Chapter 5: Her Dad

Coincidences. Chance. or what some charlatans call Fate.

In movies it's always seen as this elusive thing that binds everything in existence together, this concept that transcends space and time where one person might meet another person and 3 things can happen, one is nothing happens, they meet and nothing significant happens, another is soothing good happens that leading to you meeting that person or that situation allowing you to receive something in that coincidence.

The last one is well, not good. You meet someone for something or land in some sort of situation and it's bad, very bad. You lose your wallet in some train your riding inevitably picked up by another person and choices are then laid out for them, either return it or keep it, and despite the choices they make they affect another person whether it is good or bad, how to tell the difference is up to the affected person.

Regardless what I'm babbling about coincidences happen whether it's good or bad or neutral, and those same coincidences are happening to me, whether it's good or bad i have no idea, but i do think it's a bad idea.

"Malikkkkk you there"

"Huh what?"

Startled, i was slapped out my thoughts and remember a certain someone is sat beside me at the moment, someone who i preferably do not like to meet right now for obvious reasons, i still don't know why she was mad. Wait, why am i evne still thinking about her? Odd.

"Um Malik, i was just asking where were you going today, it's a Saturday so it's obvious you're going somewhere."

"Hm yeah i guess so, I'm running an errand, going grocery shopping is all."

"Oh what a coincidence, I'm also going grocery shopping, mom cant do it today so i volunteered and did it myself."

Coincidence, that word again.

"Cool, so where are you buying then.?"

"I planned to go to Walmart, what about you?"

"Same."

An awkward silence then ensued between us. We never talked that much up until this point and the only time we talked this long was in the cafeteria when i was being blackmailed. Now that i thought about it i never really know anything about her, no interests, no favorite songs no nothing, though i don't need to know it. But if I'm going to be her date, i might as well ask her.

Before i could have the chance to talk, i had a sudden idea, and this might help me with my own goals.

"So Lorelai, since we're going to the same place to buy things, why don't we go together?"

I gaze at Lorelai's face gouging her reaction to my offer, noticing her deep blue eyes that almost put me in a subtle trance, and before i could get sucked into it again, i stop myself before i creep her out.

I notice that Lorelai's ears were turning red again like yesterday, but her face was still the same smiling yet calm face, though her ears were really giving away her composure.

"Okay…"

I didn't hear her clearly as she said it in an almost whispering tone so i ask again.

"Come again, is that a yes or no?"

"It's a yes! i mean yeah sure."

Her shouting voice reverberated throughout the bus, startling some of the passengers asleep who then looked in our direction. Though I didn't mind it, Lorelai seemed to be embarrassed by what she did and so apologized to the other passengers.

"Sorry sorry sorry…"

It then broke her supposed composure by her as i can see her cheeks were blushing and was trying to find a corner to hide herself in. How cute. What followed was a proverbial silence between us, and since Lorelai was to embarrassed to talk, i closed my eyes and tried to sleep a little more.

It continued in for several more minutes until the bus finally stopped, prompting me and Lorelai to stand up and get out, though Lorelai seemed to be even more in a rush than me.

What entered my eyes was the concrete jungle, tall skyscrapers that look like it reached the skies with its glass interior reflecting the sun shining over our heads, and below all of that was the hustle and bustle of the people. People coming to and fro from their jobs with some street performers doing what any street performers are doing, entertain.

And in my sight, in the middle of all that splendor was Lorelai, with her blue jeans and her white sweater, seeming so out of place in the scenery of the city, yet to me it didn't matter as all i could see was Lorelai in my eyes with the sunlight acting as her spotlight in the midst of all this hubbub.

"Malik, you coming or not, it's like super hot here."

Snapping out of my daze, i catch up to Lorelai and said.

"Yeah, I'm coming."

I then thought about what i experienced again, that moment of losing myself in a trance whenever i look at Lorelai, it so fucking strange. I look at Lorelai again and this time it's normal, no trance no nothing. Then what changed?

"Malik… You ok?"

Noticing that Lorelai was also looking into my eyes, i saw that her ears were again flushed with red but still kept the same smile on her face, i shrug off my thought as i could always figure them out later.

"Yeah, it's nothing, i just thought you looked pretty in your outfit."

I gave a subtle compliment to distract her from me staring at her and it seemed to work. She looked away from and gazed somewhere else, nevertheless i can still see her ears turning red. I ignore it and kept walking.

We walked for quite a while, and during that there was still silencce between us, my tactic seemed to have worked too well as she was just looking at the front and no longer even looking at me anymore, still there were the occasional peeks i noticed, she thought she was being slick but she was not.

Going back to the true purpose of me coming with her, i can finally see the Walmart here in the distance, i break the silence as there are still things we need to talk about first.

"So Lorelai, even though going our separate ways in buying our things might be efficient, i still think that going together would be better."

Lorelai still had that same smile plastered on her face as she turned my way. She looked at me quizzically and asked.

"Uh why? wouldn't it be better to just do our own thing?"

"Its simple, but I'm to lazy to explain, so let's just go together."

There was a hint of confusion in her voice, but still said.

"Sure Malik, i could always use some help in picking out some things."

"Alright then, it's settled."

As we got close to the door and went on the other side, what lay before me was the various assortment of items, ranging from cleaning products, food, and all the shit a Walmart has.

After picking up our carts and all, we straight away headed to the cleaning sections. My mom told me if i remember correctly, that we needed some detergents and other stuff i forgot but ill pick what i feel was right.

During our well, grocery shopping, me and Lorelai walked side by side as we picked up our stuff, sometimes i would recommend certain products that are a better solution and other times she would do the same, though inwardly i disagree but whatever, ill try it anyway.

It was peaceful; it was serene just walking beside her doing the most mundane stuff, stuff that i could always do by myself and i don't really need Lorelai to come along with me, and yet i did. I forgot the reason why i ever decided to invite Lorelai along, yet it somehow didn't matter to me that much at this point, the subtle peace i have with her made me feel, well complete?

Why i felt that way is a mystery and yet it felt right. There's no need to think about it that much. I just want to enjoy this mundane, normal yet peaceful time with her. The why doesn't really matter to me at this point?

It went on for a bit, picking some stuff up, the other person disagreeing and suggesting another stuff, while the other person being suggested either agrees or argues but ultimately agrees, and usually but almost entirely that other person that would always agree was me, i swear i have a strong belief in me being a good debater, yet i always lose in front of her, this sucks but whatever.

When we were minding our own business, i sometimes notice gazes directed towards us but i didn't mind it, the way they looked at us was strange to say the least, like a person seeing a new puppy or something, that's what i felt their gazes were saying.

And when i asked Lorelai about it, she just said this.

"Um… Well… Just ignore it, Malik."

In other words, she said nothing. Apart from her apparent flushed face, i didn't see anything wrong with what she said, so i followed, and went on with my day.

Afterwards, we bought our stuff, and it was quite a bit of stuff that we bought, we went outside ready to go home along with the stuff we bought. I'm thinking about stuff a lot aren't i?

Nevertheless, i saw that she was quite a bit struggling to hold the heavy grocery bags so i offered to hold it for her until she gets home.

"Lorelai, let me hold that for you, it looks like you're about o die holding that."

"No, no I'm fine, malik, its fine."'

I look at her for a bit, struggling to walk, with a red face that looks like she's wheezing, and thus i concluded that she was not fine. I take her grocery bag from my hands before she could react and held it for her. Though i agree that it was heavy, it was nothing that i can't handle.

Lorelai looked a bit flustered when i took her bags away from her, her expression showing signs on concern and guilt, though i don't now why she was feeling all that, i was just holding her bag that's all.

"Malik! It's fine, really. it's not that heavy, trust me."

"Uhuh sure, if it's not that heavy then i can carry it then."

Dumbfounded, she was lost for words and just said.

"Oh fine, but wait here, ill call my dad to pick me up, i dint expect i would be buying this much."

"Yeah sure."

After calling her father and telling that she needs some help, she turned back to me with an apparent nervous expression and asked.

"Um, if you don't mind, but Dad asked me if you wanted to come with, he offered to drive you back home since it was hot out today."

Thinking about it, i didn't mind at all, i could get a free ride and didn't have to commute back home with all this stuff. Sounds like a sweet deal.

"I don't mind at all."

"Um okay then."

Turning back with her phone by her ear, she said something but by my guess she confirmed what i said. She seemed flustered when she was talking with her dad and i don't know why, nevertheless it was none of my business and i looked elsewhere, waiting for our ride.

After what seemed like a century in this godforsaken heat, a car pulled up in front of us and what i was assuming that it was Lorelai's dad. How can i guess? Well, the man rolled down his windows with a big smile plastered on his face and was waving at us like he just met a celebrity or something.

His own smile resembles that of Lorelai but with a more mature tone to it, though there is nothing mature with what he's doing right now. He pulls up in front of us with the window rolled down and said.

"Alright guys, come on in, it's pretty hot today so it's best to hurry up."

He had a huge smile talking to us yet it if i am reading him correctly in which case, I'm wrong majority of the time, but this time i feel like he was looking more closely to me instead of focusing his attention on Lorelai. I might just be seeing things.

Dropping what the grocery bags, i open the door so Lorelai could get in and followed after and sat in the backseat, while i was about to take a seat, i saw Lorelai's Dad having the same grin he had but there was a hint of something else with the way he was looking at me.

After taking a seat and settling the grocery bags, i introduce myself for the sake of being polite, i may not be the most socially aware person yet i do understand polite manners my mother taught me.

I pull my hand forward intending for a handshake and introduced myself.

"Hi Mr. Hopper I'm Malik Tirion, Lorelai's Friend, kind of."

Mr. Hopper heard my introduction and shook my hand with a firm grip, though it wasn't enough to crush my fingers, it was enough to put pressure on me but i didn't notice it so i just kept up my smile.

"Well Hello Malik, nice to meet you I'm Adam, Adam Hopper, Lorelai's Father as you can tell." said in a deep yet jovial tone.

I looked a bit closer at Lorelai's Dad and wow i know now where some of the Lorelai's genes come from, blond hair with deep blue eyes and a clear cut jawline with a high-bridged nose, he also had a decent beard on his face. Overall, he's the definition of a fucking man, damn. I also noticed that he was a bit buff as his shirt seems to be exploding from his muscles.

"So Malik, iv heard a lot about you from Lorelai, mostly things concerning you being his date for the upcoming party."

"WHA! DAD! ST… STOP!!"

Lorelai became flustered from what her father said and its clearly showing on her behavior as she's panicking all over the place, her panicky attitude reminds me of Ace when he lost a Rare beyblade in his collection, even though Ace remained stoic after that fiasco, i can somehow tell he is still upset over it.

"What I'm just making conversation Lory, its no big deal."

That i can agree with, its only conversation and there her dad knowing i was her date wasn't a big deal, its not like i was gonna kidnap her or anything.

After a few squabbles between father and daughter, with mostly the Father calming down Lorelai, peace and quiet returned to the car, because while they were arguing, they seem to have forgotten there was another passenger in the car.

But I'm guessing Lorelai remembered as she turned back to me with a sudden realization of what she just did and turned his attention away from me, and stared out the window with an embarrassed expression, there was nothing to be embarrassed about, i thought it was wholesome to be honest.

"Well Malik, I'm sorry for my daughter acting like this hehe."

He said it with an apologetic tone but his blue eyes were betraying his intention as i can see that his eyes had a teasing tone to it, mostly directed to Lorelai of course. I didn't mind it as i just said.

"Ah, its fine Mr Hopper."

"Please, call me Adam, i have a feeling we might be meeting more in the future."

"Uh sure Mr. Adam."

I doubt what he said, because after the party i am so avoiding Lorelai after this, don't get me wrong i have nothing against her but trouble seems to be inviting its presence in my life when I'm with her. And i do love peace and quiet if you ask me. Nevertheless, they both didn't need to know that.

After a bit of conversation , Mr. Adam started the car and drove off back to home, i told him my dress when we were talking and he seemed a bit surprised over what i said.

"Oh, so you're Kaela's kid, i always wondered what his son looked and now i guess i no longer have to. Huh, what a small world we live in."

I was puzzled and confused by what he said. Mom had never mentioned that he worked with Lorelai's Father, though I guess it's understandable since Lorelai just moved.

"Huh, you work with my Mom Mr. Adam?"

"Yes i do, your mom is an amazing woman i can tell you that much, though not as amazing as my wife but still amazing in her regard."

I was a bit distracted by his comment regrading his wife as she isn't supposed to be the main topic of our conversation; i look towards Lorelai for answers and she just shrugged with a blank expression on her face.

"Ignore it. My dad always gets a little giddy when he talks about mom, though in my opinion goes beyond giddy and is borderline obsessive."

"Oh, come on, don't say that Lory, you would understand just how amazing your mom is."

"Can't argue with that logic."

We seem to have lost the topic in translation as the conversation is going nowhere towards how Mr Adam knows my mom, though in a short while I won't be worrying about that.

"Oh, uh this is bad, um Malik, it seems i made a wrong turn and i accidentally made my way to my home instead of yours first."

"Dad!"

"Calm down Lory, it's gonna be fine, well just take a small break in our house before leaving again.

"Sigh fine."

Lorelai turned visibly nervous when she realized i was going to her house but i do believe it was unnecessary.

After a short while we made it towards her house and made our way towards the door carrying Lorelai's grocery bag, and as i was just opening the door, a familiar silhouette appeared in my eyes, and it was indeed shocking to say the least.

"Mom?"