-after Ella ran out-

I'm such an idiot. How could I ever say something like that to her?

"What was that all about?" mom asked confused as to why Ella was crying.

"I said something really stupid, " I tilted my head up towards the ceiling with both hands on my face. "I need to go after her."

"I wouldn't do that." my dad said right as my hand landed on the knob.

"Why not?" I said with an attitude, "please. Tell me why shouldn't I go after her?"

"She's gonna need some time," he said.

"Time? Is that what you were doing?" I said walking towards him, "just giving us time?"

"Benny there's something I need to talk to you about," mom said not making eye contact with me.

"What? What could be more important than going after my girlfriend?" I spat.

"Your dad didn't leave us." she blurted so I would stop arguing back.

It worked. I shut my mouth instantly. What does she mean he didn't leave us?

"What?" I said quietly.

"I cheated on him. That's why we split up," she said with her voice full of guilt.

I looked over to my dad who had a hand on mom's leg and was looking at me with the saddest eyes ever.

"Is that true?"

He nodded.

I couldn't control my thoughts at this point. Part of my brain was thinking about how badly I wanted to apologize to Ella, and the other half was thinking about how badly I wanted to yell at my mom for being the reason dad wasn't here all these years. I hated yelling at her though, so I kept my anger focused on my dad. It was easier that way.

"That still doesn't change anything." I said giving him a sour look, "you can stay for the night, but I don't wanna see you in the morning."

I walked to my room and closed the door. I almost felt bad for keeping my anger focused on him but I didn't wanna take it out on my mom.

I laid in bed for what felt like forever trying to think everything through. What I was gonna do about Ella, if I should give my dad a second chance, and how to explain all of this to Lilly.

Then I had an idea.

I fucked up man. I took my anger out on Ella and she stormed out. I said something horrible to her, I need you to tell me what to do.

I waited for a response, which was almost instantly.

What the fuck did you say?

I'm on ft with her rn.

You are?

Shit okay.

I said something about her mom.

I feel terrible.

Wtf?!?!

Dude.

I'm so beating your ass when I visit my dad over winter break.

Good.

I deserve it.

I'll play couples therapist for now but you better apologize.

She already told me about the shit she's going through with her grandma.

I know, I will.

I just need you to talk to her first.

Ur an asshole

I gotta go she's mad I'm on pause

I went straight to bed after that. People say that it's harder to sleep when you have a million things on your mind, but not me. Sleep helped me relax and my head would be clear in the morning.

It didn't work this time. I woke up and automatically started thinking about Ella. I wondered what she was doing, I wished she was in my arms when I woke up as she had been for the past couple of days, but most of all, I wished I hadn't said what I did yesterday. I felt like such an ass.

I never wanted to get out of bed. I had planned on staying there all day until someone knocked on my door.

"Come in," I said in a tired voice.

I rubbed my eyes since the light in the hallway was always brighter in the mornings. I wanted the person at the door to be Ella, but it was the person I wanted to see the least today. My dad.

"Hey bud, I'm heading out. Sorry for causing you guys all this trouble, just know I'm always one call away."

I felt terrible. He was my dad after all and Ella was right. He had to be back for some reason, whether it was because of my mom or not.

He closed the door behind him softly then I listened to his footsteps as he walked down the hallway.

I couldn't let him leave, no matter how badly I wanted him to, he was finally back.

I jumped out of bed, ran down the hallway, and out the door to see him getting on his bike.

"Dad!" I yelled from the porch.

He didn't hear me. His bike was too loud and he had his helmet on.

"Shit," I whispered to myself in a panicked voice.

He kicked the stand that was holding the bike up and began to drive down the street. I sprinted right as he started to move. I was behind for a moment, then started running faster and faster. I caught up to the side of his bike from on the sidewalk and called his name again.

"Dad!" I yelled, out of breath but knew I had to keep running if I didn't wanna lose him again.

He looked to the side where I was running at the same speed as the motorcycle.

"Holy shit." he pressed down on the brakes with his hand, making the bike slide until it came to a sharp stop.

I had to slow myself down as well. I had never run that fast, not even when I was being chased by Hercules.

"Benny?" he said taking his helmet off, "what are you doing?"

"I was wrong." I said completely out of breath, "Your kids need a dad, I need a dad."

He smiled and got off his bike, pushing it over to the edge of the sidewalk I was standing on. He put the stand back down and walked over to me while taking his gloves off. Dad put both his hands on my shoulders and smiled at my sweaty, probably very red, face.

"That's my jet." he laughed as he pulled me into a hug.

The feeling was familiar, yet so different. He had buffed up a lot since I was nine, but he was still the same guy who taught me everything I knew about the game I loved. He was still my dad.

As we let go of the hug, I realized we had run all the way down the street.

"Dad I'm so sorry. I didn't know mom cheated, if I did I wouldn't have been so horrible to you." I said rushing the words out of my mouth.

It was true. I felt horrible, but I knew he was here to stay for good this time. Or I hoped he was.

"Don't worry about it kid." He said like I wasn't just telling him how much I hated him last night.

We walked home, he was pushing his heavy bike with his bags on it like it was nothing, and I was just trying to focus on how I got my dad back instead of how Ella probably never wants to see me again. It didn't last long.

"So, you mind if I ask what you said to your little girlfriend last night?" He said as we finally got in front of my house.

"I'd rather not say." I scratched the back of my neck.

"That bad huh?" He lifted his bag over his shoulder and we began to walk back up to the house.

"I really fucked up. I said something rude about her mom not being here anymore because I was mad and needed to take it out on someone but now I know It was a dick move and I'm the worst boyfriend to ever exist."

"What happened to her mom?"

We stopped on the front porch.

"She passed away when Ella was little, I'm not exactly sure how but she still has problems with it and I shouldn't have said what I did." I leaned against the wall next to the front door.

"Shit man." He laughed as he opened the door, "you really did fuck up."

"Yeah, thanks." I laughed as we walked through the door together. He joined in on the laughing as well.

"That's what I like to see." Mom said as she stood next to the couch with the brightest smile I've seen on her in a while. I could tell it was a real smile this time too, not a fake one that she would make to hide her pain and stuff.

The four of us played board games, watched Austin and Ally, and ate junk food all day. It was nice to feel like a whole family again instead of a bunch of broken people with terrible anger issues. Though, for some reason, I couldn't help but feel guilty that I was having a good time with my dad and Ella was suffering over something I said.

"What should I do about Ella?" I finally blurted once we were all focused and serious about the very intense game of UNO we were playing.

"Flowers and a teddy bear Jet." Dad said as he set down a card then looked at me and winked as he said "works every time."

"Oh does it now?" Mom said acting offended, but I could tell she enjoyed having him back as much as Lilly and I did.

"It did every time you got mad at me in high school." He laughed, "by the end of senior year your entire bed was filled with stuffed animals and your room smelled amazing."

"I wouldn't say amazing-"

"All the roses she let dry out on her desk, you'd think she just went to a funeral or something." He joked.

I missed his jokes, and him and mom messing with each other. It was almost like old times... except I couldn't get Ella out of my head of course.

"I gotta go." I blurted, throwing all my cards on the table and running to my room.

As I slipped my shoes on I tried to think of somewhere I could get roses from. I quickly pulled a flannel on over my white shirt and ran out back Into the living room.

"Slow down turbo." Dad laughed.

"Why? I gotta get her flowers like you said." I shook random parts of my body in an attempt to loosen myself up so I wouldn't be as nervous.

"And a teddy bear," Lilly said proudly that she remembered it.

"Yeah, that too." I rolled my neck and began stretching my legs so I'd be ready to run to the stores and look for a place that sold any type of flowers.

"Do you even know where you're getting them from?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Well," I hesitated, "no, but I was just gonna look through the windows as I ran by them."

"You can't run there, you'll get sweaty." Mom said, "girls don't like sweaty."

"Ellas seen me after playing baseball all day long in the heat, I think I'll be fine." I laughed.

"Do you at least have money?" Dad asked.

"No..."

"Oh my god." Dad said putting his face in his hands, "get my wallet it's in my bag, I'm taking you."

"You will?" I smiled in excitement.

"Well, I'm not gonna let you steal flowers and then show up to her house looking like shit." He put both hands on his knees and pushed himself up on his feet. "Now go get my wallet Jet, we got a girl to win back."

As we rode into the street with all the stores lined up next to each other, I tried to look into each of the windows to see if I could find any flowers. We were going too fast so all the signs and things in the windows blurred together.

We finally came to a stop at a store I've never even noticed before. It had a pink sign with 'Glenda's' written on it in cursive.

"Brings back memories." He smiled as he took his helmet off.

"Of what?" I took the spare helmet off and handed it to him.

"I probably came here once every two weeks when your mom and I were in high school." he laughed as he got off the bike, "I fucked up a bunch of times, but we made it pretty far didn't we?"

"You made it far, but not for forever. I know we're young, but Ellas the only girl who understands my passion for baseball. She's sweet, good with Lilly, and, if you haven't already noticed, she's beautiful." I got off the bike as well.

"Then stop wasting time and go pick out some flowers." He said pointing to the entrance to the store. "Can't keep your beautiful girl waiting."

As I ran inside with his wallet, Dad following close behind, but stopping to talk to the lady working at the register.

"Luis Rodriguez, is that you?" The old lady said with her arms out as she walked around the counter to hug him.

"Hey, Glenda." He laughed as he hugged her.

"I'm guessing that's your boy?" She nodded her head towards me.

He smiled and nodded. "Guess what he's doing?"

"Don't tell me-" she said knowing exactly what I was doing.

"Yup." dad said crossing his arms and leaning against the counter.

"He's just like you." Glenda smiled, "getting apology flowers for a girl, let's just hope he has better taste in flowers than you." she winked at him.

I listened to their conversation as I ruffled through all the different flowers. There was only one that actually caught my eye though: A single white tulip. I don't know why, it just reminded me of Ella.

I picked it out of the box it was in along with other flowers and walked it over to where my dad and Glenda were talking.

"And he definitely does!" She said with a smile as she stepped back behind the register.

"I do what?"

"You have better taste in flowers than your father here did." she nudged him on the shoulder from over the counter.

"I do?" I said confused because normally I'm not good at this stuff.

"Oh yeah." she nodded as she admired the flower, "tulips are known as a symbol of deep love to a lot of people. Your dad here only ever got roses or Lilly's."

"Roses are romantic and Lillys we're her favorite." he rolled his eyes.

"I get the Lilly's, but roses are cliche, basic if I might say." she grabbed a long plastic box that the flower would fit in so it wouldn't get crushed and held her hand out for me to give the tulip to her.

She took the tulip and carefully put it in the box then looked at me.

"Look, since you're a first-time customer here, you get this for free. But just don't be back here every two weeks like your father was or I might have to raise my prices." she joked and handed me the box.

"I'll keep that in mind." I laughed.

We decided that a teddy bear would be too much for now, but the tulip felt like it was just perfect for her. I honestly would've just gotten her roses, but this one made me think of her. I guess maybe because it wasn't like the others. It was the only white flower there, it stood out to me, just like Ella does. She's my person, and I had to let her know that what I said was out of pure anger and I should never have done that to her. We haven't said it to each other a lot, only once or twice, but I really do love her.

As we rode back to the house, I tried to plan out what I was gonna say to her when she opened the door, which hoped it would be her and not her dad.

"Go get 'em!" dad said as he patted me on the back then leaned against the bike.

I smiled nervously, then turned towards the door, the clear flower box in my hands, and started walking slowly. For some reason, It felt like the first time I was taking her on a date or something.

All I had to do was apologize, but what if I didn't go well and she breaks up with me. I probably deserved it, but that doesn't mean I want it to happen.

I took a deep breath before knocking on the door and stepping back a little.

I waited for about twenty seconds before I heard footsteps coming down the stairs and the door crack open.

Seeing Ella's red hair and perfectly freckled face made a wave of relief wash through my whole body. The smell of cookies automatically came over me from inside the house. I had totally forgotten that her Gran came home today.

"Hey, " I said with a soft smile.

She didn't say anything back, her eyes said everything for her. She was angry with me, but I could also tell that something else was bothering her.

"That for me?" she finally said but still had no smile.

"Oh, yeah." I handed it to her, my hands shaking and my whole body was sweating.

We both stood there looking at each other awkwardly, her face full of confusion and anger, mine probably redder than a tomato.

"Is that all?" she crossed her arms then tilted her head to look behind me, "can't keep the audience waiting for the show now can we?" she waved at my dad with a fake smile then tilted her head back up to look at me.

"Yeah..." I turned around to look at dad then back at Ella when I realized what I said, "I mean no."

I turned around quickly once again and gave my dad a look that said 'get the fuck away you're making this awkward' which he responded to by rolling his eyes and walking the motorcycle to the other side of the street. I made sure he went inside before I continued, even though I knew he would most likely peak through the windows along with my mom and Lilly.

When I turned back to face Ella, she was admiring the flower but looked back up at me when she realized I was watching.

"Okay look, I'm an idiot," I said as truthfully as I could.

"Yup." she nodded still no smile across her lips.

"I was mad and I shouldn't have taken it out on you, I especially shouldn't have said anything about your mom like that."

She nodded again and pressed her lips together and raised her eyebrows to give me a 'no shit' look.

"You were right, about everything," I said looking into her eyes so she knew that I meant every word I was saying.

"I usually am," she said setting the flower on the desk next to the door.

"You are, and I should've listened to what you had to say instead of going off on you like that. My dad really is a good person and I agreed to give him another chance. And don't get me wrong, I love having my family back together, but it's not the same without you."

Finally, she looked me in my eyes. She still had a serious look on her face, but her cheeks turned a light shade of pink so I must have said something right.

I could tell a million things were going through her mind. She wasn't necessarily giving me the death stare, it was more like she was hurt but trying to put a brave face on so I couldn't tell she was hurting.

"I don't blame you if you won't forgive me, I just had to show you how sorry I am and that I really meant it." I took both of her hands in mine. "I love you, and I promise I'll always make you happy, not sad or angry like I did last night."

She looked down at our hands for a moment. Her blank face slowly turned into a smile as she looked back up at me.

"What, are you gonna get on one knee with a ring now or are you done?" she joked.

I laughed, relieved that she wasn't looking at me like I was the worst person ever, but also nervously because I didn't know if I was actually supposed to get her a ring.

"I forgive you." she said finally, "but only because no boys got me a flower before." she joked again.

"Well, now one has." I smiled.

"Thank you." she smiled back.

"Whos at the door?" her grandma yelled from in the kitchen.

"It's just Benny Gran." she looked back into the house to yell so Gran could hear her better.

"Well, are you gonna invite him in or just leave him out there?" her voice getting louder which made me guess she was getting closer to the door.

"Actually, I was before you so rudely interrupted me," she said then stepped to the side and let go of one of my hands but held onto the other to let me come inside.

I'm guessing she didn't tell anyone about what I said because her Grandma looked too excited to see me to be mad.

"Benjamin! You sweet boy come here!" she said as she wobbled towards me with one arm out and the other holding onto a lady with blonde hair.

I let go of Ella's hand and hugged her as she let go of the lady in scrubs and put all her balance on me.

"How are you doing?" I asked as she let go and attempted to stand on her own.