Home for the Summer (BOYXBOY)

31 | Versions of Dad

Minor trigger warning for this chapter! Scroll to the author's note at the bottom for specifics.

***

We slept very little and, once the sun rose, Nico and I escaped Rowan's house. Izzy offered a ride, so we squeezed into the back seat of her car as silence tugged at our minds. It wasn't until 5 minutes into the ride that the first word was spoken.

"For the record," Izzy said, tightening her grip on the steering wheel. "Benji shouldn't have responded the way he did."

I blinked. "What do you mean?"

"When you told him about you two dating."

The window beside me looked out at trees flying by in a wave of green. I tried to focus on one of them, but we were traveling too fast. "He was upset."

"That's hardly an excuse."

"Well, normal Benji would never be angry with me about Nico and I," I said. "He was mad because of everything that happened. I probably should've told him sooner. I mean, he is-was- my best friend." Nico frowned beside me and Izzy sucked in a breath.

"You should be able to choose when and who you tell, you know. It doesn't matter if you guys are best friends or complete strangers; It should be up to you, and nobody should get mad at you because of that decision."

"Well," I said, looking at the trees again. "He's mad because of a lot of decisions I made, not just one."

Once Izzy dropped us off- giving me the world's tightest hug on my front lawn- we entered my house again. It was strange to walk through my front door and see both parents there, sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee. It felt familiar, like dad was always there.

"How was it?" mom asked, her mug clicking against the table. I began sliding my shoes off in reluctance to reply.

"Fun," Nico answered. "We're exhausted, though."

"I bet," my dad hummed with raised eyebrows.

"Enzo..." mumbled mom, but he had already stood up, coffee sloshing in his cup.

"Nicolas, my man," he said as he clapped Nico's back. "Any funny business between Apollo and those girls?"

"Uh, no sir."

"Think he likes any of them?"

I just stood there blankly, watching my father and the boy I liked talk about which girl I'm interested in as if I wasn't even there.

"Not that I know of," Nico said, glancing at me. "But, you know how he gets. Not too talkative about his crushes."

I wanted to give him a smile, but my mouth was still stuck in its downturned position and I had a feeling my muscles wouldn't recuperate for a while.

"Apollo," mom called from the table. "Your dad is flying to Austria the day after tomorrow."

"Oh, wow. So soon," I replied and dad exhaled slowly.

"Yes, well, I thought it would be best if I got through with all my work before the holidays."

"Considerate of you," I nodded. "I think Nicolas and I are going to get some rest. All-nighter... And everything."

"Oh, alright," mom said. "Be up by dinner, though."

I waved goodbye to my parents and tugged Nico up the stairs by the arm. "Your dad really can't catch a hint, huh," he smiled once the door was shut.

"No kidding." My back hit the bed as I let out a sigh before sitting up straight. "Now, I think we need to strategize."

"Strategize? For what?"