As I walked out of the school building, I scanned the parking lot for Dad's familiar car, my eyes searching for the comforting sight of his vehicle. And there it was, parked in the same spot as always, with Dad leaning against the hood, waiting for me with a warm smile on his face. I felt a surge of excitement and relief at seeing him, and I quickened my pace, my feet carrying me towards him with a sense of purpose.
As I approached the car, I noticed Emily standing a distance away, surrounded by her friends, her eyes fixed on me with a mixture of curiosity and wariness. I knew that she was thinking about the deal George had made with me last night, the deal that ensured she would keep quiet about my meetings with Dad. I felt a pang of guilt at the thought of it, but I pushed it aside, focusing on the present moment.
I joined Dad inside the car, feeling a sense of safety and comfort wash over me as I settled into the passenger seat. He smiled at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and asked, "Hey, kiddo! How was your day?"
I shrugged, feeling a lump form in my throat as I thought about the events of the day. "It was tough, Dad," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "Everyone was criticizing me for the error I made in the game yesterday. I felt so lonely and depressed, like I was the only one who cared about the team's loss."
Dad's expression turned sympathetic, his eyes filling with understanding. "I'm sorry, son," he said, his voice filled with empathy. "That sounds really tough. But you can't let it get to you. You're a great player, and one mistake doesn't define you. You've got to learn to shake it off and move on."
I nodded, feeling a small sense of comfort at his words. "I know, Dad," I said, my voice still shaking. "But it's hard to shake off the feeling of failure. It feels like everyone's against me, like I'm the only one who made a mistake."
Dad put a hand on my shoulder, his touch warm and reassuring. "You're not a failure, son," he said, his voice firm. "You're a winner. And I'm proud of you, no matter what. You've got to remember that everyone makes mistakes, even the best players. It's how you learn from them that matters."
We sat there in silence for a moment, the only sound being the hum of the engine. Then Dad spoke up again, his voice lighter. "Hey, kiddo? Want to grab some ice cream? My treat."
I smiled, feeling a small sense of joy at the suggestion. "Yeah, Dad," I said, my voice a little stronger now. "That sounds great."
As we drove away from the school, I caught a glimpse of Emily watching us from afar, her eyes fixed on us with a mixture of curiosity and envy. I knew that she would keep her end of the deal, and I felt a sense of gratitude towards George for making it happen. But I also felt a pang of guilt, knowing that I was keeping secrets from Mom, secrets that could potentially hurt her. I pushed the thought aside, focusing on the present moment, and the time I got to spend with Dad.
As I licked the ice cream with Dad inside the car, I decided to let him know about how last night went. I took a deep breath and began to explain the deal George made with me, and how I decided to keep the kissing between George and Emily a secret from Mom.
"So, last night, George came to me and asked me to keep quiet about what I saw between him and Emily," I started. "He said he would make sure I got to see you whenever I wanted if I just kept it a secret. He told me that it was just between us and that no one else needed to know."
Dad's expression changed from relaxed to alert, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Go on," he said, his voice neutral, but with a hint of curiosity.
"Well, I agreed to keep the secret," I continued. "I didn't think it was a big deal at the time. I just wanted to make sure I could still see you, Dad. But then at dinner, Mom was asking Emily about what was wrong, and Emily just brushed it off. But Mom was really upset, and I could tell she suspected something was going on."
Dad's face darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. "And you didn't tell her, did you?" he growled. "You just sat there and let her suffer, knowing the truth. How could you do that, son? How could you betray your mother's trust like that?"
I felt a surge of defensiveness. "Dad, I was just trying to protect you," I protested. "I didn't want Mom to get upset and stop me from seeing you. I didn't think it would hurt her that much."
But Dad was having none of it. "Protect me?" he thundered. "You call that protecting me? You're hurting your mother, the one person who's always been there for you. Is that how I trained you? To betray your mother's trust like that? I thought I taught you better than that."
I felt a stinging sensation in my eyes as tears began to form. "Dad, I'm sorry," I whispered. "I didn't think it would hurt Mom that much. I was just trying to make sure I could still see you."
Dad's expression was unyielding. "You're going to tell your mom the truth, right now," he said, his voice firm. "Or I swear to God, I will stop seeing you. I don't want to have anything to do with a son who would hurt his mother like that. You need to learn to prioritize your family's well-being over your own desires."
I was taken aback by the threat, was Dad really going to abandon me if I act on my own selfish reasons, I think I have to get things back in line before I lose the closest person to me, my best friend, my mentor, my role model and idol, my Dad.