Finding You

Home

MAYA

"Dad."

I was speechless after saying that. I couldn't believe he was here right now. How did he get here? How long would he be here? Did mom know? Wait, mom! If she didn't know, then she doesn't know that he's here right now. I should go tell her. I guess I was silent longer than I thought when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Maya, you ok?" Scott asked me. "I know you're in shock right now, so I'll go get your mom," Scott says and introduces himself to my dad first. I was so out of it that I didn't hear what was going on. All the memories of my father were all flooding back to me. The good, the bad, and the ugly. But more than that, I was realizing just how much I missed my father. I waited until I heard the door close until I shook out of my trance and looked my father in the eye.

Dad looked me straight in eye and didn't say anything. He knew that I didn't need him to say anything, he always knew what to do even if I couldn't express it. He opened his arms wide and before I knew it I was walking by the speed of light into his arms. We both fall into our knees and my tears started to fall. The last time I cried this much was when he left.

"I missed you so much, sweetie." My dad whispers in my ear.

"I missed you too, Dad," I said with my continuous sobs. A moment later, I heard the door opening and closing and I felt another pair of arms surrounding me. I heard my mom and dad greet each other with kisses and small touches. That only made me cry harder and I hugged the both of them tighter. Not wanting to let go.

^^^

I don't know how long my family and I sat on the ground in each other's embrace. I just remember falling asleep and my dad carrying me to bed. It felt nice catching up with my dad after so long, conversation ranging from his time in the army after being deployed, how I've been doing in school, and of course Scott.

Thinking about Scott, I get my phone to tell him thank you for bringing my mom when I couldn't. After sending him a quick text, I got up and did my morning routine before heading downstairs. When I get there, I see my mom and dad cooking breakfast together. Food items ranging from french toast, scrambled eggs, and bacon. Mom and Dad were smiling and laughing together which felt like old times, before Dad got deployed.

"You guys look happy," I say heading into the kitchen.

"Not as happy as we are now that you're here," my dad says and kisses me on the forehead. Dad was wearing his pajamas with an apron that said Kiss the Chef.

"Maya, are you going to tell your father about your little boyfriend?" my mom says winking at me with a smirk.

"He's not my boyfriend!"

"Does he know that? I don't know he looked a little smitten when I saw him look at you and that was one time," my dad joins.

I felt my palms get clammy and I looked away from my parents. Had Scott look smitten? Do I look smitten? Do I want Scott to be my boyfriend? Do I—?

"Well whether or not he's your boyfriend I'm going to have to have the father talk with him eventually. But for now, I'm glad to be home with my family for a little while."

"How long will you be here, honey?"

My dad wraps his arm around my mom's shoulder, "I don't know. Hopefully for a year or so but it depends on the government." My mom sighs and leans her head into my dad's shoulder.

After we eat breakfast, my family and I played games like Bingo, Monopoly, Connect4, and UNO. When we finished, Mom and Dad decided to go out on a dinner date, so Ari came over my house.

"I'm so glad that my dad is back home now. My family just feels complete now, you know?" I say while watching reruns of Avatar: The Last Airbender. I looked towards Ari who was staring at her phone with an eerie silence since she got here. "Ari, you good?"

"Do you remember Cameron?" Ariana asks and looks up from her phone and looks at me.

"Yeah, that's Scott's friend, right?"

"Mmhm. He just asked me to homecoming. I mean I like Cameron, but I don't know if I like him enough to be my date. And there's this other guy that I really like who's on the football team. Also, this guy already asked me on the volleyball team but he's kinda ugly. Oh, and Trevor wanted me to ask you if you had a date yet?"

"I mean, I wasn't really planning on going to homecoming..."

"What?! What do you mean you're not going to homecoming? Maya, you haven't been to any of those dances and you're a junior! You have to go to homecoming!"

I sighed. I really didn't feel like going to homecoming. I don't want to be in the gym where everyone is dancing in a crowded space and people will get sweaty and stuff. "I don't know, Ari."

"Just think about it okay? I'll tell Trevor you're not sure yet."

"Who said I wanted to go with Trevor?"

"Has anyone else asked you?" Ari says raising one eyebrow perfectly again.

For some reason, that comment kinda stung. "Ouch."

Ariana noticed my downtrodden expression and says, "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be mean or anything, I was just wondering. What about Scott? Has he asked you?"

"No, he hasn't. Honestly, I didn't even know Homecoming was coming up until you told me."

"Okay, let me ask you this: if you did decide to go, who would you want to go with? Trevor or Scott?"

"Scott," I says surprising myself with my quick answer. "Why did Trevor ask me anyway, we've only talked like twice."

Ari shrugs, "I think he kinda has a crush on you. He's always asking me to ask you to hang out with us more and stuff. But I told him that you only hang out with Scott now."

"What? That's not true. And plus you're always talking about shipping Scott and I, what happened to that?"

"I just don't think he likes you that much. I mean has he even kissed you yet?"

Wow. That was the thing with Ariana; whenever boys started coming into the picture, she turned into this whole other person. That's probably why my mom doesn't like her that much.

"Umm, alright, I think you should go." I say, moving off of my bed. Ari looked at me in shock and shrugged her shoulders again.

"Whatever. I was just trying to help you." She says and walks out my door. When I heard the front door close, I got back on my bed and laid down, refusing to let any tears fall.

^^^
A/N

YAYYYYY I UPDATED! So, this chapter took a turn lol. Ari seems a bit shady now🤔🤔wonder where that came from? or was it always there? How do you guys like Maya's dad? He's a sweetheart and I love him and Arlette, they're so cute! Anyway, only a little bit of Scott in this chapter, but I'll make up for it soon! Until then, see you next time on Finding You!!