TWO

I let out a sigh and drank my juice in one gulp. I let out a breath of the refreshments and saw my Dad's eyes full. "Yeah, I'm totally fine." I lied, answering my Dad once I was out of memory lane. My other Dad, Wayne, left for work early in the morning. So, it's just the two of us.

I'm not subtle at all.

"Honey," he set down a gallon of Sunny D bottle. "Ever since you went to L.A. for that girls' weekend out with Effie and the girls. I let it slide for you to skip two days of school. But, pumpkin, you've been acting weird. Daddy and I are very worried."

I cringed and stopped halfway through my chocolate chip pancakes.

I couldn't tell my dads I stayed over at Effie's grandfather's home. I did tell them the truth about Effie's long-lost grandfather. But I had to lie to them about everything else. I feel sick to my stomach lying to two of the most incredible people in my life because they trusted me. I couldn't tell them that Effie was abducted by Heather Seely, the popular girl of our school who turns out to be a psychotic bitch with a capital 'B" with a mind of a crazy person obsessed with Logan and only him. Then she was saved because her grandfather put a tracking device in her necklace and told her the truth about him, and it became a big family reunion - well, I wasn't there because I had to go back and tell Kareem the wedding was off.

I didn't want to get all the disturbing details, but Heather was in disguise to befriend Effie and get her hands on Logan. I was scared for Effie's life and prayed to God to bring her back home safe. She doesn't deserve to die yet. Although she cheated death three times, it's like she can't die that quickly. My best friend, Effie, endured a lot of traumatic events, and she stayed strong, though she felt neglected after her parents' death. But when Logan came into her life, she became the person she was loved and adored.

I wish someone like that could make me a better person. I don't want to name a name.

I've learned that Odin King is a crime boss from London, a billionaire who owns a five-star luxury hotel called Olympus, where gods and goddesses are born. The hotel is all over the popular hotspots from Las Vegas to the island paradise of Hawaii.

At first, I was in denial hysterically, but their trademark silver eyes made me think twice about him. Odin is not evil. He's a nice guy for a crime lord. He has watched Effie and her siblings for a very long time after her parents died. He couldn't take care of them because of what he does for a living.

Watching all those crime shows and movies made my mind clear of things. Not all gangs are dangerous; just some want to do good for the community and protect the people in your life. Sure, gangs are bad news and would always be, and I would still have to be cautious of my surroundings when I walk alone at night - which I sometimes do after my after-school activities, and my dads are too busy.

There was this video on F******k that two ex-members of a Latino gang help the community by serving the homeless with the food they make. My first expression was wow, but I rethink those two men differently as I watched the video. I shouldn't be judged just because they have so many tattoos and used to be in a gang, and I shouldn't be assuming.

This reminds me of someone who also has tattoos.

Before Odin scared off Kareem that day, he told him I was already engaged to the one person who didn't even want me - Liam Wolfe.

That asshole who makes my head spin like crazy. The bastard who palpitated my heart as it hammered at the rib cage of my body—the jerk who dates other girls in front of me only to hurt me.

And it works!

That one time, while having a dinner date with Kareem, I spotted Liam with another girl. We caught at each other and went on a heated moment where it led us into the alleyway between the restaurant and another building, and I gave him my virginity.

The first time I had sex was with the guy who made my heart race, and then he shut me down by saying he doesn't do commitments.

What the fuck does that mean?

I was hurt. Rejected. And did I say hurt?

I finally have him within my grasp, only for him to cut me off, shut me down and throw me away like a toy. And it was the first time he didn't protect himself, so I wasn't sure if I could get STD from him when he was inside other girls. Who knows? Maybe those girls got the crabs or something. I was too ashamed to see a doctor, so instead researched all the symptoms and followed instructions on how to be prepared for the worst. Since that day, I check myself in the bathroom to see between my legs and observe. I let it go when nothing is happening, but I have to be sure otherwise.

"Well," I sighed as I rose from my chair. Looked at my half-eaten plate. I wasn't hungry, possibly because of Odin and his announcement. Now I'm just waiting for the storms to hit. "I got to go."

"Do you have your club today?" Dad asked, taking the plates into the sink as I picked my backpack up.

"No, but I'll be going to Effie's house after school. We still have to rehearse for the end-of-the-school-year play before we can practice on stage."

"Oh, that is right" Dad pulled a smile. "You were cast as Princess Jasmine. I know I'm going to sound racist, but you make a perfect Jasmine because you know...your Indian.

I chuckled. "You're not insulting Dad, but Jasmine is Arabic. I'm Indian. We may look the same but different in culture." I look down at my phone for the time. "Okay, I got to go."

"Okay, sweetie, love you and have fun at school. It's your last year and...and..." My Dad's voice breaks as his lips quiver. Oh my god, here we go. "Oh my god, my baby is going to graduate and soon will go to college, and then I will never see her again," he turns his body to face the kitchen countertops as I hear him cry.

I blew a sigh and groaned. "Dad."

"I'm sorry," he sniffles. "I know it's part of growing up, and I knew one day I have to face it."

"I only have six more months until graduation; I still got time to pick out colleges," I assured him, not to make him more worried than he already was.

Once my Dad turned, his eyes were watery. "Okay," he sniffled, grabbed the hand towel, and blew his nose. "Six more months, half a year...half a year..." he bawls out and cries. "Half a year...my baby, my sweet princess is going to college, and I will never see her again," he winched, making an ugly crying face I've seen every time he does this.

I love him, but he was overwhelmed with his emotions.

I inwardly rolled my eyes and groaned. "I'm going," I grabbed my car keys from the table near the door, unhooked my jacket off the rack, and headed out. I felt the cold air of December in California brush against my skin and quickly out of my warm coat. Once the hot weather died, it finally hit the chilling season of the year.

Winter.

It's time for those warm sweaters and comfy UGGS boots. I have tons of warm clothes to be prepared for winter. My Grandma Birdie lives in Big Bear, California. She moved there because of the snowy weather and didn't like the drought happening in Long Beach. It is bipolar, she says, like her cat, Chester. She saved my grandma's grey and white Himalayan cat when he was kept inside a box outside of the cold at a young age. I'm not too fond of that cat; he's evil and mean and fat. I swear when that cat looks at me, he wants to scratch my face if I get too close to him. He is just lazing around like the fat cat he is. Sometimes when I tried to go out and play in the snow, that bitch would block the door, and if I wanted to move him, Chester would angrily hiss at me. Then when Grandma Birdie picked him up, he would indulge her and acts sad like I did something to him. I say that cat is a pro at acting like a bitch. But grandma loves him, so I can't do anything to him. I'll wait until he dies of being overweight or having a stroke, and maybe Grandma can get a dog instead.