I was probably the only nerd that actually despised school.
But there was one thing that made school at least bearable and that was simply because of my Econ class.
Speaking of..."Hey Solace", Ariadne waved as she walked over and took the seat on my left.
I basically sighed in an overwhelming sensation of glee, "Hey Ari what's up?".
Sitting here with her made my last period in Ms. Cahill's classroom all but a distant memory.
"Are we still on for tomorrow?", she twirled a piece of her hair around her finger, and I was enraptured.
"Yeah", I breathed out.
Ari and I were partners for a project for this class that was due next week, and I was more than loving it.
"Okay be by my house at two o'clock clock. Give me your number I'll text you my address".
See why?
"Okay".
She nodded, "And are you going to Mario's party tonight".
Aah... No!
My shoulders slumped in defeat, "No I actually wasn't invited".
She waved her hand dismissively as if I'd just said the most ridiculous thing.
"I'm inviting you", she says quickly with a broad smile.
But in all honesty, I didn't plan on going. Until Ariadne asked me.
I mean sure there was the minor detail that she had a boyfriend but that's eh!
Right?
"Yeah, I'll be there".
How bad could it be?
This was my last class for the day and fortunately I didn't have it with anyone I hate. I had Ari to myself.
The bell rang too soon, and I had to say bye to Ari. Victor and I were barely in the hallways when Jason came running up to us.
Victor took a protective stance in front of me and the whole thing was beginning to draw people's attention.
"What is it?", I asked once he was close enough.
He leaned closer to me so no one else would hear, "Your father wishes to see you immediately".
For only a second, I stood there shocked. Why was my father here, never mind that, I didn't even know he was back in the country.
The next thing I know I was being led into the parking lot by Jason and Victor and more than half of the school population was staring at us.
The fact that there was a black Escalade waiting for us outside didn't helpful either.
***********
A half an hour later I was brought to a hotel in the city. Jason and Victor brought me up to the tenth floor knocked on a hotel room and they stayed outside as I went inside alone.
I wasn't sure what to expect.
I mean, was my dad really here? After almost six months of seeing each other in person.
I walked further into the room, but I was only met with silence and nothing else.
Or so I thought.
"Boo!", The words came from behind me, and I swear I jumped so high I slammed my head against the expensive ten thousand dollar chandelier.
Just kidding.
But not really.
The second my eyes landed on the man standing behind me, well, I'm ashamed to say that I may or may not have jumped into his arms out of sheer happiness.
Still, I'm not admitting anything. For now, let's just say we had a very manly hug and there was definitely no squealing or manly tears involved on my part.
"Dad, why are you here?", I manage to ask once we pulled away.
"Aren't you glad to see your old man?", he chuckles.
The thing is, even though he calls himself old, my dad is just thirty-six. Hell, sometimes he even looks younger than me.
"I'm always glad to see you", we walk into the next room and sit down on the huge white couch, "but seriously though why are you here?".
There is still a faint smile on his face, "Maybe I just wanted to see my son in person, you know, video chat gets old after a while".
I couldn't help but to feel an even more intense happiness at his reason.
Yeah, I know, I'm a softie with only this person.
My dad had been like a mom and a dad all wrapped into one and I was thankful for it.
Smiling smugly, I cocked a brow at him as I posed my next question. "Since you missed me so much why don't you take me back home with you".
That sentence alone was enough to suck up all the life out of the room.
The place got so quiet I was afraid to even scratch my nose which was itching really badly.
Leonardo Descartes stood up abruptly and once he began his slow pace towards the floor to ceiling window, I knew I had gone too far.
"I'm sorr-", I begin to apologize at the same time he begins to speak.
"It's still not safe back home", his voice holds no harshness to it. But his eyes… His eyes are cold and calculating. The fun-loving father I had just witnessed a while ago was gone.
I was not one however to speak of anyone else's duality since that would make me a hypocrite.
This was someone else though. This is the side of him he used with his business colleagues and associates, never with me.
Well, until now. Something serious must be going on why he doesn't think I can go home yet. And I was too anxious to even ask.