my best friends brother

23 ... ihop

my best
friends brother
23

blair

"You okay kiddo?" Asked my dad. I was sitting at the kitchen counter eating a plate of waffles and bacon he whipped up early this morning. It's his day off but he still had to look into the shooting case files from the other day. He would be busy all day.

Dad was still in his pajamas, across the counter washing the remaining dishes he used to cook.

I woke up okay this morning. Showered, dressed. Then dad making breakfast made my morning a little brighter along with a good morning text from the group chat than a personal one from Aiden.

I thought today would go decent.

But it was ruined when I got a few texts from Matteo just thirty minutes ago. I got them while sharing memes in the group chat. And I've been reading them over and over since with my face twisted.

My gaze fixed away from my phone and onto my dad. He just finished washing the dishes and leaned against the sink, facing me while drying his hands.

"Kiddo?" He sat down the towel and made his way towards me, his eyebrow raised. I hadn't realized I was staring in a daze until he sat his hand on my shoulder. I shook my thoughts and sighed.

"What's going on? Your whole mood changed."

I rubbed my tired eyes as my phone buzzed with messages from the group chat. "Sorry. I was just thinking of something," I shrugged but Dad didn't seem too convinced with my answer. I wasn't either.

"Does this have something to do with a certain boy?" He asked and leaned his elbows on the counter beside me. He twisted his neck to look at me.

"Honest?"

"Only if you want to tell me. I won't push."

"Yes and no," I sighed.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really because I'm not sure what I'm SURE about. If that makes sense," I titled my head, twisting my face in confusion. I didn't know what I was trying to say. Matteo surrounded my thoughts.

But I wasn't going to tell my Dad that. He wanted to blow Matteo's head off his shoulders the moment I stepped foot home and he saw me crying as if I was having a heart attack. A charm bracelet Matteo gave me on our first date in my hand. It was shattered in my hands, the pieces thrown on the floor by me.

Dad recognized it.
He knew without even questioning.

Dad was never really fond of Matteo and only half liked him. The reason is that Matteo was always there for me and respectful. But that never stopped Dad from having his suspicions about him though.

Why are parents always right most of the time when it comes to relationships and not really trusting them? It's so frustrating on my— our end.

I've never told anyone that sometimes it's hard for me to go to sleep at night. The images of almost getting shot were glued into the back of my brain. I'd even sometimes wake up from having a nightmare.