best friend | zdj

fourteen

i sat outside the principal's office with my legs pulled up to my chest. i felt like a little girl as i desperately wiped my cheeks so nobody would see my tears.

"annabelle?" my dad rushed towards me and engulfed me in a hug. "what happened? why are you in the principal's office?"

i knew well that they must have told him as soon as they called him, but he was giving me a chance to explain myself. "i slapped a boy." he stared at me, so i added, "he deserved it."

he kissed my cheek and i smiled. "we'll talk when we get home. i'll be right back." he walked into the principal's office, leaving me alone once again. i pulled my phone out, since it had been vibrating for a while now. i had a couple of texts from zabdiel, apparently isabelle had told him i got into trouble at school and he was getting worried because i wasn't replying to his texts.

i'm fine
i'll tell you the full story
when you get home

i put my phone away when i heard the principal's office door open. my dad and the principal turned towards me.

"after hearing all the sides of the story, it's clear that you're the victim here, miss windsor. i'm sorry for what happened and the parties responsible have been suspended for a week," i mentally cheered at the principal's words. "but i can't leave you unpunished for assaulting a fellow student. you'll have detention on monday, you can go home early today."

i bit my lip. "thank you."

she smiled and turned around to head back into her office. dad grabbed my hand and placed it on his bent arm, right on the inside of his elbow. i giggled at his silliness.

"how about we get some ice cream before heading home?"

i grinned. "you don't even need to ask."

when we got to the ice cream parlor he told me to sit down while he ordered. i sat at a table near the window, like i always did. i liked looking at the people that passed by and judge what they were wearing. it was mom who always did that, so isabelle and i made it our tradition after mom passed away.

"dad?" i asked as he sat down with two ice creams in his hands. "why haven't you taken us to puerto rico after mom died?"

he passed me my ice cream. i smiled when i saw it was cookie dough. "it brings back memories from we were young. i didn't want to go back at first because i thought it would hurt me, but then i realized i was hurting my girls by denying you that part of yourself."

"joel told me he's gonna take isabelle there for their two years. please don't tell her, he trusted me to keep the secret."

he zipped his lips together and locked it, then pretended to throw the key away. i laughed.

"i suppose you want to go too, sometime?"

i pressed my lips together and looked down at my ice cream. "i don't want to make it seem like i'm jealous of isa..."

"i know you're not, sweetheart. you want to get to know your heritage. it's only fair."

"how big is mom's family?"

"oh, it's huge." he chuckled. "i'm going to take you for the holidays. spending christmas there is an experience, alright. it's not even cold! it's got to be my favorite thing about it."

"it's not cold in christmas?" i gasped. "why the hell have i been freezing my ass off this whole time?"

"language." he murmured and i smiled innocently. "we're going this christmas, you'll see your mom's family again."

"i don't remember anything about them."

he ruffled my hair. "come on, let's get going. it's getting late."

i nodded, even though it was still noon so i have no idea what the fuck it's getting late for. i got in the car and unlocked my phone to see if zabdiel had answered yet. i frowned when i saw two blue checkmarks under my last text, but no response. i sighed and looked out the window during the rest of the car ride.