Surprise kicks in first, followed by anxiety and then...

Anger.

I can't believe the man that gave me his genes is actually here in person. In my school's office. Aunt Abbie told me yesterday morning that she had seen his gray Honda car passing by our house once, but he never approached our doorstep. Maybe it was because Uncle Dave was mowing the grass at the front of our house with his red, menacing-looking lawnmower. Or maybe it was because of the way little Judy was running around in her witch costume, swinging her wand madly and shouting incantations. Why is she doing that when Halloween is still a few months away? I don't know.

But then again, the two of them would indeed make a dangerous pair.

I realize how desperate my father must have been to see me. He knows my guardians would never allow me to be alone with him, which is why he has barged into my school unannounced.

The receptionist nudges her head towards one of the meeting rooms and I figure that's where he's waiting. As I place a hand on the cold doorknob, I hesitate, not knowing what to say or expect from him. Should I demand an explanation for abandoning Mom and me before I was even born? Or should I just scream at him to leave?

And there's another issue—the shadow that I caught behind the curtains the other night.

A shiver runs down my spine. I wonder if he was the one watching me then. Although it happened in a fleeting moment, it's enough to leave a long-lasting, deleterious effect on my mind. Every night, the image haunts me, forcing me to cling onto Kyle's jacket—the same one which he lent me—for security. His scent has faded, but it keeps me warm. Wrapping it around myself tightly, I feel less lonely and frightened of the darkness.

Back to reality. I inhale deeply as my fingers squeeze the doorknob.

Well, here goes nothing.

The door clicks open and I push myself in. Immediately, my eyes fall onto a man's back, who's seated at the oak table placed in the center of the room. Once he hears my entrance, he rises from his chair and turns to meet my gaze.

It feels like time is moving slowly, just like how a movie scene plays in slow motion. With a wary frown, I take my time to assess my so-called father. He looks in his late thirties, dressed in a black polo shirt and blue faded jeans. A few freckles scatter across his cheeks while a five o'clock shadow runs across his chin. I eye the familiar auburn hair of his that's tucked underneath the cap on his head—it's the same color as mine.

But apart from this, Mom's genes run stronger inside me. I share the same pair of blue eyes, round lips and height with her. Thankfully.

We stare at each other in silence for several moments. I watch as he brings his hands together and rubs them nervously, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat.

"Hey," he greets me. "You must be Riley."

My silence is all it takes to answer his question, and he continues to study my face. Surprise and guilt flicker in his eyes. "God, you really look like your mother."

My eyes narrow. The next few words that come flying out of my mouth are harsher than intended, but I don't regret it. "You came all the way to tell me this?"

He flinches at my bitter tone, but I don't care. "Sorry." He lowers his gaze to the ground, running a hand behind his neck awkwardly. "I'm terrible at this. My name is Marcus Wade and... I'm your father."

My eyes and voice are lacking emotions. Even if I wasn't suffering from amnesia, I wouldn't have known him. "And you expect me to believe your words that easily?"

I watch as he fumbles with the papers tucked until his arm. He pulls out a sheet and shows it to me—a photocopy of my birth certificate. I see my name printed on the paper.

Riley Wade. Daughter to Marcus Wade and Ava Perez.

That's how he used it to get past my school's verification.

"That looks wrong," I tell him. "I'm not a Wade on my ID card."

He sees the questioning look on my face. "It's an old certificate. Your mother tried to convince me to take up the role of your father, but I didn't. She probably removed my name afterwards and had you take her family name."

"Good." Because he doesn't deserve that title.

Marcus winces. "I'm sorry. I know I wasn't there for you the entire time. Not when you were born or during your childhood. I wasn't there when Ava died or when you woke up. I–"

How he knows about my coma bothers me. He has been stalking me for who knows how long, which only intensifies the creepiness I feel around him. "What's the point of bringing them up? Why are you even here?"

"I–" Flustered, he removes his cap and runs his hand through his tousled hair. "This is going to take a while. Can we talk elsewhere? Over a meal, Riley?"

"No." I plant my feet firmly on the ground. "We stay here."

When he sees that I'm not going anywhere with him, he sighs. "I'm sorry, Riley. I'm a terrible father. Running away when Ava first found out she was pregnant was a mistake on my part. I couldn't think straight then. My father had stage-three cancer, and it devastated my mother. It got worse when our hospital bills were piling. I knew I couldn't handle being a new dad, so I ran away." His voice is full of sorrow and his story sounds genuine, that my heart is slowly softening. "I know these are poor excuses, but right now, I wish to make amendments to you. Be a better father."

He steps towards me but I'm faster at moving away. I cross my arms in annoyance, but it's actually more of me trying to hold myself together. I don't feel at ease being alone with him, especially when I don't know this man and what he does for a living.

"But it took you seventeen years to come look for me?"

My question clearly catches him off guard. His expression is one of guilt. "I–I didn't know where you guys had gone."

"You obviously didn't try hard enough. Or probably never cared."

I know I've caught him when he doesn't even try to defend himself. "I know I'm a lousy parent, but I'm willing to make things right for us. You've probably heard from Abbie, but I want to take you home with me, Riley. Back to Philadelphia, where I'm currently staying with your grandma. I've a decent job and home now, with a stable income. I can take care of you."

He tries to close the distance between us, but I reflexively retreat and press my back against the wall. I watch him stop when he's two feet away from me and hands me a white envelope. "Here, take this."

My eyes narrow at it, but I accept it gingerly, taking my time to look into the content. It's a plane ticket to Philadelphia from the airport nearest to Lakeshore. The departure date is two weeks away. When I glance back up at Marcus in disbelief, his expression is hopeful.

"It's for you," he says. "Will you come home with me, Riley?"

Something stirs within me. I'm angry that he had abandoned Mom. Angry that he walks back into my life when he feels like it. Angry that he's here to ruin my life just when I'm starting to feel like I've regained normalcy like a regular high schooler.

From what I see, he's a psychotic stalker that doesn't understand or respect my wishes.

I never had a father, and I've lost my mother, which makes me an orphan. But I'm not leaving Kyle or my family here. After all, they are the ones who have helped me to get back onto my own feet and make me feel loved every day.

I crumple the plane ticket in my hands and drop it to the floor between our feet. "Do me a favor?" I raise a brow at Marcus. "Leave me alone."

"Riley–"

But I'm not listening. I turn and stomp out of the room, leaving him to stare after my back.