His Secret Daughter

The Surf

Chapter Twenty

Kyle was already at the beach when I got there.

"Kyle!" I called over to him, where he was laying beside his surf board on the sand.

He sat up and looked around before smiling at me, "Hey!" He stood, "How have you been? I'm glad your mom is getting better."

"Me too." I smiled. "You wanna catch a few waves while we catch up?"

"Sure."

We started walking towards the surf, I'd heard there was supposed to be a nice swell today starting in an hour or so, so the beach was a bit crowded but we found a peaceful spot on the water to sit and wait for it to come in.

"Back to school tomorrow," Kyle pointed out.

"Yeah.. You kept up on the reading, and the rest of the homework?"

He feigned fear, "There was homework?"

I laughed at him. "I barely did any too. However I can finish it in one night."

He smiled. "So, I was thinking." something in his voice made my stomach sink.

"And?" Wait...no way...

"Spring formal is coming up, you wanna go with me?" The light behind him created an amazing aura.

My head spun, but I smiled anyway. "That sounds great."

"Good," He smiled, "I was worried."

I scoffed. "What would you have to worry about? You have girls constantly going after you."

"So? I was worried you'd say no, not that I'd have some other girls asking me." He chuckled, "That sounded bad."

I only laughed. "I gotta be cliche for a minute. I really have to ask. Why did you want to ask me?" The wind picked up and my hair smacked me in the face, totally killing the moment, but Kyle still answered.

"That's exactly why."

"Because, I can't look sexy in the wind?" I asked still trying to find my way out of my hair.

"Because you didn't swim up to my other side because of where the wind was coming from... Your thought wasn't 'how do I look sexy in the wind'. You were thinking about surfing with a friend. You're real Toni."

I frowned. "There's a lot you don't know about me, Kyle. And apparently I can't help but be a cliche right now." I sighed, "I'm not real. At least not as real as I could be.."

"Toni...no one is. Not here. Definitely not me. You're real where it counts. I wish I could say the same."

"Well if you hang around long enough...maybe we can be real with each other?"

"Sounds like a good plan to me, Toni."

***

Kyle and I stayed in the water for hours, then went for dinner at Bizzaro's pizza place. (AN This is actually in my hometown of Palm Bay FL... Pizza Nazi's butwhen the food is THAT good no one cares... Just know what you want before it's your turn...)

We stayed out until it was dark then he drove me home. We sat akwardly for a moment before I decided I want a bit of normalcy between us at school the next day, so we said goodbye and parted ways.

When I got inside with my boards in my hands, mom was waiting for me in the living room... It wasn't past ten o'clock, so I gave her a questioning look. "What's up?"

"First date scheduled yet?"

"What? How did you know I wasn't out with Abi?"

"You and Abi come here for dinner."

I nodded. "Well... I mean yeah I guess... He asked me to spring formal." I smiled widely.

"That's great, Toni."

"Yeah, so where is dad?" I asked looking around a bit, I'd assumed he'd be the one waiting up. I guessed with Mom back he decided he didn't have to care again. But there was always the possibility he'd gotten a call and had to pull out the suit.. I'd dealt with that anxiety since I was a child, you'd think I'd have a better handle on it. But no, Dad missing past dinner always sent my mind to dark places.

"In the lab."

I mentally sighed. "This late? what's he working on."

"Ya know, honestly I dont know..." She pursed her lips and shook her head. "Go to bed, Toni. I'm sure he'll be here for breakfast."

I nodded. "Mom? I havent forgot about what I want to do. I don't want to work with Fury, and I promise, I won't go behind your back again. But I want a suit. I want a team. And I want Dad retired."

"But why, Toni? It's dangerous."

"It's dangerous for dad, he's too old for this."

"But nothing's happened in years," she pointed out.

"But when it does? Thor and Bruce are fine. Tasha, Clint, Steeve, and Dad, despite what they think, are all growing older. What if something happens to one of them that I could prevent? Don't you see the need to start training the next avengers?"

"I'm sure SHIELD has been for years. You aren't needed to fight."

I sighed. "Mom, I won't let this go. I won't go behind your back again. Next time I'll tell you what I'm doing, but I'm still doing it."

"We'll talk about it then. Go get some sleep."

"Fine, but you need to rest too."

"Good night," She kissed my forehead, and I started walking to my room.

I stopped, "I love you , Mom."

"I love you too, Toni."

****

I woke up to a call from Abi at one in the morning. Before I could say hello she started talking rapidly, "You didn't call me last night, How'd it go with Kyle?"

I laughed quietly in the dark room. "It went really well. We're going to the dance together."

"Oh no!" She said a little less than happy voice.

"Hmm?"

"Now I need to find a date."

"Hmm... Well you know you can find one! If not we'll still go a a group any way."

"I'm kidding, T. This is a good thing. You should get to bed what the hell were you doing up anyway? It's like one, and you have school in the morning, missy!"

"Ugh! You woke--" She hung up before I could finish. I laughed and laid down to go back to sleep.