Glitter in the Air

After Jakes conversation with my ‘father’ I refused to talk to him. He knew that I didn’t want anything to do with the guy, yet here he was make lunch plans with him. Like just sitting us down over one meal was going to make everything fine.

I knew I was going to have to go but that didn’t mean I had to be pleasant, in fact I didn’t even have to be polite. I wasn’t going to make this easy on the guy, maybe if he had shown up ten years ago, but today? After all this shit has gone down? I don’t think so.

“Come on Hope. It’s just lunch, you do realize you’re going to have to meet him sometime. You’re going to have to meet him, and move in with him. You can’t just stay with me for the rest of your life.” Jake threw his hands up exasperatedly. Pissing me off further.

“Yes Jake, I do realize this. It doesn’t mean I have to like it though, and you don’t understand, do you know what it’s like growing up without a father? Of course you don’t. Do you know what it feels like, when you see your father for the first time and your mother tries to tell him that you’re his kid he laughs and you get escorted out? No, you don’t. I’ve seen the pictures on your desk, your perfect house, perfect vacations, and your perfect family.” I spoke calmly, not letting my emotions show.

Jake just looked at me for a second, before looking down, “Of course I don’t know, but you’ve got to work with me a little here Hope, I’m only trying to help you in the long run.”

I sighed, “I know Jake. I know. But I still won’t like it.”

* * *

Here we were, back at the hotel, where Jake was trying to get me to look ‘presentable’ I thought I looked fine.

“Just the shirt, you can wear the jeans. Just put on a different shirt.” He pleaded with me.

I rolled my eyes, “Fine.” I walked over to my suitcase, going through the few shirts I had and pulled on a striped hoodie.

“Better?” I asked him.

“Much,” he said smiling at me, “Now come on, we’ve gotta go. I told Zack we’d meet him at the diner around eleven-thirty.” I just nodded my head and followed after him to the car, once inside he turned the air conditioning all the way up, even though it wasn’t that hot outside. At least, I didn’t think so.

I flipped through radio stations, trying to find one that suited me, but by the time I had found one, we were already at the diner. I looked at the clock, 11:16.

“Why are we here so early?” I asked Jake.

“Better early than late.” He told me walking inside. I followed after him, it was a fairly good sized place, and it smelled wonderful.

“Hi there! How many today?” The overly peppy girl at the front of the restaurant asked us.

“There’ll be three of us, we’re waiting on the third person.” Jake told her.

“Alright, well, let me know when you’re ready to be seated.” She said, smiling at us.

We sat in the waiting area for another five minutes before he walked in, Jake was still standing by the girl at the podium, talking to her, while I was sitting on one of the benches off to the side, watching people come and go.

He cleared his throat, causing Jake to turn and look at him, if it was even possible his grin got even bigger.

“I believe we’re ready to be seated now.” Jake told the girl, who just smiled and nodded her head, motioning us to follow her. Zack looked around, probably for me, and when his eyes landed on me he did a double take, probably actually looking at me for the first time.

I avoided his gaze and walked faster to catch up with Jake, who slung his arm around my shoulders and whispered, “Are you ready?”

I just looked up and him and shrugged, “Nope. But you’re going to make me do it anyway.” I muttered. He just chuckled as the girl showed us to our table.

“Alright, your waiter will be right out to take your orders, enjoy.” Both Jake and the jackass thanked her while I stayed silent.

Jake and the guy made small talk about the weather, sports, whatever while we looked over the menu. I could feel his eyes boring into my head through the menu, which I currently had propped up on the table so no one could see my face. Childish right? But I told Jake I didn’t want to come. I heard Jake sigh over exaggeratedly next to me.

“Alright, let’s get this started then,” he reached over and knocked down my menu. I glared up at him and he rolled his eyes at me. “Mr. Baker, this is Hope.” I finally looked up at him, and he was giving me a look I couldn’t decipher.

Turns out at that moment luck was on my side and our waiter came back with our drinks. “Now, what can I get you guys to eat?” he asked us.

We all ordered burgers, Zack and I, we both ordered ours exactly the same, and Jake chuckled from next to me, so I punched him in the leg.

“Oww.” He complained under his breath.

“Oh Shut up.” I whispered at him.

When we looked up he was looking in between the two of us strangely.

“Soooo.” Jake dragged the word out. “Do you two have any questions for each other?”

I shook my head no and went back to finding pictures in the wood grain of the booth we were sitting at.

Zack cleared his throat, “Uh, yeah, so where are you guys from originally?” I expected Jake to answer that, but when I looked up at him he was looking down at me.

“Uh, Philadelphia.” I said quickly, I didn’t want to talk to him, or answer his stupid questions.

“And you’re sixteen…?” he let the question trail off since he wasn’t sure. Of course he wasn’t sure.

“Yes.” I said shortly. He just nodded his head.

He continued on with his stupid questions about my life until our food came. I silently tanked God for that cause I was tired of talking to him.

“So,” he started off again, but when I looked up he was obviously talking to Jake. “How’s all of this going to go down?”

Jake looked confused for a moment before it clicked, “Well, I’d like to set up a few meetings at a counselors office for you two to meet and talk about everything, and then we’ll go from there.” Zack just smiled and nodded his head, while I glared down at my meal.

“When are you going to make these appointments?” He asked Jake

“Well I’m not sure. Sometime soon.” Jake told him.

They continued to talk about how everything was going to happen while I just sat there, contemplating how hard I’d have to hit Zack with my plate to knock him out so he’d stop talking. I just wanted to go home. Too bad nothing ever seems to go my way.