"Do you want to come in? Stay for a bit?"

I sensed his hesitation, biting his lips lightly, adjusting his glasses on the crook of his nose.

"I don't know. Maybe your father-"

"My father fancies your company. It'll be totally fine, I promise," I smiled lightly before he did so too. He turned off the his car ignition to take the keys. We both got out of the car, walking slowly towards the door.

Today's session was a whole different experience. After I cried for what seemed like forever, tumbling across my speeches as I tried to explain what I felt, the weighs on my shoulder drifted away. It was hard, coping with frustration and being flustered at the effect of trying to explain what's unexplainable. But with Ross it was magic. He slowly pulled every ounce of worry I had locked in me, temporarily, and burned it into complete relaxation.

I used my keys and opened the locked door to the house getting in to the sound of feminine giggles. I got inside, followed Ross slowly closing the door behind him. His reaction was just like mine, and so I looked at him, earning a slow shrug before walking to the source.

I saw dad placing a steaming cup on the counter; in which a blonde, tall girl was sitting on, swinging her feet. I decided to speak up, feeling it rude of myself to simply stand and stare.

"Hey dad," I said, feeling Ross walk closer behind me.

"There she is," he smiled, glancing at me before the- still unknown- girl hopped off the counter.

She wore a cute floral dress that hugged her petite yet tall figure and ballerinas that matched the flower crown worn with her french braid.

"Lia, Ross, this is Rydel. Rydel, this is Lia, my daughter, and Ross, her..." my father dragged on, looking at me in concern.

I smiled at her, leaving my school backpack straps, "my friend and therapist."

She took me in a welcoming hug, taking me by surprise before I smiled

hugging back. "It's very nice to finally meet you! Your dad has told me tons about you."

"Thank you," I grinned, pulling away as she glanced at Ross, "I've been excited to meet you as well."

She shook Ross' hand, whom had his jaw slightly dropped and his body tense and frozen. I couldn't tell what it was that he was facing...attraction perhaps?

"Hi, it's nice to meet you," she perkily cheered before Ross finally smiled, slowly pulling his hand away.

"You too," he simply replied before we walked towards the living room, me slowing down to walk beside Ross.

"What was that about?"

"Hmm?" He broke his stare fit at Rydel, looking at me slowly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Wow. First time I've ever observed

you lying badly."

**************

"Your room is very....hip. Calm yet stylish and simple. It's very pretty," Rydel slowly plopped beside me on the bed as I put away my shoes and socks.

"Thank you," I smiled genuinely at her, crossing my legs. "I did the decor myself."

"I love decor, I'm actually a decor engineer, well, a new one."

She was very, extremely beautiful. Wide, hazel eyes with flirty eyebrows and small, rosey lips. Her hair was dirty blonde, just like Ross' and her energy was a whole entire world. Almost as if she was a 17 year old just like me.

No wonder my father liked her- I loved her.

"I'm an aspiring, future writer," I joked chuckling with her as she twisted facing me. "I like reading and writing, some sports and I also love cooking."

"Ooh, I love reading too, mainly romantic novels. I'm a hopeless romantic, pretty much. Just like your father."

"No wonder you guys are a perfect match," I giggled lightly, watching her blush.

"You accepting me makes me feel so content," she held my hand, talking with way too much peace in her words that it transferred to me in a matter of seconds.

"Of course. I know accepting a relationship is an important principle among my father and I as a father-daughter relationship. I was ecstatic when I found out he accepted my boyfriend," it felt eerie referring to Jackson as my boyfriend. I had the butterflies inside my stomach erupting causing a blush to creep up my face slowly which granted me content- just like her.

"Awe, you have a boyfriend?" She left the ballerinas she wore to cross her legs across mine, facing me.

"Yeah, well, my father doesn't know yet since I only got asked last night."

"No way! That means we have the same anniversary!"

Dad took my advice.

I smiled, looking at her as I admired how my nervousness wasn't even visible around her. She made me feel secure..at home.

"So...how was it today?"

I looked over at Dr. Lynch whom had been in a state of astonishment ever since Rydel and Lia left upstairs. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, his eyes were dilated and his face was as pale as an anaemia victim, just as if he had seen a ghost.

He looked over at me, his eyebrows raised before smiling weekly. "It was pretty good. She's slowly improving."

I clicked my tongue, staring down at the carpet as everything about my daughter dunked in.

Dealing with her therapy lessons emotionally destroys me. The first time she had mentioned them to me, my heart slowly crashed- I felt like an awful father, getting my only daughter caught up in a bad state that she never talks to anybody about. I reacted calmly about what she asked for, but all I felt ever since was dullness.

"Mr. Johnson," he woke me up from my trance, smiling at me. "Don't worry about your daughter. Therapy lessons are completely common and very helpful however the state is. Trust me, it's totally fine, and she's catching up, looking at the brighter side of her life and loving it. She has you, she has me, she'll love your girlfriend and she has Jackson, whom is now her boyfriend."

I smiled lightly, sighing as he releases his hands from his pockets. "Her boyfriend?"

"It happened last night. She was planning on telling you to come to a surprise," he chuckled along with me before proceeding, "she's been ecstatic about meeting her."

As much as everything he said and everyone he mentioned sounded absolutely positive, I couldn't hide the truth from myself. It's no doubt I'm an awful father.

💖🌸🌸