his little girl // jiley

Chapter V

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C H A P T E R
F I V E
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James's POV

WHEN HAZEL SEES me her eyes light up, a huge grin on her face, and she runs towards me. She jumps up and I hug her close, her legs wrapped around my waist, her face buried in the crook of my neck.

"Daddy," she says, happily. "I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too, baby girl."

"Am I really going to live with you from now on?" She asks, pulling her head up to look at me. "Like, forever?"

"Of course!" I reply. "Didn't I promise you?" She nods, grinning.

Every time I see her she's older looking, and it makes me realise how much I missed. Her first words, her first step, pretty much all of her childhood up to now. If she wasn't so chatty, I'd know absolutely nothing. I guess I know enough, though.

She's not very girly, and now shows it, when she's wearing a baseball jersey,  jeans and a black baseball cap sitting backwards on top of her brown hair. On her feet are the Marvel Converse I bought her on her birthday a few months back.

We stay hugging for a few seconds, but a voice interrupts; "Hate to interupt this sentimental family moment," it says. "But I got some bags...?"

I look up and see the social worker, a man this time, carrying two small suitcases. Hazels, obviously.

I set Hazel down. "I'll take them, thank you," I smile. He gives me the suitcases and waves goodbye, before hopping into his car and driving off again. Me and Hazel drag the suitcases through the lobby and up to the fourth floor, while she goes on in her adorable chatty way, telling me about what she's been up to.

"I've started kindergarten." She tells me. I already know that, but I pretend to be excited for her.

"It's... um.... I don't really like it." She admits. I raise my eyebrows and open the front door to my apartment.

"Why not, sweetheart?"

"Why would you?" She replies. "It's school." I decide to ignore her suspiciously vague answer for now.

We walk into my apartment, and she drops her suitcase, grinning. "But I do like it here." She says.

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After I unpack all of Hazels stuff, and she gets settled into her room, I start making dinner. I'm no chef, but I know basic skills, so... beans on toast?

Having Hazel here is weird, I'll admit, but it's nice at the same time. It'll take a lot of getting used to, though.

I didn't have any father figure at all growing up — dad was in prison from when I was Hazels age, so who's to say I know what I'm doing? I might blow it.

I shake the thought out of my head.

I glance over at Hazel, who's sitting at the table, playing a game on my phone. Maybe I should get to know her better. That could help.

I sit across from her and she smiles at me a little bit. "Hey." She giggles.

"Hey. What you up to, Haze?" I ask her.

"Playing a game," she shrugs. "I... didn't really have any phones back at the home. They were more into, like, books."

"Oh. Do you like reading?" I ask her, and she nods.

"I'm the best reader in Kingergarten." She says, proudly. "Or... the only reader."

I laugh, and as I'm about to say something, the doorbell rings. We both wince at the loud, out-of-tune squealing noise. I was meant to fix that...

"One second." I tell Hazel, rising from the table and walking the short distance to the door, swinging it open.

I raise my eyebrows. "Riley?" 

My girlfriend... ex... ex girlfriend... stands at my door, staring at me while biting her lip. I'm confused. Is this the same Riley? The one who's been ignoring my texts for ages? The one who literally broke up with me not too long ago?

"Hi." She sighs. "Look, I want to... well, apologise." Okay, now I'm really confused. I... actually didn't see that coming. No sarcasm intended. I thought she was mad, the type of mad that would of ruined our relationship. That had ruined our relationship.

"I still hate that you kept it from me..." she admits. "But I was too hard on you. I'm... I'm sorry."

I don't say anything.

She continues. "Can I meet her?" She asks shyly. "If... if that's okay with you..."

I take a deep breathe. "Why would you want to?" I ask. "You made it pretty clear you didn't want to be with me, or Hazel."

Tears prick in her eyes. "I... I know that..." she stutters.

I sigh. "Riley," I begin, "why are you really here?"

"Emily made me come." She admits.

"I figured."

Just as I'm closing the door, she says, "but I wanted to! Please." And I reluctantly give in.

"Okay." I say. "Okay, come in."

A small smile settles on her face as she follows me in. She's been here a million times before, but now she stiff and awkward, like I'm a complete stranger, not the guy she's dated for the past two years.

Hazel looks up from the phone. "Hi." She says politely.

"Hey, Hazel." Riley says. "I'm Riley. I'm..." she hesitates slightly. "A friend of your daddy's."

Hearing the word 'friend' makes my chest ache.

"Hey, Riley." Hazel says. She looks at me, and when she sees my expression, she looks confused.

"I just wanted to welcome you." Rileys tells her. "Do you like it? At your dads, I mean?"

Hazel nods. "It's great."

The awkwardness in the room is almost too much.

"Um. That's all I wanted to say... I should be going." Riley says. At last. "Bye, Hazel. Um. Bye... James."

"Bye, Riley."