Thrust Into His Arms

Fast forward to the drama presentation day. I am sitting in the audience with Curry besides me. Maverick is two rows ahead with his boyfriend. I am feeling a heated stare burning holes into my back. I do not need to wonder from whom it is coming from because he is sitting on the row right behind with Courtney who is his new girlfriend. Calix has become so creepy lately. He keeps sending me wierd texts.

In one of them, he asked me to send a photo of myself in that lingerie. I told him that I had thrown it away and blocked him. I did not throw it away. I just couldn’t after seeing that it was from an expensive designer brand. Maverick helped me sell it on Ebay for two thousand dollars. The initial price is more than twice of that. But I was happy because I would have resulted to trashing it. But then I got money for it. Maverick said to keep it a secret from Curry. He has been bumping heads with her over the slightest things lately.

Saying that we shouldn’t trust her anymore. When I had asked why, he said nothing. He only just has a hunch that she is untrustworthy. I don’t understand him on that but complied. He is the only one he knows about it aside from me. I haven’t told him about the text that Calix had been sending and he somehow keeps texting me even though I have been blocking him each time. His last text was the day before yesterday. Maybe he has decided to stop.

I really hope he that is the case.

"Look! He is kissing her!" Curry’s sharp exclaim makes me refocus my attention to the stage to see Rex and violet kissing. Others are clapping and cheering for the performance. I start clapping as well. The performance is beautiful. Rex had told me about the impromptu real kissing scene that Ms Carla added last minute before the performance began. "Why are you clapping? You should be mad. You are the one that he is supposed to be kissing and not her." Curry scolds.

"I don’t feel angry. It made the performance more real. I like it." I say calmly.

"That is good. Keeping the uncomfortable hard feelings within yourself. It would suck more if you let it out." But there are no uncomfortable hard feelings. Is it strange?

The next day was the students dash fundraiser event. The Gala is going to take place later tonight. Curry tries to get me into participating in the kissing booth as a way of revenge for Rex kissing Violet. But I vehemently refused. I would not do that even if I could. Maverick and I went shopping together for outfits to wear to the Gala. Maverick help me in picking out a black cocktail dress adorned with sequins and a pair of silver heels and clutch to match. The money from Calix’s creepy gift have gone a long way in getting them.

The gown was standout and too flattering, but I went with it because I did not want to look too lacking compared to the others tonight. I have did a little makeup.

"Dad how do I look?" I ask twirling and posing in front of him on the couch. He looks at me over his newspaper. He cringes. "Did you put on makeup?"

"Yes. A full one. I followed a YouTube tutorial. How is it?"

"It is too much and too obvious. My mom would always say this to Piper when she was at your age. "If people can tell where your makeup ends and your face begins, it means you have failed" In your case it is just way too obvious."

"But isn’t that the point? People can always tell when you put on makeup." I reason.

"Yeah. But you need to clean some of that off. You used too much foundation and lipstick. Put on a pixie cut blonde wig and you would be set to be play the female version of joker."

"That’s too harsh Dad!" I protest.

"Go clean that off, it does not look good. And put on one of your mom’s necklace. The dress needs it!" He yells after me. What he said is a little right. Too much foundation and lipstick. Thank goodness he was home to tell me. I would have made myself a laughingstock if I had come out like this.

"How about now?" I ask him after I had taken care of the error.

"Perfect. Should I get the car ready?"

"No. I already told you that my friends are coming to pick me up."

"Is that so?"

"Yes." I got a message from Rex just then. «Your carriage has arrived, my princess.» I fight the blush that was threatening to come on. I can’t blush in Dad’s presence since I already lied that someone else would be picking me up.

"She just texted me now that she is close. I need to go wait for her outside. Bye Dad!"

"Bye. And be back on time. I would soon be leaving for a stakeout."

I pause to throw him a confused look. "But I thought you were free today?"

"Not for the night. I would be leaving in two hours. Be back in three. I would lock the door and keep the key under the primrose flowerbed outside. And please come home early. I don’t know how long Percy can hold out on his own."

"You got it big champ! Bye!"

"Bye. Don’t have too much fun and don’t bring anyone inside the house with you!" He yells.

"Okay!" I yell back from outside the door before making my way towards our closet neighbors house—the Bradleys. I look behind me to see if anyone is looking before meandering to the back of the Bradleys fence. I told Rex to park his car here as the people in this neighborhood have nothing better to do than gossip. The Porsche cayenne has barely died down. I don’t want to kick off another hot gossip.

I find Rex leaning against the car door. Looking like a handsome prince in his royal blue tux. "You should have stayed inside. What if someone saw you?" I scold.

"Is that something to worry about?" He asks normally.

"You have no idea."

"Well, you’re looking fabulous this evening, my princess." He says with a mock bow and an accent. I bring up mine too.

"So do you loyal knight." We both laugh. He opens the door for me to get in and goes around to get into the driver’s seat. I was putting on my seatbelt when I see someone standing right in front of the car. My eyes bulging as I realize that the person is—

"Dad?!" I call out in wild shock.