Dan's POVDad, Matt and I are sitting in the living room just talking. It's mainly me and Matt talking actually, it is out chance to get to know each other. It's a little weird, and a little awkward not gonna lie, but he's the person my sister loves enough to live with and not us. Don't let that bother you Dan. So, anyways, the point is. Matt is a good guy from what I've seen from him, getting to know him won't do me any harm. Sigh, if only Ivan could be with me. But he'd need to figure things out with Fran before any of that even has a possibility of happening.So, Matt and I talk and talk and talk just about random stuff, about mom, about memories with Fran. Some make me sad thinking I missed it all but I'm a glass half full kind of guy. I'm just happy she's here now. Just then I- well we hear footsteps coming down the stairs. Two footsteps.Uh oh, I think to myself.Could Fran and Ivan be fighting again and whatever she did upstairs hadn't worked?I mentally prepare myself for
Francisca's POV Life is great! Have I said that before? Life is great? Whatever, I'm saying it again if so. Life is freaking great! And I'm going to shout it from the rooftops! Things seem to be so perfect these days, there is a routine to my life now. I have a relationship with my father, with my brothers, and I got to maintain my relationship with Matt. I have Violet as a friend, and I talk with Lori and Jenny frequently. So when I say life is looking better than before, when I say life is great. I freaking mean it!I am at school right now with Violet about to find our seats in the cafeteria when I hear a whistle. I look towards where it came from to find Dan waving at me from his table that has his friends plus Ivan and urging me to go to him. I tell violet to come with me and she does after some hesitation."Hi" I say a bit awkwardly after I reach the table. And I was strutting over there confidently too. But suddenly I just wasn't as confident as I was 5 seconds ago. I g
Matt's POV I come back home from a long day at work, And surprise surprise Francesca isn't home.It is to be expected at this point I guess, I try to not let myself get too upset by her going to their house straight from school every single day, but if this keeps going then I'm going to lose my damn freaking mind. I sigh, it would be just easier if she went ahead and lived with them. I think dejectedly. I know Zach and the boys, or at least Dan, are trying to make me feel a part of the family and to not exclude me from things and don't want me to feel left out because I am an important part of Francesca's life. All the talk last time we had dinner at their house made me feel a little better about this whole situation but that doesn't take from the fact that I still barely see my daughter. Just when I had decided that I was going to call Zach to check up on her or....I don't know....demand that she comes home right away? I hear and see the front door of the apartment open.Francisc
Zach's POV What was that?!? Did I snap at him? It sounded like I snapped at him. Ugh I have no idea how our conversation led to this abrupt end to the phone call. It's the Saturday when I see Matt after the......interesting phone call that we had. I am sitting on my couch drinking coffee when I see him come towards me, it takes me off guard. "What are you doing here?" He winces when I finish asking the question, and I immediately regret how it sounded. I didn't have to sound so rude. But seriously why is he here? Is this about the phone call? He clears his throat "Um I'm here for Dan" he says and I look at him confused, "he and I are supposed to hang out today" he says when he sees the confusion on my face. "Oh" I say "right" i mutter, I completely forgot. Of course this isn't about the phone call. "I guess I'm going to call him for you" I say and begin to get up to head over to Dan's room but Matt stops me. "The maid that opened the door already said that she'll do that"
Dan's POVToday is the day I "bond" with Matt, Francisca's guardian, Francisca's step father, and I guess my step father too, or ex....I don't know how we will come out of today, but I doubt we will become besties, considering we barley spoke a word to each other on the ride here. We are at the park now, just waking and eating hotdogs that we bought earlier. I have anticipated that this was going to be awkward, but I didn't know it was going to be this awkward. We haven't spoken a word to each other, well other than when Matt asked if I wanted a hotdog. Other than that, not a word. As much as I want the silence and the awkwardness to stop, I have no idea what we are supposed to be talking about.We end up sitting on a park bench, still not taking, still not making eye contact, still nothing. But I do see Matt out of the corner of my eye glance at me a few times. I'm guessing he's as much of a fan of the awkwardness as I am."So....how is school?" Matt finally asks. "Good good"
Francisca's POV Things have been going great between Matt and Dan and dad.It's been awesome! I just wish Ivan was more open to take that next step with Matt too. Join the bandwagon! But he's stubborn. We already know that. It'll take some time and Matt says that he's totally fine with it. Anyways, I sort of have a routine now. I go to school, spend time at dad's house, and go back to my house with Matt. Matt actually started spending most of his time at dad's house too. We practically live there and only go back to sleep in our own beds. So now that school is over. Violet and I are going out of the front door when we hear a honk almost immediately.Once we spot that car that is honking at us, a smile spreads on Violet's face. There is a woman in the car wearing sunglasses and her light brown hair is in a tight bun. I look at the car confused before Violet says, "that's my mom". My mouth forms an 'O'."Do you wanna meet her?" Violet asks. And I nod my head yes. Violet le
Matt's POV So, this whole dinner thing a week ago was a disaster and it made me question a lot of things. Well, it's not like I didn't have these thoughts before, but now I think I should really put some distance with Fran's family.I'm not saying to cut them off completely. That's not exactly possible.But I don't think I can keep the family act up, because that's all it is. An act. The dinner last week confirmed that.Me? My relationship with Zach, and the others, it's not normal and it never will be and I have to talk to him about that. The next time I see him I'm going to talk to him about the new boundaries I'm thinking of, next time for sure. But why does the thought of distancing myself from him and the boys make my heart hurt? It shouldn't, I'm not one of them, Ivan hasn't even warmed up to me yet. I have no right to be a part of their family. So, once I got the opportunity to meet up with Zach at his house, I took it, and here I am today. Sitting across from Zach sippin
Surprisingly, the dinner went well, definitely better than the last one. No weird looks, no whispers, no nothing, just normal conversations with Fran's grandparents fawning over her. It makes me rethink things a bit, maybe if Zach's family is accepting my existence, then our....situation must not be that bad....right? I am currently in the living room with Fran and Dan....and Ivan is here too, in the corner.We are watching a movie. Fran and Dan are on the couch, while I'm sitting on an arm chair next to it and Ivan is standing at the doorway, looking as engrossed in the movie as the kids on the couch. Unlike me, I'm not even sure what this movie is because....He's probably only away because I'm here too. I try to shake these thoughts out of my head. Today I thought I was going to have to do a very hard thing, basically break up with Fran's family and just be alone like before with her. But it seems like things might not have to go down that route. "Are dad and grandma and gran