Opia
aliz: and off we went
“Have you really never been paintballing before?”
I tried not to laugh at the incredulous look on Stellan’s face as I said, “I’ve never even held a BB gun.”
“I suppose it’s not a… traditional place to go on a first date.” He tilted his head a bit while I was lost within the sound of my pounding heartbeat. “Did you want to go somewhere else?”
“N-no!” I said a little too fast, “I mean… I can give it a try.”
Stellan smiled widely, flashing his teeth, momentarily dazzling me into a stupor. By the time we left, I was sporting several bruises. We stood hand-in-hand on my doorstep, Stellan was still laughing about how bad I actually was at paintball.
“Do you want to come inside or not?” I wanted that to sound like I was annoyed, but I couldn’t help laughing along with him.
“I’d best be heading home, love,” he nodded at the small window on the front door and let go of my hand, “See you tomorrow.”
My father narrowed his eyes at Stellan’s retreating figure and opened the door to let me in. “Since when have you been dating?” His breath reeked of beer.
“We only just started dating.” I felt light as I said that, smiling at my father as he took his place back on the couch. “Is that a problem?”
He just grunted in response and sipped at his drink.
❎ ❎ ❎
My hands were sweating, I could swear they were dripping sweat onto my gray jeans as I waited for the doorbell to ring. My father was sitting at the dining room table, swiping away at his phone.
"So when's he supposed to be here?"
"Soon." I had adopted a flat tone when addressing him; I rarely made eye contact with the man responsible for my life. In the back of my mind, I spat at the thought that it was only because of him squirting my mother (wherever she happened to be) full of hot man-juices that I even existed.
"What's his name again?"
"Stellan." I practically sighed at the name of my lover, it made my hands thrum like tuning forks.
"Does he even have a job?"
I blinked down at the floor. "Does it matter?"
"Of course it fucking matters!" My father spat, leaning against the back of his chair so suddenly that the aged wood protested with a high-pitched creak. His face was like one big frown. "I don't want my only daughter to date some lazy fuck who can't support her!"
"You don't know him." I said in a much calmer voice than I had expected. "I don't work, either. And neither do you."
That really got him. He sputtered angrily and stomped across the living room and down the hall to his room at the other end of the house. A few knocks on the front door caused all the simmering anger in my stomach to evaporate immediately, and I couldn't get to the door fast enough.
"Fancy having a walk?" Stellan extended an arm towards me and I placed my hand in his.
I tried not to laugh at the incredulous look on Stellan’s face as I said, “I’ve never even held a BB gun.”
“I suppose it’s not a… traditional place to go on a first date.” He tilted his head a bit while I was lost within the sound of my pounding heartbeat. “Did you want to go somewhere else?”
“N-no!” I said a little too fast, “I mean… I can give it a try.”
Stellan smiled widely, flashing his teeth, momentarily dazzling me into a stupor. By the time we left, I was sporting several bruises. We stood hand-in-hand on my doorstep, Stellan was still laughing about how bad I actually was at paintball.
“Do you want to come inside or not?” I wanted that to sound like I was annoyed, but I couldn’t help laughing along with him.
“I’d best be heading home, love,” he nodded at the small window on the front door and let go of my hand, “See you tomorrow.”
My father narrowed his eyes at Stellan’s retreating figure and opened the door to let me in. “Since when have you been dating?” His breath reeked of beer.
“We only just started dating.” I felt light as I said that, smiling at my father as he took his place back on the couch. “Is that a problem?”
He just grunted in response and sipped at his drink.
❎ ❎ ❎
My hands were sweating, I could swear they were dripping sweat onto my gray jeans as I waited for the doorbell to ring. My father was sitting at the dining room table, swiping away at his phone.
"So when's he supposed to be here?"
"Soon." I had adopted a flat tone when addressing him; I rarely made eye contact with the man responsible for my life. In the back of my mind, I spat at the thought that it was only because of him squirting my mother (wherever she happened to be) full of hot man-juices that I even existed.
"What's his name again?"
"Stellan." I practically sighed at the name of my lover, it made my hands thrum like tuning forks.
"Does he even have a job?"
I blinked down at the floor. "Does it matter?"
"Of course it fucking matters!" My father spat, leaning against the back of his chair so suddenly that the aged wood protested with a high-pitched creak. His face was like one big frown. "I don't want my only daughter to date some lazy fuck who can't support her!"
"You don't know him." I said in a much calmer voice than I had expected. "I don't work, either. And neither do you."
That really got him. He sputtered angrily and stomped across the living room and down the hall to his room at the other end of the house. A few knocks on the front door caused all the simmering anger in my stomach to evaporate immediately, and I couldn't get to the door fast enough.
"Fancy having a walk?" Stellan extended an arm towards me and I placed my hand in his.