How's it hanging guys and gals?

For a span of a few days, I was forced to look directly into those chocolate eyes.

And . . . it unnerved me to a great extent.

I wasn't into the whole "dress up and pretend it's one of my fantasies" game that Sophie schemed to torture me with to my undying horror.

The thought dawned on me one of those never ending days, that maybe just maybe, my only best friend in the world could possibly be a sadist.

Though I didn't know of the term at the time.

Anyways, she eyed me like a hawk with razor sharp focus as I went on one of my "not dates".

It's as if she was rapidly scribbling down notes or scrutinizing every move I made.

If I made one attempt to get the heck out of there, she'd shoot me a burning, never blinking gaze that felt like a cat clawing at my eyes.

Besides that, the boy was cute and funny and unique.

Some would say that he was perfect.

Which made me dread spending time with him even more.

His name meant, in short,

"Valley Farm."

"Are you all right?" Dalton questioned as I sat frozen in front of him on that first day.

Sophie came straightaway to take our orders and I reminded myself that, unless I wanted flies to nest in my mouth, I'd better close it.

Why is this so hard? Why can't I just talk to him like a normal person?!

Probably due to the fact that I couldn't get out of my own head long enough to even find a word to begin with.

She brought back a ton of plastic food and dumped it out onto the table.

A huge collection of miscellaneous cuisine scattered everywhere as it all ventured it's way to the floor.

What great service.

Rolling my eyes, I figured that this situation was a total disaster.

Can't help but feel like this plastic.

Except, it at least gets to be fake and nobody complains.

I'm out of my element here.

"Y'know, ya don't have to look so glum." He studied my behavior.

"Hey, you could be an alien here to abduct me and suck out my insides, for all I know!" I snapped back.

The stress had built itself into a living being as I became a shot gun ready to fire.

"Ok, ok" he surrendered, hands flown back like he was a criminal being arrested.

Sighing, I demanded myself to take in a deep breath.

This wasn't being fair to him.

He deserved a chance at least.

At least, at least, at least

Was there anything that couldn't have those two words in front of it?

Yeah

Me

I was always too much.

Building my confidence, I finally decided to be frank with the guy.

"I'm new at this." Maybe, that was too stern?

I didn't mean to sound that grave about it.

He looked over to me with a "did you actually say something?" expression.

"I'm from a world where friends are make-believe. So I'm breaking the rules by having that one," I pointed to Sophie who waved excitedly as I continued.

Dalton nodded his head in understanding as I said, "If you want to hang with me, you have to know that I am utter nonsense."

I wasn't sure if he understood my exact point, since I didn't really understand it myself.

'Cause I was mainly quoting my Daddy.

- - - - - -

Winds determined the fate of my hair as the strands snaked in a sporadic response to it's righteousness.

More like, my hair wouldn't stop choking me due to the wind blowing it straight into my mouth and eyes.

Even with that, I didn't care.

No matter how many times my Daddy commanded me to get my upper body back into the truck, I still wouldn't listen as I felt like a bird in a cyclone.

It was great.

Of course, the fun had to come to an end at some point.

Bouncing into my seat, I bathed myself in the passing sunlight as Daddy drove us down that fated road.

Trees waved hello to us from a short-distanced horizon as fields were already getting a head of themselves.

Harvest time seemed to be over in a split second, with the air slipping just a little into the mild.

Many of the houses, seen every few miles, became rather abandoned with their dark shaded windows and self-animated porch swings.

Yes.

Just a quiet, peaceful road.

A place where so many happenstances and discussions would occur.

And today happened to be one of those days.

His brows were creased into his nose as I glanced at him from the corner of my eye.

"What's wrong, Daddy?" I inquired, though I wasn't sure what I was expecting.

"Bessie, you know why we have to go where we are going, right?" It barely became more than a thought spoken out loud.

"Um, sure, I have to learn and all that."

Why was school so bothersome to have a conversation about?

"Just listen to me for a moment" my attention was placed on him as he seemed to be in a slightly forlorn battle with the words he couldn't find.

"W-we have to do our adult responsibilities," he began.

Why'd he always have to begin his lectures with that sentence?

It never made any sense.

I wasn't an adult yet.

"Bess, when I'm gone. I wish for you not to pity me. I don't need your pity. Just pick up the pieces and move on without me. You got that?"

"Um, ok Daddy," I smiled brightly at him. "But where are you going?"

Wait, did he just call me Bess instead of Bessie?

He let out a heavy sigh, a wistful sigh.

"There comes a time in everyone's life when things rapidly change and they don't know how to deal with them."

Something seemed off about his voice.

Like he was a terrible actor reading off of a poorly-written script.

"Some people are stupid and ruin their lives. I, for example, have made many mistakes in my life. While there are also other things that have come to me from beyond my control."

He paused to choose his words.

I could practically see the wheels cranking and fighting in his thick skull.

"My only wish, is for you to not make any of the mistakes I've made. I also want you to take good care of your health. Good health means happiness, remember that."

Nodding my head, I slurped up every word of advice.

However, the meaning of that day's discussion never truly sunk in until one strange occurrence manifested itself a month later.

"I love you, Daddy." I confirmed with complete certainty and a satisfied grin.

"And I love you, Baby Girl."

Was it just my imagination, or did he seem to have tears welling in his eyes?

My Daddy never cried.