowing there was more going on beneath the surface, I waved goodbye and headed inside where my mum was waiting for me in the living room. Without saying a word, she turned me towards the kitchen where Owen sat at the breakfast bar.

Surprised to see him, my guard immediately went up. He spun the stool around to face me, his expression unreadable.

"Why are you here?" I said sounding colder than I'd meant to.

Running a hand through his hair, he glanced uneasily between me and my mum.

Sensing the tension, my mum excused herself saying she would leave us to talk and reminded me to lock up before going upstairs.

As soon as she was gone, Owen tilted his head and we stared at each other challengingly with our arms crossed.

"Nice to see you too, King". He stood up and I stepped back.

"Why are you here Owen?" I repeated in a mock friendly tone.

He let out a heavy sigh. "I know I had no right to barge in on you like that last night, but I saw how Elliot was taking advantage of you. You think he's a nice guy? Do you really believe a nice guy would do something like that?"

It got my back up. "He wasn't taking advantage. If anything, it was the other way around".

Owen raised an eyebrow in confusion and then spoke with brutal honesty. "I'm just going to be straight with you. The desperate look doesn't suit you...at all".

My lips pressed into a thin line as anger simmered inside of me. "You have some nerve coming over here and insulting me when you've been entertaining the easiest girl in school. So who's really the desperate one? Does she make you feel special like half the school before you?" I practically shouted at him.

He let out a humourless laugh and shook his head. "I shouldn't have come here".

"Is everything okay down there?" My mum's voice interrupted our argument as she stood halfway down the stairs with a concerned look on her face.

"We're fantastic", I lied, grabbing Owen's hand and pulling him towards the door. "We're just going to talk out here for a minute", I said, leading him outside. He didn't resist, and under different circumstances, holding his hand would have been nice.

He snatched his hand from mine "I don't have anything else to say to you, and you have nothing to say that I want to hear".

My voice was strained and panicked as I pleaded with Owen to stop talking. My hands knotted tightly behind my head in frustration. "You hurt me", I choked out".

He raised his hands in a gesture of innocence, "by dating Cassie, I know you two don't get along, but I've had girlfriends before, and you've never been bothered".

I looked at him accusingly. "That was before we kissed, and you know it".

He looked slightly guilty, unable to meet my gaze.

"We both agreed that our kiss was a mistake", he said, running a hand down his tired face.

"Those were your words", I snapped back, my voice brimming with emotion. "I just went along with it because it was obvious how disgusted you were by it. So why would I say any differently?!"

"Do you feel differently?" he asked, his expression softening.

"I don't know", I admitted, starting to pace back and forth in agitation. My chest felt tight, and it was hard to catch my breath.

But then, Owen closed the distance between us and took hold of my hands, bringing me into a warm embrace. I wanted to push away from him, but instead I let myself melt into his hug and buried my face in his chest.

"I was never disgusted", he whispered softly into my hair, and with that confession came a flood of emotions. Tears streamed down my face as I finally allowed myself to release all the pent-up hurt and confusion.