Mr. Armstrong above ^^

"So... what happened after I left?" Stacy asks as her and I are standing in the lunch line waiting to get food. I look at her remembering everything that happened.

***

"um- I'd feel more comfortable with the door unlocked Mr. Armstrong" I say glancing back through the corner of my eyes.

"relax you act like I'm going to eat you or something" he says and unlocks the door. I don't know why but something about him just feels unsettling. "So, how have you been adjusting?" he asks and I look at him incredulously.

"So what did you ask me to stay after for an important reason or just a 'how is the sober life going?' chat? Listen Mr. Armstrong I don't know what the people here have told you or what you think you know? but let me tell you this your Sobriety talk is not warranted or needed. I already have enough people preaching the being sober is great speech an honestly I don't need some teacher that I barely know prying into my life" I snap, I know its probably bad of me but I don't care he crossed a line.

"you're right I apologize" I says sitting on the edge of his desk with his arms crossed.

"cool are we done here?" I ask

"Um yeah sure, when you have the chance go to the office and have Martha get all of your work from your previous school faxed to me. Here is a note, that is all for now I'll see you in my class tomorrow."

"cool" I say as I exit the class and make my way to the front office.

***

"Damn, it seems like he's trying to make a Aria-Ezra type connection" Stacy says wiggling her eyebrows.

"who is trying to make a Aria-Ezra type connection?" Robin asks snaking an arm around Stacy's shoulder and raising his eyebrows.

Stacy smacks away Robins hand and he frowns but quickly covers it up. "The hot new English teacher" Stacy says plainly while grabbing a bag of original chips.

"Hey he teaches more than just English. He's my history teacher too" I say correcting her with a pointed finger.

"Yeah, yeah" she says waving her hand dismissively. "But, I still can't believe that you don't like original chips, you're so weird Tate" Stacy says sitting down at a table with Kodi and his friends. I sit next to her and think about that nickname, its been so long since I've heard someone call me that, its almost painful.

***

"nanna ,nanna boo, boo you can't get me daddy" I screams with my thumbs connected to my temples moving my opened hands up and down.

"oh yeah?" the man says he's blurry so I can't actually see what he looks like but I know who he is, he's someone I have not seen in a long time.

"yeah" I taunt sticking my tongue out at him.

"you're gonna regret that" he says and takes off for me. I immediately turn and start running until I'm in front of grandmas pool. Once again he starts to charge towards me and I wait until he's close enough and I quickly duck out of the way. I turn around to watch the show. My dad, unable to stop himself falls in and I double over in laughter.

---

"okay only 6 books tonight daddy" I say crawling on all fours on my Spiderman bed covers.

"no Tate only one"

"5"

"no one"

"4" I say stretching out the books to him

"2" he says

"3" I counter

"no Tate, I'm not going any higher than two" he chides and that's when I let a childish smirk cover my 6 year old face. My daddy maybe an arguer for his job or a lawyer as my mommy says but I know how to win this.

"how about this...mommy gives me two brownies a day one for lunch and one for dinner. I will give you my dinner brownie for every extra book you read me tonight" I counter.

"make it both brownies and you have a deal" he says pointing at me.

"done" I say smiling. He shakes his head and walks over to me.

"you know Tater-Tot you would make a great lawyer someday" he says looking down at me smiling.

"yeah but I don't want to be a lawyer" I say slumping down on my bed.

"oh yeah? what do you want to be?" he asks

"I wanna be a Spiderman" I answer and he chuckles.

"then you be the best Spiderman the world has ever seen"

"I will be daddy"

"I don't doubt it" he says

"okay, what about Goodnight Light for the last book tonight?" he asks and I nod.

I shuffle under my covers as my daddy picks out a bunch of books and starts off with Rapunzel and ends with Goodnight Light.

"Goodnight Tater-Tot"

"Goodnight daddy"

"I love you a bushel"

"and I love you a peck" I say.

***
I don't remember much after that but I do remember I never did have to give my dad those brownies. Even though he tried to hide it I think he liked reading more than one book to me. And every night it would end in Goodnight Light and our special I love you's. But that all changed the day he left and I remember it so clearly like a tattoo in my memory, I just wish there was some way I could get it removed. I am snapped out of my reverie when I hear someone calling my name.

"Tate?" Stacy asks and I look at her.

"please don't call me that" I say quietly fighting the tears that threaten to burst through my eyes. The familiar pressure starts to build and the harder it gets to keep them in.

"okay I'm-" she starts but is cut off by me getting up.

"I need some air" I say blankly trying to hide my emotions but I don't think I'm doing to well as tears still slightly blurr my vision.

"what about school?" she asks her eyebrows crinkling together.

"I'm ditching the rest of the day" and that's all I say before I am out the door.

Once I am out of the cafeteria the tears fall reluctantly. I was so caught up in my own world, I didn't hear Kodi approach me.

He lightly grabs my arm and spins me around to face him, I see his features soften and that terrible sad look that I know too well...pity. More tears fall and he reaches up and wipes them with the pad of his thumb, but somehow that only makes it worse. "hey" he whispers and pulls me into him. He wraps his arms around my neck and under my armpit and I do the same but the opposite. I use my under arm and pull on his right shoulder blade and wrap my left arm tighter around his neck as I silently sob into his shoulder and he soothes me. A comforting warmth engulfs me and I feel happy that for once I have someone who cares enough to follow me out of the cafeteria.

"shh its okay" he coos over and over again softly in my ear while rubbing soft, soothing circles on my back.

I don't know how long we stay there but when he pulls away it still feels too soon. I don't like that its hasn't been very long and I already feel a connection and attachment to Kodi, because I know its going to hurt that much more when he inevitably leaves me.

"alright lets get you back to your room you seem like you need some sleep...you've had a long day" he says as he wraps his arm around my shoulder protectively and leads me to my room.

I am happy that I have friends like Kodi and Stacy but how long until they leave me and I'm ultimately alone with no one to face but my demons.