Trouble-Maker

"I just can't," my father said as he looked away from us.

It was then that my heart dropped into my toes. I sighed and tangled my fingers with Ronnie's. "Are you sure?" I asked quietly, feeling all the anger and intenseness slip out of my bones.

My dad didn't look up as he nodded and said, "yes."

I swallowed harshly and turned, pulling Ronnie with me as I started to make my way into the house so that we could leave.

"Atticus, wait," Dad called after me softly, his fingers reaching out towards me. I stopped for a moment and cocked my head back towards him, waiting for him to speak. "I'm sorry," he told me, honesty leaking through his words, "But I can't just overlook the fact that you did what I told you not to." He continued before I could cut him off with my own angry words, "It's just, this is the one thing that I wanted to keep you from your whole life and I just can't forget about it now. I still feel in my heart that you're making a terrible decision by being with him. I've seen every side of this man and I don't like all the things he's done, even in they were in his past."

My dad took a deep breath and then continued to try and explain himself. "I was there when Ronnie couldn't make it to recording dates. When we set up a tour that he couldn't go to because he was on probation. I saw everything, Atticus, and I lived through it my own self.

I was the reason your mother and I didn't work out. I don't want the same thing to happen with the first person you fall in love with. I loved your mother, Atticus, very much, but I was wild. We jumped into love too fast, I wasn't ready, I broke her heart and I promised that I would never let that happen to you... With Ronnie, I can't assure you that won't happen."

I felt Ronnie's hand tighten in mine. A silent vow that I already knew the answer too. I turned around to face my father."Heartbreak is a part of growing up, Dad." I let my eyes settle on his as Ronnie shifted so that he was standing behind me with his chin on my head, almost. I breathed in deeply and pulled my fingers from Ronnie's. He nodded once, getting the message, and went into my father's house after kissing my cheek. I turned to face my dad completely. "I love him," I stated, "I'm in love with him." I ran my finger's through my hair once, twice, a third time, before I continued, "I've never felt this way about anyone before Dad and I believe that this is the real thing."

I looked away from him and out over the backyard that I've had memorized since I was a child. "I hate the fact that you don't approve, Dad, but as of now, I'm going to live my life with my family. That includes Ronnie. This isn't me choosing to be in your family or not, this is you choosing to be in my life or not." With those last words I turned towards the sliding glass door and slipped through it. I made eye-contact with Ronnie as he sat on the couch, talking with Frida and Max. He rose to his feet gracefully and walked over to me after saying goodbye to my siblings, and he took his hand in mine as I led him out of the house.

"What happened?" he asked as we slid into the car.

I smiled at him and locked my fingers in his hair. "I love you," I told him truthfully, honestly.

He smiled and nodded once. "I know. I love you too."

I bit my lip for a second. "I made a decision," I said, "That the decision is his, not mine."

Ronnie nodded and then plastered a grin on his lips. "Want to go back to my place?"

I nodded too, "Of course."