I look at this guy I initially thought to be careless, simply annoying. And yet here he is, thinking about my comfort and my wishes. I slowly sip on my coffee to swallow the lump in my throat. I don’t think anyone has ever done that for me—well, except my family, but they have to. He doesn’t, but he still thought about me.
“It’s…” I fumble. “It’s really thoughtful of you to think like that,” I say, trying to sound casual. He grins playfully, leaning closer across the table.
“Well, what can I say? I’m full of surprises.”
I roll my eyes, unable to hide the smile creeping onto my lips. “Surprises and trouble, I presume?”
He chuckles, his eyes lighting up with amusement. “Hey now, I prefer the term ‘spontaneous fun provider.’”
I shake my head, feigning exasperation. “Spontaneous troublemaker, more like.”
He raises an eyebrow, pretending to be offended. “Ouch, right in the heart. You wound me.”
I laugh softly, feeling a warmth spreading through medespite my attempts to stay composed. “You’ll live.”
Leaning back in his chair, he eyes me intently. I shiver slightly under his intense gaze. “So, are you in or not?”
I take a deep breath, the weight of his question on my shoulders. What’s the harm in it, right? If I don’t like it there, I will still have Soph and Siya with me. We can come back whenever we want to. Plus, he's right. If I want to break free, I need to do something about it rather than just overthink it. But there’s a part of me that’s still hesitant, my heart pounding in my chest, torn between saying yes and continuing to play it safe. I look at him carefully, studying his face for any indication of what he’s thinking.
He leans forward, resting his elbows on the table, his eyes never leaving mine. I can sense that he’s anticipating my answer, and the weight of his gaze intensifies the pressure I feel. The silence between us stretches taut, only the soft hum of conversation around us breaking the tension. He seems to be waiting patiently, his patience only fueling my hesitation.
Finally, I take a deep breath. This is not a life-or-death decision; I can do it. “Alright, I’m in.” The words come out softer than I intended.
“You’re in?” Daniel’s eyes widen with surprise but also with a hint of excitement. He didn’t expect me to agree so quickly. He grins, his entire face lighting up.
“Good. I’m glad,” he says, relief audible in his voice. “It’ll be fun, I promise.”
I pick up my backpack, wanting to talk about this with Soph and Siya as soon as possible. “You text me the details, okay?”
Daniel nods, looking slightly taken aback by my haste. “I will. I will,” he says, as I get up to leave. I give him a final smile, and he grins back brashly.
“Have a good day, firecracker.” He watches me leave, and I feel his gaze on my back as I turn around.My cheeks heat up slightly, but I push the feeling down, reminding myself that this is not a big deal. It’s just a day at the beach with some friends.
No biggie. Right?
∞∞∞
10
DANIEL
“Yes, Dad,” I answer, my voice tight, as I close the door to my bedroom behind me.
“How are you, son?” He coughs. I feel guilt rising in my chest for not visiting him, but I shake my head; it doesn’t matter.
“I am fine. You?” I ask a little gently.
He laughs painfully. I wince, guilt gnawing at me despite my efforts to push it away. I know my father’s condition is deteriorating, but acknowledging it over the phone makes it seem even more real, more immediate. He was diagnosed with stage 1A lung cancer when I was just about to begin university. I cried that night like I cried when I lost my mother because to think of a world without Dad is just unbearable and so painful. He changed after his diagnosis. He always used to be on my side, but now, it seems that we are on two different sides of our very small world.
“What do you think?” My father’s voice cuts through the silence, his tone a mixture of bitter humor and resignation. I swallowed hard, trying to find the right words.
“Did the doctors say anything?” I ask, my voice hoarse. The question physically hurts to ask, but I need to know. Ineed to know how long I have left with him. A heavy silence hangs on the other end of the line. It feels like an eternity before my father’s voice pierces through it.
“They say…” He pauses, his voice strained. I can almost hear the crack in it, the fear hiding behind his words. “Two years, son. Maximum.”
I sigh. I love my father very much. He has always been my inspiration, my support system. Growing up without a mother, people thought I would turn out to be a selfish bastard, but he gave me all the affection. And when I needed it, he scolded me too. He always made sure I didn’t miss mom.
“Dad…” My voice cracks a little despite my best efforts to hold myself together.
