The Dating Game

Chapter Fifty-Two

Justin

By the time we got back to Juliet's house after school that day, it was pretty evident that nothing too sexual was going to come of it.

Not that I minded, however. I'm her first boyfriend so she obviously wanted to take things slower. So all we really did was help one another with the remainder of our homework, attempt to cook dinner together, watch a film and a hell of a lot of kissing. But by eight, I knew it was time to go home.

There was still a weight pressing down on my shoulders knowing I hadn't told Juliet that it was my dad who came to visit. Even five weeks later when Ian had already began physiotherapy, was excelling through it and was set to come out of the hospital today providing that he did the exercises at home.

"I'll make sure he does them," said Juliet to the doctor. "I promise."

The doctor, amused by Juliet's orders, did eventually grant Ian the indulgence of going back to live at home and commence the journey back to sanity. Juliet was more than elated. In fact, she was so thrilled, I was the one to haul most of his luggage to the cab because Juliet was too busy fretting over Ian and making sure he was all right.

Ian chuckled. "Sport, it's going to take a lot more than a car crash for you to lose your father," he said.

The paroxysm of guilt hit me instantaneously with no mercy. The weight seemed heavier suddenly but the cab was in view. The driver rushed out to me to assist me with the luggage as he dumped it all in the back. Thanking him, Juliet was helping Ian into the cab.

After that, Mom was consistently querying how Ian was faring back at home and whether he'd like anything. I asked him but he just shook his head and thanked for my mom's kindness and compassionate thoughts. She always frowned whenever I told her so she said, "Right, how about a meal then? Our family and Juliet's family? We can invite your dad and girlfriend, too."

Mom didn't even linger for authorisation before she stalked off to the phone to immediately call Dad. Bad feelings aside, I called Juliet to ask for consent and she agreed. She said to wait a week just so Ian could get comfortable at home and be able to walk more. She was thrilled at the idea, however, and was more than up for it.

And that's where it leads onto today, a Saturday where both of our families were sat round a dark mahogany, rectangular table in some fancy restaurant in town. It was the evening time so the sky was beginning to darken, the mood making its ascent and the sun descending. Some stars were already out. We were sat next to the window.

Everyone was wearing their fancy outfits. Ian, Dawson and Dad were all wearing trousers with a shirt, myself with jeans and a shirt and the females (Miranda, Mom, Jazmyn and Juliet) were sporting either dresses and heels (with an excess of jewellery) or skirts, tops, heels and more jewellery.

Juliet was on my right, then Ian and opposite, Mom, Dawson, Dad, his girlfriend (Miranda) and Jazmyn. Jazmyn was sat on my left and Ian was at the head of the table due to ease of accessibility for going to the toilets or something and so his crutches were near to him. Some of us were quite wedged into our spaces, but none of the adults seemed to notice because Dawson was talking to Dad, Mom was talking to Miranda and occasionally us children and Ian was ceaselessly thanking Jazmyn for all of the books she gave him.

By the time the lavish food was delivered to our table, the restaurant was starting to become more hectic. People were bustling in and requesting specific tables, making the waiters and waitresses duties much more complex. Evidently, the customers were always right.

"So, Juliet, how is everything going?" Dad asked. "I'm Jeremy Bieber, Justin's Dad. It's nice to finally meet you." He beamed at her.

Juliet smiled politely back, having formerly just sipped on her Sprite. "I'm fine, thank you. It's nice to meet you, too."

"I hope it's okay, but Pattie told me about your heart condition," he whispered.

Juliet nodded. "It's fine. I don't mind."

Then they began talking about what sort of baby and toddler I was. The whole time, I tried to just eat my food and ignore the fact that Dad could just make a blunder any minute now which would make Juliet mad at me for not telling her that he had arrived back on the scene after an absence that had lasted about fifteen years.

"Of course," Dad said, just finishing up his steak burger, "I haven't seen Justin or Jazmyn in fifteen years so it was great to see them now. You can tell they're brother and sister, can't you?"

Miranda had to talk across the table to speak to Jazmyn but they were still managing it, occasionally interjecting into our conversation inadvertently.

"Yeah," Juliet concurred. "Justin never told me that you two were having contact again until recently."

Dad seemed perplexed. "He didn't? I've been visiting for the past six or seven weeks. Nearly two months now. I think the day I came up to meet them, your dad was in the hospital."

Juliet nearly dropped her knife and fork as she was joining them in the middle of her newly-cleaned plate. "He didn't tell me that," she breathed.

Now that was the blunder, I mused, finishing up my food. "Are you sure?" I said to Juliet. "I think I did tell you," I lied.

"No," she protested softly yet adamantly. "You didn't tell me that."

Indicating that this was not for my dad to be eavesdropping into or to partake in this discussion, he sipped his wine and began talking with the other adults. Mom was talking to Jazmyn now about her working schedule for the next week, Miranda and Dawson were discussing their similar jobs, and Mom and Dad were conversing about arrangements to see Jazmyn and I.

"I was going to tell you," I whispered, leaning into Juliet so only she could hear me. "But I didn't want to tell you that I was getting a father back in my life when yours was in the hospital in a critical condition. You were so upset and I didn't want to add fuel to the flame."

Juliet nodded understandingly. "I get why you didn't, I just wish you'd have told me sooner rather than waiting nearly two months."

"I'm sorry," I cooed, leaning in to kiss her temple.

After the meal, our families went our separate ways – slightly, anyway. Dad and Miranda can both drive and have two cars each so Miranda drove Ian and Juliet home (he was still exempt from driving until he didn't require crutches to walk anymore), and Dad took Mom, Jazmyn, Dawson and myself back home.

Just before Juliet departed, I kissed her lips hastily in a chaste kiss. She was wearing a high-waisted, navy blue skirt, a red jumper that ended just as the skirt began and heels so therefore, not a lot of leaning down was compulsory. After the kiss, I gave her a quick, secure hug before waving her off.

Whilst we were hugging, however, I said, "Does this mean we can cross number one off your bucket list?"

Juliet smiled, ecstatic as she nodded. "Definitely. Thank you for tonight."

"You too," I said.

On the drive home, I was virtually buzzing because I just wanted to cross another thing off of the bucket list. So as soon as we pulled up, I rushed off out, taking the keys from Mom so I could open up first. I went directly into my room and rummaged until I located the bucket list. I got a pen from my pencil case on my desk which had been abandoned there because I did homework earlier today.

It gave me such ecstasy to scratch through another line of Juliet's bucket list: number 1.

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Author's Note:

ANOTHER THING has been crossed off her bucket list! And Juliet found out the truth!! How do you guys feel about this chapter? We're slowly completing the bucket list, so let's hope everything is crossed off :)))

Thank you :) x