“I’m not—”
“Hey, guys! Why are you all so focused on Dylan?” We all look up to see the girl of the hour standing at the end of the table.
“Oh, wow, look at the time.”
“Yep, would you look at that.”
“Gotta go! I’m going to be late for class.”
Chase, Jordan, and Ava shoot up from the table and disappear before Velyn can get a response.
“What was that all about?” she asks.
I shrug, not wanting to answer either. “Who knows with those three.” I give her a smile taking her hand and pulling her into my lap. “Are you excited for the weekend?”
Wrapping her arms around my neck, she leans in to leave a kiss on my lips. “Yes, and Joan even gave me the night off. So, if you want to head out after our last class, we can.”
With a broad smile taking over my mouth, I look to her. “Why wait? I say we ditch the rest of the day and head out now.”
“You know you’re starting to become a terrible influence on me, Mr. Dandridge.”
“Peer pressure, babe; don’t fight the inevitable.”
Velyn lets out a chuckle, sliding from my lap. “Well, no point in sitting around here, let’s go.”
“Someone’s excited,” I comment as I stand moving in beside her.
“You have no idea,” she replies, pulling at my hand.
When I see the smile on her face, just knowing that I had a part in putting it there, makes everything that this night is about, feel that much more right.
Velyn and I wasted no time. I jumped in my car, and she followed in hers so she could park it at my house instead of leaving it at the school. Pulling up to the front of the house, I get out and wait for her to park.
“I thought I almost lost you back there.”
Taking an overnight bag out of her back seat, she then makes her way to me. “That’s because you drive like a crazy person. Slow the heck down.”
“Are you scolding me?”
“Yes,” she blurts. “Maniac!”
I move to meet her halfway, bringing her into my arms. “I promise I’ll slow down.”
“Thank you.”
Taking the bag from her, I clasp her hand in mine and lead her to the house. When we walk through the door, we aren’t even two feet into the foyer when my father’s voice rocks the house, alarming both Velyn and me.
“So, this is how you’ve been wasting your days. I warned you about these ineffectual distractions, Dylan.” My father’s last words come out as he glances at Velyn, then back to me. “You let your guard down to your competition, and now you’re at the bottom of the pool for the internship at the office. I did not raise you to be inferior, so you only have yourself to blame. When you spend your time swimming with bottom feeders, that’s where you will also end up.”
“Dad!”
My father steps closer, his face full of rage. “Don’t you ever talk back to me, boy. This ends now.” The boom of his voice carries again throughout the house and echoes off the walls. “You will fix this. You will get back on top, or I will take this all away and show you what it’s really like to be less than even second class.” He looks to Velyn. “And you; you’re no longer welcome in this house.”
I’m frozen in place. I’ve seen my father angry, but this, this is explosive. I don’t know what to do. I can feel the glare of her eyes burning into my side, and when I look to Velyn, every part of my soul’s ripped from inside me. She’s angry, hurt, and confused, but worst of all, disappointed. I give her no words hoping that she can read the regret in my eyes.
She turns slowly, and without a sound, leaves me standing there. It takes only a moment before I realize I may have just let her walk out of my life, and that’s when I turn to follow her.
“You take another step, and there will be a price to pay far greater than a lost internship.”
When I look to my father, I know his words are not just idle threats; he’d have no reservations about throwing his own flesh and blood out in the street.
“Dylan, get upstairs, and that will be the last interaction you have with that girl. See, this is what happens when I give you just a little control over your life, you go and lower your standards.”
He knows his words are making me angry, and also knows that I’m dying to let it out. But I won’t, and my father knows that too. Like he said, he’s in control now and I have no way of standing up for myself without losing everything.
Chapter 18 Velyn
I’m going to be sick. It’s all playing back over and over like a bad song on repeat, making my head spin. Why didn’t Dylan say anything?
Reaching my car, I search my purse, pulling out my keys and fumble with them in my hands, trying to find the car key through the blur clouding my vision. I’m not sure when the tears started; if it was in there or on the way out, but they’re here and flooding my eyes, making it difficult to do anything.
God, I’m such an idiot. How could I let this happen? I knew it. I knew he’d never change, yet I still opened myself up and let him in, which only got me here falling apart in that vile man’s driveway.
Finally, finding the key, I unlock the car door and jump inside the driver’s seat. I don’t even know how I’m going to drive right now, but I can’t stay here. I take a few deep breaths, then
