Page 33 of Second Chance with the Single Dad Goalie
“Keep your eyes on me? I’m not a kid anymore. And I’m not asking for permission to live my life. I’m just asking you to trust me. Is that so hard for you to do?”
The words hang in the air, a mix of anger and hurt in my chest, and I know they’re cutting deeper than they should. I can feel my heart pounding. “I came back to visit, not to stay. I told you that. Why do you guys insist on hurting me like this? Huh?”
I take a deep breath, forcing the frustration down, but it clings to my ribs. “Seriously, why do you all care about what I do now, huh? You’ve never cared before, so why start now?”
Silence. A flicker of discomfort crosses everyone’s face.
I let out a short, humorless laugh. “No, really. All these years, I’ve been the ignored one. The one you never worried about, never asked too many questions about, never checked in on. And now, suddenly, you have an opinion? Now, suddenly, I am a concern?”
Rosa shifts in her chair, and Keith looks down at his coffee, but no one says anything.
“Right,” I say, my voice tight. “That’s what I thought.” I cross my arms and shake my head. “You should just keep doing what you’ve always done - ignore me. Let me do what I want.”
Mom straightens, her lips pressing together before she speaks. “What do you mean by that?”
I close my eyes. Inhale. Exhale. I don’t answer.
Because if I do, I’ll say something I can’t take back.
I push my chair back, not caring if I’m being dramatic. I am done with this conversation. Done with their constant pressure, done with the way they belittle what I’ve worked so hard for. “I am a social media influencer, and I am so, so proud to be one. Please, I beg you, just drop this recurring conversation. Ilovewhat I do, and Iworked hardto get here.”
Without another word, I grab my coat, my keys, turn on my heel, and storm out of the kitchen, not bothering to hear their protests.
The door slams behind me, and I let the cool air hit my face like a slap, a welcome sting.
I drive, not really caring where I’m going, just needing to get away. The wind is cool and light, but the world feels suddenly heavy—too heavy. I don’t stop until I park somewhere and I’m standing at the edge of the cliffs by the lakeside, staring out over the dark water.
Everything in me feels like it's been ripped apart. The family I love, the life I have built... it’s all tangled up in knots that I can’t seem to untangle. For the second time since I’ve come home, I have walked out on my family. Twice. All because… they just… I let out a deep sigh.
I stand there for a long time, lost in thought, before the sound of my phone buzzing in my pocket breaks through. I don’t answer it.
Why did I even come back here? I should have just gone along with my plan of coming home for the wedding.
This was a mistake.
I swallow hard, the weight of it all pressing on my chest. I try to push back the lump in my throat, but it doesn’t work. The tears slip out, one by one, as I stand at the edge of everything I thought I knew.
I don’t know how long I stand there, staring out at the vast, shimmering water below, but the ache in my chest doesn’t lessen. I wonder if they’ll ever see me the way I see myself, if they’ll ever understand that I’m not justplaying around.
***Present***
“So, is everything good?" Blake asks again.
“Peachy,” I say, flashing a too-bright smile.
Blake lets out a dramatic sigh. "Yeah, that was really believable, Whit. Very convincing. Ten out of ten acting."
I glance at my shoulder, unimpressed.
“You know, you’ve always been good at many things, Whitney, but one thing you still haven’t learnt to be good at, is lying,” he says, shaking his head.
I scoff, crossing my arms over my chest. “Hey, I’ll let you know that I lieexceptionallywell.”
His brow lifts like I just told him I moonlight as a brain surgeon. “Oh yeah?” He mirrors my stance, arms folding across his chest, a smirk playing on his lips. “Alright then, Miss Deceptive Genius, tell me something that happened and the lie you told to cover it up.”
I tilt my chin up, feigning offense. "Wow. First of all, rude. Second, fine - remember the time when Sarah and I skipped school?"
He nods and chuckles. "Yeah, I remember. Y’all thought you were slick."
