The Halo Effect | ✓

21 | romeo

E P I G R A P H

❝She was powerful,
not because she was scared but because
she went on so strongly,
despite the fear.❞

☾ twenty one |  romeo ☽

Halo's POV

I WOKE UP to the sound of someone knocking on my door. I'm a light sleeper, so it was enough to pull me out of my wonderful slumber.

"Go away," I groaned, my eyes still plastered shut as I pulled a pillow over my head.

I heard my door open squeak open before my mattress dipped down from next to me, an obvious weight brought to my bed.

"Halo, get up." I heard my dad's—also sleepy—voice.

I removed the pillow from atop my head, squinting as my eyes adjusted to the sudden light being welcome, not so happily.

Dad was sitting there clad in a posh, neat suit. He looked far too dressed up to be within this vicinity, but I'm used to it; he has always worn overly professional attire, mainly due to the fact that he is always working.

"What're you doing here?" I asked bluntly, realizing that I unintentionally sounded rather rude.

He snorted, "Good morning to you too, sweetie."

My lips welcomed a faux smile as I tried to push away the running thoughts revolving around going back to sleep, jumping off an extremely high bridge and Holt; not further explanation, just Holt, period.

"What time is it?" I replied groggily, "Shouldn't you be getting off to work?"

He shrugged, "I called Bree and told her to take my calls and etcetera and that I won't return to work until midday, so I can have breakfast with you and take you to school." He rambled, "That's if you don't mind."

Wow, dad wants to have breakfast with me and drive me to school, he's really trying to grease up to me, but what for?

Probably because he announced his not-so-appreciated marriage last night and he wants you to forget about it, my subconscious screamed.

I forgot about that already. . .

I wish I could just be happy for him, but part of me just really doesn't want to. Part of me is furious that he's moved on so quickly, part of me wishes he never found Aubrey and he still came home at the end of each day instead of leaving me and Max alone.

I get it. It's probably extremely hard to deal with day to day life once someone you loved dearly commits such a sinful act like cheating, but at the end of the day he still has children to look after and a family to provide for.

Maybe that's selfish of me, but I believe I'm being realistic.

It just sucks having someone that isn't always there, it's like being half-loved.

"Well, what's for breakfast?"

He smiled, "Get ready for school and come downstairs, you'll be please." he gave me one last goofy smile before getting up and leaving my room.

I reached for my phone from next to my bed, replying to a few comments and checking my social media's.

Five minutes later and I finally was able to convince myself to get up.

I had a shower last night, so I didn't need to have one this morning. I washed my hair too, so it's shiny and my curls are tight and frizzless.

I stripped off my pajamas before grabbing my cheer uniform and a navy hoodie with a small butterfly in the middle, slipping on my air force ones, lastly, I put some product in my hair to maintain it easily throughout the day and applied some mascara.