make up for before.
‘Erik tells me you’re a lawyer, Mr Zauber.’ I smiled as warmly as I could. Still nothing. ‘He said you’re also a Bulls fan. They’ve had a shocking season – I reckon it’s about time Marrott called it a day.’
Mr Zauber turned towards me at this point. He didn’t look pleased. He paused for a moment; I could feel my chest tightening as I struggled to breathe out.
‘Shocking? Shameful more like.’
I let go and breathed a huge breath out.
‘So you’re a Bulls fan?’ he asked.
Oh shit . I didn’t want to start the evening with a lie.
‘Not really,’ I said almost apologetically. ‘I’m more of a 76ers fan.’
‘Oh right. Well, it could have been worse – at least you’re not a Lakers fan.’
I got half a smile at this point, so figured I’d stick to talking sport. I had quite an interest in basketball and football although athletics was really more my thing.
‘My dad was raised in Philly so I didn’t get much of a choice of teams. We moved around a lot with his job but we’d always make it to a game when we were over here.’
‘Yeah, Erik said your dad’s in the army. Must be tough not having him around.’
‘A little bit. My aunt is great, though.’
I felt my grip on Erik’s hand start to loosen. It felt like his dad was starting to warm to me now and I was starting to relax.
‘We’re having Italian; I hope you’re not vegetarian?’
‘That’s great, Mr Zauber, thank you.’
‘Call me Logan’ he said, smiling as he finally held his hand out to shake mine.
I could have done a little dance around the kitchen table.
‘ Feel better now ?’ Erik Whispered to me.
I was too nervous to even Whisper back. What if they could hear me? Erik had said they had this telepathic ability but he hadn’t explained quite how it worked, how you stopped others listening in. I just smiled up at him.
Over dinner I managed to score points with my knowledge of football and sports in general. They might have been Warlocks but when it came down to stereotyping girls as knowing nothing about sport, it appeared they were just men after all!
‘You haven’t told us anything your mother, Sarah.’
For such a confident guy, Jared hadn’t spoken much over dinner, and this question kind of came out of the blue.
‘Not much to say really. I don’t know her; she left us when I was just a baby. We moved around a lot with Dad’s job but Aunt Suze helped raise me when he was stationed in the US. She’s not actually my dad’s biological sister. Her family adopted Dad when he was a little boy.’
‘That can’t have been easy for either of you.’
‘It was OK for me, I didn’t know any different. I think it must have been hard on my dad though. He’s never dated anyone else. Not once. I think he must be kind of lonely.’
It was a bit eerie the way they were all listening so intently but I figured they were just being polite.
Although things seemed to be going well, I was a bit disappointed when after just a couple of hours Erik’s dad suggested he drive me home. To be honest if I had to leave so early, I would have much rather walked home slowly with Erik than take a quick fifteen minute drive back. However, I was so pleased things had gone well that I didn’t want to rock the boat by refusing.
‘I’ll come with you,’ said Erik quickly.
‘There’s no need!’ his dad snapped sharply.
‘It’s OK. I’ll see you tomorrow.’
I tried to sound upbeat. Erik looked really annoyed and I didn’t want him falling out with his dad.
The journey home was pretty quiet for the most part. We’d have been about five minutes from home before Logan started to talk. And when he did, I wished he’d stayed quiet.
‘For Erik’s sake, I’ll be polite and make conversation with you when he’s around. But be under no illusions. I don’t like my son dating you.’
I was stunned for a moment. I wanted to tell him to fuck off but I didn’t have the nerve.
‘I know
‘Erik tells me you’re a lawyer, Mr Zauber.’ I smiled as warmly as I could. Still nothing. ‘He said you’re also a Bulls fan. They’ve had a shocking season – I reckon it’s about time Marrott called it a day.’
Mr Zauber turned towards me at this point. He didn’t look pleased. He paused for a moment; I could feel my chest tightening as I struggled to breathe out.
‘Shocking? Shameful more like.’
I let go and breathed a huge breath out.
‘So you’re a Bulls fan?’ he asked.
Oh shit . I didn’t want to start the evening with a lie.
‘Not really,’ I said almost apologetically. ‘I’m more of a 76ers fan.’
‘Oh right. Well, it could have been worse – at least you’re not a Lakers fan.’
I got half a smile at this point, so figured I’d stick to talking sport. I had quite an interest in basketball and football although athletics was really more my thing.
‘My dad was raised in Philly so I didn’t get much of a choice of teams. We moved around a lot with his job but we’d always make it to a game when we were over here.’
‘Yeah, Erik said your dad’s in the army. Must be tough not having him around.’
‘A little bit. My aunt is great, though.’
I felt my grip on Erik’s hand start to loosen. It felt like his dad was starting to warm to me now and I was starting to relax.
‘We’re having Italian; I hope you’re not vegetarian?’
‘That’s great, Mr Zauber, thank you.’
‘Call me Logan’ he said, smiling as he finally held his hand out to shake mine.
I could have done a little dance around the kitchen table.
‘ Feel better now ?’ Erik Whispered to me.
I was too nervous to even Whisper back. What if they could hear me? Erik had said they had this telepathic ability but he hadn’t explained quite how it worked, how you stopped others listening in. I just smiled up at him.
Over dinner I managed to score points with my knowledge of football and sports in general. They might have been Warlocks but when it came down to stereotyping girls as knowing nothing about sport, it appeared they were just men after all!
‘You haven’t told us anything your mother, Sarah.’
For such a confident guy, Jared hadn’t spoken much over dinner, and this question kind of came out of the blue.
‘Not much to say really. I don’t know her; she left us when I was just a baby. We moved around a lot with Dad’s job but Aunt Suze helped raise me when he was stationed in the US. She’s not actually my dad’s biological sister. Her family adopted Dad when he was a little boy.’
‘That can’t have been easy for either of you.’
‘It was OK for me, I didn’t know any different. I think it must have been hard on my dad though. He’s never dated anyone else. Not once. I think he must be kind of lonely.’
It was a bit eerie the way they were all listening so intently but I figured they were just being polite.
Although things seemed to be going well, I was a bit disappointed when after just a couple of hours Erik’s dad suggested he drive me home. To be honest if I had to leave so early, I would have much rather walked home slowly with Erik than take a quick fifteen minute drive back. However, I was so pleased things had gone well that I didn’t want to rock the boat by refusing.
‘I’ll come with you,’ said Erik quickly.
‘There’s no need!’ his dad snapped sharply.
‘It’s OK. I’ll see you tomorrow.’
I tried to sound upbeat. Erik looked really annoyed and I didn’t want him falling out with his dad.
The journey home was pretty quiet for the most part. We’d have been about five minutes from home before Logan started to talk. And when he did, I wished he’d stayed quiet.
‘For Erik’s sake, I’ll be polite and make conversation with you when he’s around. But be under no illusions. I don’t like my son dating you.’
I was stunned for a moment. I wanted to tell him to fuck off but I didn’t have the nerve.
‘I know
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