Status: Done!
Second Chances
My Decisions
“I-uh...” I cleared my throat. “Hi.”
“Hey. I haven’t seen you in forever.” Scott said with a sweet smile.
“Yeah- six months.” I blurted out, knowing it sounded stupid. Curse my mouth.
He sighed. This was the awkward moment those months were building up to. “Look, I don’t know what to do. I can’t be with someone who...my best friend already put me through that years ago. I can’t go through that again.” He waved his hands helplessly.
“I understand.” I replied. I knew I was being a coward but maybe it was better this way.
“Looks like your father wants you.” Scott said with a jerk of his head.
I turned to see my father storming up to us. “Father-wait!”
He grabbed Scott by the collar and snapped, “You stay away from my son.”
Scott looked surprised, but could I blame him? I felt the same way. But I wasn’t going to let my father win again. “Put him down.” I said, a threat in my voice. My father looked really surprised as he dropped Scott. I never stood up to him before. But this was my time. “Look, I make all my decisions now, so stop treating me like I’m not. And please don’t bring others into our problems. If you can’t accept me fine. But others don’t deserve your wrath.”
When I finished venting, I felt my face flush with color. But now I held all the cards. “I see.” My father told me. “Well, goodbye Aaron, for good this time. I tried to save you, but you just don’t want to be saved. Never come near me and my family again.” He shoved me roughly before walking away, but I didn’t fall. Instead, I stood strong and proud. I had made my decision.
“So, you finally stopped letting your father control you, huh?” Scott said as he gave me a round of applause.
“Yeah.” I told Scott. “I actually stopped six months ago, after he put so much fear in me that I stopped being me.”
Scott raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“He threatened to kill you.” I whispered. “Then I realized he would say that about any guy I fell for. So, I came to depend on myself instead. I already had the tools to do it. The only thing I needed was the courage to do it.”
“Wow. You really matured.”
“I would hope so.” I laughed. “So...”
“So, should we pick up where we left off?” He asked me. I nodded.
“There’s an ice cream shop down the street. Come on, let’s walk. It’s a beautiful day.” I told him.
“You expect me to walk? Are you crazy?” Scott joked. “You better carry me.”
I laughed again. “Let’s go you dingbat.” And, as we walked down the street that day, I felt Scott wrap his fingers with mine. I thought I saw a camera hidden with some guy in the bushes, but I couldn’t care less. Today was bliss, if only for today.
“Hey. I haven’t seen you in forever.” Scott said with a sweet smile.
“Yeah- six months.” I blurted out, knowing it sounded stupid. Curse my mouth.
He sighed. This was the awkward moment those months were building up to. “Look, I don’t know what to do. I can’t be with someone who...my best friend already put me through that years ago. I can’t go through that again.” He waved his hands helplessly.
“I understand.” I replied. I knew I was being a coward but maybe it was better this way.
“Looks like your father wants you.” Scott said with a jerk of his head.
I turned to see my father storming up to us. “Father-wait!”
He grabbed Scott by the collar and snapped, “You stay away from my son.”
Scott looked surprised, but could I blame him? I felt the same way. But I wasn’t going to let my father win again. “Put him down.” I said, a threat in my voice. My father looked really surprised as he dropped Scott. I never stood up to him before. But this was my time. “Look, I make all my decisions now, so stop treating me like I’m not. And please don’t bring others into our problems. If you can’t accept me fine. But others don’t deserve your wrath.”
When I finished venting, I felt my face flush with color. But now I held all the cards. “I see.” My father told me. “Well, goodbye Aaron, for good this time. I tried to save you, but you just don’t want to be saved. Never come near me and my family again.” He shoved me roughly before walking away, but I didn’t fall. Instead, I stood strong and proud. I had made my decision.
“So, you finally stopped letting your father control you, huh?” Scott said as he gave me a round of applause.
“Yeah.” I told Scott. “I actually stopped six months ago, after he put so much fear in me that I stopped being me.”
Scott raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“He threatened to kill you.” I whispered. “Then I realized he would say that about any guy I fell for. So, I came to depend on myself instead. I already had the tools to do it. The only thing I needed was the courage to do it.”
“Wow. You really matured.”
“I would hope so.” I laughed. “So...”
“So, should we pick up where we left off?” He asked me. I nodded.
“There’s an ice cream shop down the street. Come on, let’s walk. It’s a beautiful day.” I told him.
“You expect me to walk? Are you crazy?” Scott joked. “You better carry me.”
I laughed again. “Let’s go you dingbat.” And, as we walked down the street that day, I felt Scott wrap his fingers with mine. I thought I saw a camera hidden with some guy in the bushes, but I couldn’t care less. Today was bliss, if only for today.