Chapter 11

Dad and I have this tradition to go for a drive on Sunday and then get ice cream afterwards. It was the only thing Sophia wasn't involved with, something me and Dad looked forward to every Sunday.

"Come on peppermint! If you hurry up I'll let you take the wheel this time." I heard dad holler from the foot of the stairs, saying the same thing he always said to get me to pick up the pace.

Running in my new blue jeans and brown turtle neck shirt, I nabbed my favourite black flats and tried to slip em on while running downstairs.

"Careful or you'll hurt yourself." He cautioned, resting against the coat hanger, twirling his keys with his right pinky.
Mom and Sophia planned on spending the day at the new spa that just opened up in town.

"I'm coming." I hurriedly said, cursing my large feet for outgrowing my shoes too quickly. Most of my shoes pinched hard at my heel because of my unladylike feet.

When he wasn't looking, I made a move to snatch his keys from him, but was a second too slow. He shoved them into his grey windbreaker, chuckling to himself.

"Maybe next time I'll let you drive." He taunted, ruffling my freshly combed hair a bit, gaining some sick pleasure from making me look like a newly hatched bird.

********
The best part about the drive was rolling down the windows and letting the fresh air pour in, whilst we listened to our favorite songs driving around town.

Sometimes, we'd stop at the mall and buy matching father-daughter mugs or some new jewelry for me, seeing as mom wasn't around to limit our spending.

It was also during the drive that dad and I got to talk all through the week, though I didn't want that happening right now, considering all that's happening with Ace and I.

"So, are you going to tell me or should I just ask?" Dad broke the comforting silence, failing to beat around the bush.
Lying to him would be pointless, but I didn't have an idea what to tell him exactly. It wasn't like we had broken up or anything, we just weren't talking to each other.

"It's just a little fight." I sheepishly told him, hoping that was enough to put my father's overprotective nature to rest.

"He hasn't come pick you up for a while, that's worrisome." Dad let out, expressing some of his emotions.
"Dad, if it becomes bothersome you'll be the first person I run to. Ace is really busy this season, there's a lot of pressure on him, so he needs some space." I chanted, looking out the window, avoiding my father's piercing gaze.

He let out a sigh, and fixed his side mirror, finally deciding to drop the issue, for now that is.

"You seem gloomy though, would you like to have the ice cream first? Then the drive later? There's this stakehouse my friends recommend, we can have ribs and chicken afterwards." He offered, knowing exactly how to cheer me up.

"Dad, I'm going to add some extra weight if you keep feeding me so much food." I told him, though I had no intention of turning that offer down.

"You'll still be my peppermint princess." He softly told me, meaning every word he said.

*Gas station*
Dad went inside to buy me my favorite peppermint flavoured ice cream, from his favorite gas station. He started a conversation with the guy at the counter about bank rates, and ever since they've been at it.

At this rate, my solid ice cream would turn into an ice pool and lose it's flavor. The heat was also starting to get to me, dad forgot to turn on the AC, thinking he'd be back in a second.

Defeated, I pulled out my phone to check for any message from Olive about my new idea. It came to me last night, while I was surfing the web.

My chest tightened the moment one new message from Ace popped up on my phone, my hungry fingers tapped on it almost immediately, eager to see what it is, he had to say.

*Ace: Let's talk tomorrow, before class starts, at the biology lab*

I wasn't so certain what we'd be talking about, or if I was supposed to even ask. The arrangements were already made, all I needed to do was show up.

Before I could type a response, a black van pulled over in front of our car, blocking my view of the gas station.
"Hell?" I cursed under my breath, folding my arms across my stomach pissed off at whomever this driver was. It was only when said driver alighted the driver's seat to fill up his tank, that I realised where I had seen that van before.

My feet jumped out of the passenger's seat, jogging up to him despite the horrible pinch at my heel. There was certainly no mistaking who this person was, he was even wearing the same grey hoodie.

The closer I got to him, the more certain I was, that he was indeed, Carlisle Stoll at a gas station on a Sunday afternoon.

Right before I could call out to him, he suddenly looked over his shoulder at me, as though he knew I had snuck up on him. His lips parted in surprise, surprise that the dramatic girl who had chased him away actually approached him.

"There goes the element of surprise." I said under my breath throwing caution to the wind, walking up to him, counting each step I took.

Till we were standing directly in front of each other, drinking in each other's features.

"Look, about the other day, I was such a drama queen and should have just thanked you for helping me out instead of yelling at you for it. And even that time at the stairs, it was lame to walk away like you didn't exist. Not to forget when you saved me from almost getting knocked over by a car. You've been nothing but nice to me, and I've been horrible. Can you find it in you to forgive me and maybe give me a second chance?"

I stopped to breathe, glad that I was able to say everything on my mind to him, and without chickening out of it. All that was left, was for him to either forgive me or ignore me.

"Ok." He said, and focused his attention on filling up his tank, neither forgiving or ignoring me.

Was this guy serious?

"Ok? I don't understand." I snapped at him, finding myself pissed by his vague responses.

"Are you still mad at me for not coming to the library like we planned? If you must know, I did try my hardest to make it but..."

"I'm no one to you, so I know you don't owe me any form of apology whatsoever. But, there is something I'd like very much." He told me, barely sparing a second to look at me.

"What is it?" I asked him, scared he might want me to do something weird or perverted in order for him to truly forgive me.

"Just value yourself a bit more." He told me, patting my head gently, "you don't owe anything to anybody." Carlisle added, locking those deep brown eyes with my stunned blue eyes.

His words were as tranquil as a forest and as clear as a river. I was left in pure awe that I didn't realize when he got into his car and drove away.

It was when dad placed his hand on my shoulder presenting me with my melted ice cream, that my senses came back to me.

"What are you standing around here for?" He asked me, intruding on my thoughts, harshly pulling me back into reality.

"What? Nothing. Let's go already! That steak won't eat itself!" I answered him, pulling him by tht arm towards our car, trying my hardest not to think of the one person I knew I shouldn't be thinking of.

*Carlisle. Fucking. Stoll.*