Say You Won't Let Go

Smiles & New Information

I tap the end of my pencil against the wooden table, trying to finish the last of my homework for today while Alejandro cooks dinner.

Occasionally, I'll glance up and flash him a small smile. The first few times he returned it but now he just sighs every time he catches my gaze. I think he has noticed my increasingly rising mood but I've noticed his lowering attitude.

He's been upset over something lately, but I haven't had the guts to ask. Maybe I'm too scared that it will be something I don't want to hear. Perhaps, it will be something I never get to hear because I never asked and it becomes too late.

With that horrifying thought, I place my pencil down on the table and clear my throat so I can address my father.

"What's poppin', Dad?" I click my tongue, jerking my head off to the side gently to snatch his attention.

He pauses cutting up carrots and glances up at me with an amused expression. "Poppin'?" He chuckles in disbelief.

"Yeah, man. It's what all the cool kids are saying." I pick back up my pencil and point it at him.

"Mhmm, if that's what you want to tell yourself." He laughs but then the cheerful sound drains from the air and he lowers his head and proceeds to chopping his carrots.

"Come on, Dad. Just tell me what's up." I pout, tiling my head down to bat my eyelashes at him even though he isn't paying attention to me.

"I could." He pauses and then shakes his head. "Or I could play the 'Camila' card and say 'oh, it's nothing. It doesn't matter'." He makes his voice higher when he tries to mimic me. I smile nevertheless.

"You're not a teenage girl; so you can't play the 'Camila' card." I retort, looking back down at my paper and filling out the last question's answer.

"It's just not something you need to worry about." Alejandro sighs, sliding over the carrots slices he's chopped up. He grabs a cucumber, beginning to slide his knife through the green vegetable.

"And that's the 'Camila' card's older, less charming, and more stubborn father card." I lift an eyebrow disbelievingly. "Just tell me. Is it work or something?"

"It's a family issue." He shakes his head, continuing his dinner preparation.

"Your family is my family." I protest, setting my pencil down to direct all my attention to my father.

He doesn't respond, just continues to cut up his cucumber in silence. My eyes glower at my father. I'm sick, absolutely and utterly sick, of being left out of the loop. It makes rage boil in my veins.

"Fine." I growl, shoving my schoolwork into my backpack and tossing the god forsaken sack by the coatrack. I stomp upstairs, clenching my hands into fists as I trek to my bedroom.

Cheesecake roams the hallways upstairs, meowing gently when he sees me. I ignore him, bursting into my room in a splatter of rage and defiance.

I throw myself down onto my bed, burrowing my face into my pillow. All the happiness I get from Lauren's smile and Dinah's warmth, Normani's friendship and sass, Ally's mother-like nature vanishes and I'm left with this grave feeling in my stomach.

Tears leak from my eyes and soak into my pillow. I exhale a shaky breath as I sit up and grab my phone out of my pocket.

I see I have a message from Dinah but I have a one track mind right now. Before I can open my sister's contact, a different contact name catches my eye.

My Main Man.

I can't believe I just abandoned Noah. Who even does that? He was my best friend; we did everything together and now we don't even talk. But, I suppose people grow distant after time. Especially empty time.