Bruises (BWWM)

22

22

Ben

Taking a break from college every once in a while was crucial for my sanity. Going to visit Tamra was even more essential. I combed my hair back with some gel, but groaned at the result. It looked awful. I splashed it with some water to get rid of the product, but it just made the matter of things worse.

Oh well, today had just officially become hat day.

I grabbed a beanie, threw it on and was out the door, but not after pecking my mother on the cheek and telling her goodbye. This past year had done her well. She was calmer than ever -if that was even possible-, had cut her hair shorter and had seemed to smile more often. Seeing me being happier had lifted a huge weight off of her shoulders.

I even just recently managed to convince her to get back into the dating world again. I had set up a date for her next Friday with a guy named Steve who also happened to love meditation and humus just as much as my mother did and, as embarassing as it sounded, I think I was more excited for it then she was. I mean, finding someone who had the same interests as my mom had been hard, but, I think it'll be worth it. People who were alike often stayed together.

This was probably the explanation behind why Tamra and I were still dating : we were both mad broken and were healing together. But hey, to each their own.

I jumped in my car and drove up to the Remways. I sprung up the spare key Adam, Tamra's father, had made for me for our one year anniversary last month. I pushed the door open and stepped inside the house towards the living room.

"Sup," Maya let out, leaving on my way in, but not before we shared a corny complicated handshake. "Tamra's getting ready. Later." I turned around to tell her goodbye, but she had already passed through the door.

"Always in a hurry this one... Must be a boy," Adam surmised as he entered the living room. "Lemonade?"

I politely declined seeing as I was only there pick Tamra up, but he insisted anyways, saying that she might take a while because, well, she was his daughter. I agreed with him and we sat down onto the couch that sat before the football match displayed onto the TV.

"Where you taking her?" he asked, taking a swig of his glass of lemonade, loudly exhaling afterwards.

"Going to see a play. She prefers the movies because she says she never understands stories when they're portrayed live on stage, but I like to think that it's pretty clear, right?"

"As vodka."

I stared at him and laughed, warmed to see that he remembered about the line that had first helped me winning him over about a little over a year ago. Since, my relationship with Tamra's dad couldn't be any better. We actually enjoyed each other's company and the old man was really fond of sharing good conversation and having a guy to throw ball with.

"Your mom told me that you got into the college's football team. I mean, I always thought you were more of a lacrosse player, but congratulations anyways!" Adam said, with a smile.

"My mom told you this?" I asked, confused.

"Well she's the mother of the guy who's dating my daughter, we talk," he responded as if it was obvious with a laidback shoulder shrug. I didn't even know they knew each other like that, and now, to think that they were somewhat friends made me rethink so many things.