Page 13 of Swan

He was going to text.

He wanted to see me again.

We could get back to what we were and then maybe more.

I paced my room and kept glancing at my phone on my bed. Earlier we’d left Lockland in the room and waited in the next one for the photo. My face ignited when I saw myself gazing up at Lockland in awe. After that, Maya, Texas, and I said goodbye to Ruin, Wolf, Ryo, and Link. They headed back to Melbourne, where they lived, while the three of us went to grab some food before they dropped me home.

Reaching up, I touched my lips.

I was smiling again.

Maya had even commented on how happy I looked when we’d been eating.

I couldn’t stop the joy from showing after seeing Lockland.

His reaction had blown me away. I was still in shock. I told Maya how grateful I was for her friendship and forcing me into going.

If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have known it was a miscommunication between us.

We just couldn’t reach each other.

It was strange, but we’d figure out how it happened.

A knock sounded on my door.

“Come in,” I called.

Dad opened it and leaned against the frame. He crossed his arms over his chest and raised a brow.

“Mum told you who I saw. Did she also tell you that he’d been trying to contact me while I was trying to reach him? We’re not sure how it happened, but miscommunication wasn’t meant to happen. All these years he still wanted to talk to me, Dad.”

“I won’t kill him. But, sweetheart, guard your heart still.”

“Dad,” I whispered. The worry in his tone softened my reaction, but he needed to remember I wasn’t a little girl anymore.

“No, listen. You two haven’t seen each other in years, Swan. You’ve both grown up. Things that happen in our lives change us, and no doubt, with what he’s had to deal with, it’s changed him. Get to know the person he is now. Don’t rely on him being the boy you knew back then. Yeah?”

I smiled. “I will, Dad. Promise.”

He looked pained when he clipped, “Fuck me.” He straightened up and added, “He doesn’t sneak into your bedroom like he did back in the day. Thank your Mum that I didn’t kill him back then like I wanted to. If he comes here, he does it through the front fuckin’ door, Swan.” He huffed out an annoyed breath. “I wanna talk to him too.”

“Dad—”

“No arguing about it. I know you’re an adult now, but you still live under my roof. I’m always gonna be lookin’ out for my baby girl.”

“Okay, Dad.” I could give him that. He worried a lot about all of us, and I didn’t want to concern him more when it came to Lockland. I needed Dad to be okay with him.

“Love you, kid.”

“Love you too, Dad.”

He tipped his chin up at me and pulled the door closed.

Wow. They’d known Lockland used to come into my room. A laugh escaped me. I wondered how Mum had managed to keep Dad away. Then again, Lockland and I had only ever been friends. We’d been so young too. Mum also knew I didn’t understand my feelings for Lockland until it was too late and he was gone.

There was another knock at my door. “Yeah?”

My brother stuck his head in. “I heard Lock’s back. Do you think you can get an autograph for me?”

---