Page 13 of Reclaimed

"Oh my god!" Hannah squeals as we plop down into two open seats. "To think, you almost didn't come!"

"I know, I know!"

Cody apparently asked Hannah out too, so we spend the entire ride home planning all the double dates we’re gonna go on.

I'm still reeling as I crawl back into my room and ease the window shut. This night was everything. I still can't believe he asked me out and kissed me. Gah, how am I going to sleep?

My phone vibrates in my pocket as I toe off my shoes. I pull it out, the screen lit up with a text from Zeke.

Zeke

Send me our pic ;)

With a smile, I stare down at the message, reading it over and over.

Nope, I'm definitely not going to sleep tonight.

“Don't forget to lock the latch,” my dad says, flipping on the light.

My head snaps up, eyes wide. I expect to see a look of disappointment on his face, but instead, he just looks sad. He takes a step closer, and I mentally prepare myself for the lecture, ready to apologize and offer to work at the shop– for free– for the next month as a punishment.

Without a word, he closes the distance between us, wrapping his arms tightly around me.

"Dad?" I murmur, face smooshed against his chest. "You're scaring me."

"I'm sorry, Jersey," he says, his voice breaking. "I'm so sorry."

He sucks in a breath, releasing his hold as he leads me over to sit on my bed. I can think of exactly two times I've seen my dad cry. One, when Nana died. Two, when I fell off the car lift and broke my arm when I was five. And now tonight, makes three.

"I had to take out an assistance loan," he starts, a tear cutting a path down his cheek. "I was going to lose the shop, the apartment, too."

I sit there, listening, my heart sinking further and further as he goes on. Telling me about the protest downtown being about the terms of these loans. How The Registry had hid them, causing so many people to fall victim, including himself, and it was only a matter of time before they came after him.

"What do we do?" I ask, breaking the silence.

"I don't know, Jersey girl," he sighs. "We could head up to the mountains. Find someplace to camp for a few days while I try to figure it out."

"Camping sounds really good, Dad."

"Camping it is, then." The muscle in his jaw feathers as he forces a smile. "Pack up a few things and we'll take off bright and early."

Pushing to stand, he pulls me into another hug, "I love you, Jersey girl."

"I love you too, Dad."

He leaves, and I can still hear him sniffling as he heads down the hall to his room.

I don't fully understand what's happening, but I start to shove some clothes into a backpack anyways. Mentally, I start a list of questions to ask in the morning and selfishly hope we’re back by the weekend for my date with Zeke.

Oh my god Zeke!

I forgot to text him back. Ugh, if he thinks I've left him on read, it won't matter if I'm back this weekend.

I grab my phone from the charger, staring at our picture as I add it to a message and hit send.

Jersey

How cute are we?