Canon

‘So what do you think he wants?’ Niall questions as he laces up his black Nikes. I lean against the bleachers waiting for him to go onto the track for gym.

‘I don’t know.’ I shrug, folding my arms across my chest. My dad’s short text haunted me through all of my classes. What did he want to talk about? Was he finally starting to accept that Niall is in my life?

‘Well are you gonna go?’ He wonders bending his long arms behind his back to stretch for another jog.

‘I don’t know.’ I repeat, completely taken aback. The last thing I was expecting today was from a text from my dad. My mom, sure. Definitely not him. ‘Just tell me what to do.’ I whine following him out into the cold air.

‘You know I can’t do that baby,’ Niall stops in his tracks to face me, ‘you have to decide all on your own. As big of a dick as he is, he thinks he’s doing what’s best for you – I respect how much you mean to him. Like you told me, you owe it to yourself to sit down and have a talk.’

‘Okay.’ I nod, still not convinced on what to do. I didn’t want to fight anymore with him, not about Niall. That’s never changing. ‘Could you drop me off at my house?’ I decide once gym’s done as Niall and I walk through the parking lot to his car.

‘Yeah, I’ll take you now.’

The car ride to my house came quicker than I hoped. My stomach tightens and my mouth goes dry the moment I see my dad’s squad car in the driveway. Niall pulls right into the driveway and shifts the car into park.

‘Hey,’ Niall speaks grabbing a hold of my hand, ‘it’s going to be fine.’ He wordlessly kisses each of my hands before releasing them, ‘I’m just gonna go back to the apartment and call me when you’re done.’

Niall waits for me to go onto the front step before driving away. My clammy hand turns the knob opening the door slowly. Too slowly. My mom steps from the living room with Elijah securely in her arm. Her small hand patting his back softly.

‘Lizzie!’ She beams, immediately rushing over to me, ‘I have a plate of blueberry pancakes in the stove, if you want. I made them this morning and thought I would save you some.’

‘I thought about them all morning.’ I confess, returning her gesture. ‘Is dad around?’

‘He’s out in the garage.’ She smiles, beginning to bounce Elijah in her arms.

The short walk to the garage felt like the longest steps of my life. I hadn’t seen my dad since sneaking out the house a couple of weeks ago and hadn’t heard from him since he told me I couldn’t come home unless I ended things with Niall. My sneaker lightly taps against the concrete flooring but it was enough to get his attention.

‘Lizard.’ He brushes off his jeans to stand up, walking over to me with open arms. ‘I’m sorry about how I treated you, I should have never turned my back on my little girl no matter how much I disagreed with you. I was selfish and I was wrong.’ Pleased this response, I fall into his arms allowing myself to be comforted. ‘We’ve missed you around here Lizard.’

‘I missed you guys too, dad.’ I murmur, even though I wanted to remind him that he was the one who severed ties with me. Since he had apologized I decided to go against a snarky reply.

‘I woke up this morning and your mom was making some blueberry pancakes as always – it just made me think of how wrong I was. Plus, I didn’t get to get a picture of you this morning.’ He stifles out a laugh running his hand across the back of his neck. ‘I know how much you love those.’

‘We could take one now?’ I offer, wanting to ease the tension some more. Before all of this stuff with Niall, my dad and I, as controlling and overbearing as he was, had one of the best relationships.

‘Alright,’ he blinks genuinely surprised, ‘I’ll get the camera now.’

I follow him back through the kitchen and stand in my usual area in front of the fireplace. My mom comes down the stairs with the baby monitor wrapped closely in her hand. ‘Where’s your father?’

‘Picture time.’ I simply reply, attempting to tame my hair. She soundlessly sits on the sofa to watch with a growing smile.

‘Got it!’ My dad cheers, holding the camera up his hand as if it was some kind of trophy. ‘Time to add the last high school semester to my collection.’

I stand there, for once, not complaining about him taking a dozen pictures just to have enough to choose his favorite. My mom decides to make her triple layered lasagna in honor of me being back at home. I stand in the doorway of my familiar room, taking it all in.

‘You’re moving back in, right?’ My dad wonders, suddenly leaning against the back wall behind me, ‘it really hasn’t been the same without you here.’

‘Sure.’ I agree with a nod, ‘I’ll come back—I just have to get my things from Niall’s.’ I say and my dad doesn’t tense or get that constipated look on his face at sound of Niall’s name.

‘Do it after dinner, will you?’

‘Okay.’

During dinner, my dad enthusiastically fills us in on his day and my mom happily listens. I keep glancing at my phone, thinking about Niall being the apartment right now.

‘Oh Liz, you got a little something in the mail on Saturday. I would’ve called Sunday but I figured you’d be busy getting ready for classes today.’ My dad rubs his hands together before rushing off towards the office.

‘What is it?’ I squint over at my mom and she coyly shrugs her shoulders taking her eyes off of Elijah who was eating a jar of mushed bananas.

My dad comes back and silently slides over a big white envelope with an oncoming grin. In the top left corner of the envelope read Georgetown University Admissions. My heart nearly drops as I pull the envelope even closer to my eyes. Georgetown was the one university that I applied to not expecting to hear anything back. An out of your league but apply anyway, you have a better shot at winning the lottery than securing a spot here school.

‘Open it.’ My mom gushes, both of their eyes attentively focused on the envelope in my hands.

‘It wouldn’t be that thick if it was bad news.’ My dad suggests, giving me a supportive nod from across the table. ‘Go ahead, Lizard.’

With a shaky, sweaty hand I tug at the sticker that secured the envelope. Inside was a blue folder with the school’s seal embroidered on the front.

Congratulations Lizette Matthews

I slap my hand against my mouth at the few first lines about how they would be pleased to offer me a spot in their upcoming freshmen class this fall.

‘Oh my god, I got in!!’

‘That’s my girl!’ He bellows loudly, slapping his hands together while my mom rushes up to wrap an arm around me.

‘I am so proud of you Lizzie.’

‘There’s one more thing,’ my dad tosses me a Georgetown sweatshirt, ‘we had a good feeling.’

Niall’s Point of View

I still hadn’t heard a thing from Lizette so I guess that he dad hadn’t drove her over the edge yet thankfully. I talked to Jack while I waited for her to call me for a ride. In my head I knew that I just saw him and that it wasn’t logical that he grew but he just looked like he did. Tara rushes me off of the phone, saying he had to go to bed and complained about he was already way over his bed time. My heart stings as Jack cries to stay on the phone and kicks his tiny legs against the carpet.

‘Jack, you can call me as soon as you wake up.’ I promise before Tara makes him say one last goodbye before hanging up.

I thumb through the channels with a low sigh, nothing catching my interest. I needed Lizette her to keep me company, or at least just sitting beside me so I could glance over and see her every so often.

‘Niall,’ she calls, catching me by surprise, using the key I gave her. Speak of the devil.

‘Hey, I thought you’d call.’ I say, leaning my head back to look at her. ‘Did you get dropped off?’

‘No, no—‘ she speaks walking around to sit beside me, ‘I drove my car.’

‘Oh.’ I turn the TV off, as she captures my full attention, ‘something tells me that’s it’s about get real quiet around here again.’

‘Are you mad?’ Lizette questions twirling her keys in her hands not returning my eye contact.

‘Wait, no.’ I immediately blurt out, grabbing her by the wrist to pull her onto my lap. ‘I would never be mad at you for doing anything that makes you happy. I’m glad you worked things out with your dad but I will miss you being around here eating all my food and wearing all my clothes.’

‘I will come by every day to eat your food and steal your shirts.’ She giggles, making my stomach tight.

‘Deal.’ I seal the promise with a kiss, holding her there with me.