Read Tango with a Twist (Smashwords edition.) Page 23
#scenebreak
I leaned forward and refilled my glass, spilled a bunch because my hands were shaking. Talking about it for the first time had me unsteady. “You never see shit like that on Disney.” The anger felt just as strong as the first day I found out the kid’s parents had been warned. “The bad guys never win and the good guys never get screwed over.” I took a long drink. “It’s not that I think life should be fair or anything lame like that.” I set the glass down carefully and shook out my arms. “I just wish something really, really bad would happen to his parents for what they did.”
K-pop poured himself more tea. “So. . . you kinda do wish life was fair.”
I managed a smile since he was trying so hard to cheer me up. “Does that make me a little girl?”
He shrugged. “I’d say fairy princess, but that would be rude to the—”
He didn’t get to finish his sentence because I grabbed him around the waist and threw him into the pool. He dragged me in with him. So we were soaking wet again, fully clothed this time, but what the hell, right? The action felt good. I needed something to work out all that anger. K-pop caught me in a playful headlock. Oh, yeah?
“Ethan?” It was Dad, in jeans and an old t-shirt.
K-pop released me quickly and jumped away.
Dad made his don’t-worry-about-a-little-horseplay face and waved me out of the pool. “Can I talk to you a sec?”
His face worried me. It was his Untouchable Dad face. The one I hadn’t seen in a few days. The one I first noticed after the accident.
Still riding an emotional wave, I slogged my way out of the shallow end and shook off like a dog. Dad had moved a few feet away, probably so K-pop wouldn’t overhear. “What’s up, F-bomb?” I asked, really, really hoping to keep this scene from going someplace ugly.
Dad frowned.
I tensed up. My hands closed into fists.
“That credit card?” he asked.
Damn it. “What about it?”
“Don’t run it.”
Fuck. “Why not?”
“You know why not.”
“No, I don’t,” I lied.
He’d overheard my story and now he was going back to Untouchable Dad.
Anger rose up from the pit of my stomach. It probably wouldn’t have been so explosive if I hadn’t just relived the entire thing with K-pop. “I know what happened six months ago,” I snapped, “but I don’t know why you won’t teach Corey.” Adrenaline soaked through me and I wasn’t going to stand down.
He glanced at K-pop who’d made his way to the pool steps and was wringing his shirt.
“You aren’t getting out of this because K-pop’s here.” I crossed my arms. “He’s my friend.” I stared my dad square in the eye. “Which is more than I can say for you the past few months. Are you going back to that now, too?”
He closed his eyes for a few seconds.
Had I completely forgotten that things had improved the last day or so? Maybe. Or maybe that’s why I pushed him. I’d seen a glimpse of the old Dad, the one from before the accident, and it infuriated me that I might lose him again because he overheard me spill my guts to K-pop.
“Why won’t you coach him?” I demanded.
“Because I’m tired of teaching kids to beat each other up, all right?” He opened his eyes. “I heard what you told K-pop. That it wasn’t my fault. That’s bullshit.”
I tried to interrupt, but when he had a head of steam up he was kinda hard to derail. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree on that one.
“Don’t give me the same old bullshit about it being his parents’ fault, Ethan. Boxing is a dangerous sport. People get killed every year. No matter how safe I try to make things, kids get hurt. . . hell, that’s the whole goddamned point, son. To hurt people.” He moved closer, but I didn’t flinch. He’d never swing at me. “I’m tired of teaching kids to hurt each other.”
He glanced at K-pop before moving away. “Sorry, K-pop. Didn’t mean for you to get caught in that.” He gave me one last glare. “Do not run that card.”
My throat hurt. My eyes burned and not from the chlorine.
It’d been better. He’d coached Corey, for Christ’s sake. For one minute, he’d been my dad again. And I blew it all pouring my heart out to K-pop, letting myself get all worked up. If I’d just kept my mouth shut. . . if K-pop hadn’t asked. . .
“Hai?”
Ah, fuck, I did not want to deal with his cutesy Korean bullshit. “What the fuck does that even mean? Hai?” I’d had my dad again. For half an hour, I’d thought maybe. . . “Hai? Hai?!” My hands clenched, I stomped closer and the fear in his face pissed me off even more. Did he think I’d actually hit him? “You aren’t even Korean, for Christ’s sake!”
The embarrassment in his face made me angrier because I’d caused it. I turned away so he wouldn’t see my eyes. . . or maybe so I couldn’t see his.
“Ethan. . .” He was still being nice.
It was too much to deal with. I swung around to face him. “Fuck off, K-pop.” I stamped one foot in his direction and he jumped. I stamped again. “Fuck off, hai?!”
He fucked off.
My throat was raw. “Hai.” My eyes burned.
Naruto scowled at me from the arm of a patio chair.