This is the eighth part in a series, so if you have not already done so, you might want to read Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, and Part VII before continuing.
As I approach the kitchen, I notice the light’s already on, so I attempt to slam on the brakes. That turns out to be hard while wearing socks, so I end up sliding into the kitchen, looking around to see if I’ve been noticed and making awkward eye contact with my dad.
He raises one eyebrow as he watches me slowly come to a stop.
Once I finally stop sliding, I try to play it off like that never happened. “Is there any coffee?” I ask as I head to the counter where we keep the coffee pot.
“Just made a fresh pot,” he says as he hands me my favorite Tinkerbell mug.
I take it with a nod and fill it with coffee, adding liberal amounts of hazelnut creamer. I lean against the counter and take a sip while Dad leans against the counter next to me and sips his coffee.
We spend a moment in awkward silence before he says, “Do you want to talk about it?”
My head snaps up to look at him, my brows together, all my senses on alert as I expect him to ask me about the alleged ghost in my bedroom.
Seeing my confusion, he says, “About your classmate. I may have jumped to some conclusions yesterday.”
“You and everyone else,” I mumble into my coffee.
“I’m sorry. Your mom said you went to Homecoming with her. Were you two … friends?”
“Gross. No. Jake thought it would be funny if the three of us went together. I guess Addie read more into it than there was and didn’t take it well when she found out the truth.”
“So, you and Jake are getting serious?”
I blew out a breath. “I don’t know,” I say honestly. “I thought we were, but I don’t know how this mess is going to affect all that.”
“How are you feeling about ‘this mess’?”
I heave a sigh. “It’s so unfair.” I hear the whine in my voice, but it’s too late to stop it. “She said some really mean things about me online. All I did was clap back. It’s not my fault she couldn’t take what she was dishing out.”
“From what I heard, you hit her significantly harder than she hit you. You even got your friends involved?”
“Yeah, how come they’re not suspended? Why are they allowed to stay on social media?”
Dad gently put his mug down on the counter as he said, “I’m going to go get dressed. Your mom is taking you to meet with the principal in a few hours. I suggest you act more contrite in that meeting.”
To be continued…