Learning to Live (The Infinite Love Series Book 1) (14 page)

“You call us the A-Team? How come I have never heard this before?”

I stare out the side window. “It’s a nickname Mack and I made up a couple of years ago.”

Topher nods. “I’m guessing it’s not a term of endearment?”

I shake my head. “Nope.”

He coughs. “Great.”

“Can you blame me?” I ask. “We don’t really run in the same circles.”

“I know that.”

“So then why are you so adamant to play nice now? After all these years?” I guess now is as good of time as any to get the answers I’ve been pondering.

He sighs. “I thought we already established my reasoning?”

“You said you want to be friends…but that doesn’t explain why the change of heart. Why it matters to you.”

As he pulls onto the freeway, I begin to realize that he is not headed toward my apartment. “Where are you taking me?”

He steals a quick glance at me, and then back to the road in front of him. “Well, I figured we have a couple of hours to kill. You don’t mind do you?”

Yes. I do.
Luckily, I haven’t been able to tell my work yet, so my shifts are still covered. But, I can’t hide the fact that I am intrigued by his actions.

“Look, I’ve been an asshole. I’m aware of that. I’ve done things I’m not proud of. But, I want to be able to look back on my life, and be proud of the choices I made, not ashamed. And I know one lousy ride home won’t do that…but it’s a starting point.”

I look over at him and can’t help but smile.

“I’m just one person. Don’t you think you have a lot more people to apologize to?”

He nods. “I have a laundry list. But you were the most accessible, so I’m moving on it.”

I settle back into my seat, satisfied with his answer. Ten minutes later, we pull into a driveway in front of the biggest house I have ever seen in my life. I scoot forward in my chair to get a better look.

The house looks like a mini-version of the white house. It is white with multiple pillars and windows. The grass is green and immaculate, and I can only imagine the interior of the house. “What are we doing here?” I ask.

He parks the car, unbuckling. “It’s my house, I figured we could hang out here for a bit.”

I’m surprised he trusts me enough to show me where he lives, much less let me inside. I climb out of the BMW, leaving my backpack behind, and follow him through the front door. The first thing I notice are the sleek marble floors and a huge expensive looking chandelier dangling in the entry way. There is a spiral staircase that reminds me of the one from Titanic and it’s obvious money was no object when it came to their home.

I let out a surprise gasp as he closes the door behind us. “It’s really not that impressive.”

I roll my eyes at him. “You have to say that…you’ve lived like this your entire life. My apartment could fit in your bathroom, I’m sure.”

He chuckles. “Fair enough.” He motions with his head through the entryway. “Come on.”

I follow him through an assortment of hallways and expensive looking rooms, and then down a staircase. It leads to a pair of white sliding doors. He tosses them open, and then flicks on a light switch.

The room contains a foosball table, an air hockey table, the biggest flat screen TV I’ve ever seen in my life, a pool table, and a few arcade games in the corner.
Of course he has his own game room.

“Why am I not surprised?” I ask, my eyes darting around at everything in front of me.

He chuckles. “I haven’t been down here in a really long time. I forgot how cool it is.”

Must be nice to have anything you could ever want at your fingertips.
Amazing cars, ridiculous house, game room…

“Well what is exciting to other people probably doesn’t excite you,” I state as I slide my fingers over the wood of the pool table.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because you have everything you could ever want.” I look around in an attempt to make my point.

His smile turns into a frown. “Just because we’re financially stable doesn’t mean I have it easy. There is a lot you don’t know about me.”

I ponder his statement. I know money isn’t everything but I can tell you it is the solution to the majority of my problems.

“So, are we going to battle it out?” I ask.

He raises his eyebrows in surprise. “Yeah, what’s your game of choice?”

I look between all the different options. “I’m down for some air hockey.”

He breaks out into a wide grin, and then struts over to the table, turning the power on. “You’re in trouble. I’m the air hockey king.”

I shake my head dismissively at his comment. He has no idea how badly I am going to school him.

* * *

An hour and a half later, after we have attacked the game room with a vengeance, we hear what sounds like the garage.

Topher sticks his ear up in the air. “My dad is home early tonight.”

It’s nearing five and I should probably be going anyway. I stand and slip my hoodie back on.

The garage door opens which is located on the same floor we are on, and a chorus of footsteps rings through. Topher’s face contorts into an ugly expression before he races out of the room.

“Topher,” I hear a gentleman’s voice say. “I didn’t think you were going to be home until later…”

Someone clears their throat and I stay deathly quiet. I’m not exactly sure what is going on, but I know it has nothing to do with me.

“My detention was cut short,” I barely recognize Topher’s voice. It seems stiff and clipped.

I can feel the tension piercing the air. I am growing more uncomfortable by the moment. I could slip out, but my damn backpack is in the back of Topher’s car!

“I’m sorry Topher, I didn’t know.” The gentleman apologizes.

I hear footsteps making their way back toward the game room, when a third voice cuts through the air. “I’m not.”

The footsteps stop abruptly.

“Clarke?”

“What do you want me to do? Apologize like you? We’ve been doing that for weeks now. Walking around on egg shells. This is your house for God’s sake! I’m tired of having to sneak around especially now that the cat is out of the bag.” The third male voice speaks.

I’m still not exactly sure what I am overhearing, but something tells me this is a private conversation. I cross my arms over my chest awkwardly. It’s not as if I’m going out of my way to eavesdrop.

“Classy, Dad. Take your boyfriend’s side over your own flesh and blood,” Topher spits out, and then I hear footsteps pounding the marble flooring back to the room I am in. My heartbeat begins to speed up as I realize the gravity of what I’ve just heard.

Topher rounds the corner and glares down at me. “Come on, I’m taking you home.”

I jump up quickly and follow him out. We manage to not cross paths with the other two in the process of making it outside, and I am thankful for that. I know I was not meant to hear that conversation, and I don’t want to deal with any more drama.

Topher doesn’t say a word to me as he unlocks the doors, and we climb in. In fact, we ride almost the entire way to my apartment in complete silence. He avoids all eye contact with me, and I’m starting to think he may be upset with me for what I overheard.

As we close in on my apartment, I decide it’s now or never to comment on what happened. “I won’t say anything about what I heard.”

His eyes remain focused out the front window.

“You know, it’s okay to be angry with him…but he’s still your father.”

“What do you even know?” Topher growls at me.

It feels like a slap in the face after our progress today. I swallow before answering, attempting to find the right words. “I know that you have a father…something I’ve never had the privilege of experiencing. And I know that he loves you.”

“You don’t know a God damn thing!” Topher bellows, slamming the steering wheel with his hand angrily.

Tears sting the back of my eyes, and I look out the side window the entire rest of the way back. I can feel his eyes on me a couple of times, but I don’t dare look his way. When he pulls up in front of my apartment, I hastily grab my backpack, and hop out of his car. Today was a mistake. I know that now.

Chapter Fifteen

Topher

I’m so angry I can barely see straight. After dropping Ciera off back at her place, I drive aimlessly for hours. Eventually, I find myself along the Oregon coast at the beach. I park the car, and end up seated in the sand watching the waves crashing onto the beach and the sun set.

I can’t believe he brought him there.
I can’t believe Ciera heard everything. I know she said she wouldn’t say anything, but I wouldn’t blame her if she did. She’s got leverage on me that could annihilate my reputation. I hate that she has that power.

I pull out my phone, searching my contacts. I need a distraction.

It’s a school night, but I don’t care. It’s still pretty early as I write Alyssa. The girl is a witch with a capital B, but I know she’s always had the hots for me. She’s easy on the eyes, and I heard a freak in the bed, but I’ve never done anything out of respect for Sophia. Now that Sophia is out of my life, I can do whatever the hell I want.

What are you up to?
I write.

I know she’s been seeing some college football player for the past few months, but I know she has been after my balls for years now. Something tells me she will want to play.

Not even five minutes later, I have a response from her.
Just going for a late night swim. You want to join?

Sure, be there in twenty.
Alyssa’s family has a pretty awesome heated pool with a grotto. I’ve enjoyed it on numerous occasions. If I drive fast enough, I can even make it there in fifteen minutes. I don’t have a pair of swimming trunks on me, but that won’t stop me.

When I pull up to Alyssa’s, all the lights are off except for the backdoor floodlights. I bypass her actual house, and head straight for the metal gate I’ve entered through countless times. It’s unlocked, and I let myself in, and see her lit pool in front of me. Steam is rolling off the water, and over the cement as I approach. Alyssa is nowhere in sight.