Wintercrest Academy

Bad dads

He’s fallen for her. Deeply. The mere thoughts of her fills his stomach with butterflies and warmth. It’s fate. He’s sure of it. They met once randomly, and fate linked them back together. He’s enjoying being friends with her. But he’s scared to tell her how he feels because he’s seen things like this on TV. It mostly ends as one-sided feelings, or the confessions end up ruining the friendship. These are the negatives.

The positive, however, is the blossoming of a beautiful romantic relationship. Friends turned lovers.

“Why are you smiling,” Ava scrunches her nose and Adan straightens his face. He had no idea he was smiling.

“Nothing,” he shakes his head and then takes his sister in. “Wow, Aves, you look so beautiful. Ugh, I’m really going to cry.”

“Eww, gross.” Ava mimics vomiting. “I’m getting too used to you calling me beautiful. If only I knew how to make friends. I’d get to hear it from a whole lot of people and not just my older brother.”

Adan grins at that. “Hey, my compliments are the only ones that count. Don’t be fooled.”

“Yeah, right,” Ava makes a face at him and looks back at her mirror. They’re both waiting in Ava’s room. Adan’s already dressed nicely in a tux, while Ava’s examining her dress in the mirror. They’re supposed to have dinner with their mum, who’s in her own room getting dressed.

“Here, let me help.” Adan goes to put his sister’s pearls on for her and then her earrings. He steps back to admire her. “You’re growing up, Aves. I can’t believe it.”

“That’s offensive, you know. I’m generally a healthy child. Am I not supposed to grow up?”

Adan snickers. “You know, you’ve been making snarky comments ever since you started hanging out with Keanu.”

“Exactly!” Ava grins and she looks absolutely cute. “He’s my sensei and I’m proudly learning from him.”

Adan just smiles sweetly. Keanu is the first friend Ava’s had all her life. The first successful friendship. And Keanu’s older sister is the first person to make Adan’s heart thump and dance around like this.

There’s a knock on the door and both kids turn around at the same time. Their mother stands there, glammed in a black, shiny dress. The sight of her smile makes Adan smile too. She’s sober. Sober mum is better than drunk mum.

“Wow. Look at my babies,” she says in Spanish. “How did you get so big?”

“Offensive!” Ava calls back from her closet and they laugh.

“Let’s go. The chauffeur’s waiting.” Her children slip one hand each into hers and they set off for the restaurant. It’s a fancy one and the slip into their reserved seats and place their order. It’s perfect. Adan loves how happy and light hearted the three of them are as they eat. He imagines what it’s be like to take Kaia out for dinner like this.

“Hmm? You’re smiling again,” Ava points at her older brother with her knife.

Wow. He hadn’t known he was smiling! “Okay, feisty child. Put that down,” he says and Ava puts down her knife.

Folding her arms and watching him like a detective, she says, “Why were you smiling? Mum wasn’t even saying anything funny.”

“True,” Their mum hums her agreement. “Were you thinking about a girl?” she smiles mischievously.

“C’mon, mum. There’re a million other things that could make me smile randomly. Like watching you smile and eat without hangovers and eyebags.”

She smiles in a repentant manner. “I’m sorry,” she says. “I shouldn’t have raised you two to see me like that.”

“It’s okay, mum. It’s not your fault.” Ava grabs her mother’s forearm.

“I made you two grow up faster than you should have. You were always comforting me when I should been the one doing the comforting. I couldn’t be present at important events in your lives because I was drunk and wailing most of the time. I’m a terrible mother. And I’m sorry.”

“You’re not,” the siblings say at the same time.

“If I could pick my parents, I’d choose you over and over again,” Adan reaches out and squeezes her palm.

“But with a totally different dad.” Ava leans into her mum and the three of them giggle lightly.

A family of three settle into the table next to them. “Waiter!” the man calls and speak of the devil. It’s their father.

“What is he doing here,” Adan mutters under his breath.

“Another woman,” Ava observes.

“Mum, let’s go somewhere else. There’s the restaurant at—”

“No,” their mum shakes her head. “We’re not going anywhere. Why do we have to leave because he came? We were here first and we’re staying.”

Adan can see that his mum’s obviously not comfortable with their father’s presence. “You don’t have to do this, mum.”

“It’s okay, my baby,” she says in Spanish. “I’m—”

“Oh, Adan!” the kid from the other table waves wildly at Adan. “He’s our council President at school!” the kid announces.

When Bren looks at her carefully, he confirms it. She’s a sophomore. And his father is presently having dinner with a sophomore from Wintercrest and her mother. Could things get any worse? Mr Ramirez-Perez notices his family then and his demeanour changes. He looks away from them instantly. He whispers something to the woman and she taps her daughter. They’re about to leave.

“Yes. Leave! That’s all you know how to do anyway. Cheat on mum and date other women. You’re a horrible husband and a bad father!” Ava screams and all attention turn to them.

“Aves. Stop it.” Adan cautions his sister.

“Huh? You’re Adan’s father?” The sophomore asks and Adan grips the table napkin tightly. Game over.