daddy's girl ❥ luke hemmings ✔️

20. "he tried to kiss me"

SOPHIE

I haven't talked to Daddy since our little conversation last week and I honestly think he's angry at me. He kind of had this glazed look on his face once I asked what I did, staring straight through me as if he had nothing more to say.

Maybe I shouldn't have brought up the dream. I should have kept up the pretence that he wasn't a part of it, not that that would have done me any favours- Daddy somehow had the ability to read my lies like an open book. He'd end up pestering me for the real answer and I'd end up telling him anyway.

I shut the door of Calum's hummer- a black truck that doesn't match the one line in the song at all- before slinging my bag over my shoulder and placing my feet firmly on the pavement.

"Thanks for the ride, Cal." I say, smiling politely. He returns the favour with a slight grin as he nods and leans against his car.

"Anytime," he beams. "You doing much here?"

I shrug. "I'll probably just do what the girls want to do."

"Ah, okay then," he says, unlocking the door to the drivers side. I watch as he places one foot outside, about to climb in. "Luke says he's sorry, by the way."

"Sorry?" I scuff my shoes against the pavement, looking at him in confusion.

Calum nods. "That he couldn't drop you off, I'm guessing. He's had a lot on his mind lately."

"Oh. I understand," I nod, because I do- all too well. "And it's okay, I don't mind."

"You sure?" he asks. I nod again. "That's good. Because you might be stuck with me as your personal chauffeur for the day, seeing as your Dad's stuck working in the studio and all."

It takes a long while for me to realize who he's talking about. Hearing 'Dad' is way different to hearing 'Daddy', and come to think of it, I've never actually noticed until now.

Calum and I say our goodbyes, him waiting for me to enter the first floor of the mall building before pulling out of the parking lot. I give him a small wave and he waves back, mouthing words of staying safe and sticking to my friends. In return, I flash him a thumbs up.

I turn around, taking my phone out to see that I have two missed calls from Ashley and texts from Bailey and Chloe, both of which inform me that they're going to be a little late. Seeing as Ashley's with them, I assume that's what the phone call was about too.

Sighing, I type a quick reply. I might as well kill some time while I'm here.

I stare at all of the numerous stores branching off in different directions around me, suddenly realizing that shopping isn't fun unless you've got company to drag you into the shops you don't like while simultaneously driving you out of the shops you do like.

"Lonely?"

I jump, not at all expecting someone to be standing so close behind me.

Upon turning around, my eyebrows furrow, and my heart skips a beat once my eyes land on the very familiar face I'd give anything to temporarily forget.

"Daddy?"

"Hi, baby," he says weakly, looking tired. Butterflies flitter in my stomach at the petname I've been deprived of the past week.

I want to point out the bags under his eyes and the fact that he looks ready to collapse any second now, but I don't, despite the fact that I'm not surprised in the slightest. I doubt he's been getting any good sleep lately- I know I haven't.

"What are you doing here?" I ask him quietly, awkwardly standing where I am because I don't know whether to hug him or to let the grudge of being ignored for six days show through.