Love Shot X Shot of Love

Nickname X Short name

"He'll be in my class!"And just like that Mac had met his excitement once again. It was pretty clear to me that he was probably just a handful who lived only a few houses away from.

"Oh right?"Curved eyebrows sent by Father Mac. "You think you can handle this one every day?”

He shot a thumb at his daughter, who slapped her with a laugh. "Anything daaaad. We'll be good friends, I already know it.”

Good fella? I don't know what that looks like.

"Well, I think you should check with him on the first, children.”

Mac rolled his eyes with a love of play. "He will learn soon what is good for him.”

I laughed at his confidence, all at the time being aware the man was still crouched down in inches of myself.

"I refer to myself as a good thing for him, in that way."Mac chimes with a smug smile.

"Watched."Ahmad answered, who then turned his attention to me. "So where did you come from, babe?”

The light touch of his back hand tapping on my knee sent me deeper into my shell. I worriedly tuck my hair behind my ears, before passing on my hard to break the paltry habit with my blunt and wracked nails.

He makes me more nervous than anyone else. And I'm not sure why. It might be his size, or the way his face made him look like he was going to scold me.

"Singapore."I whispered, looking at the skin around my nails.

"Ah, far away.”

I can only gather nods.

"He's ashamed. I can tell you."Mac spoke again. She doesn't look like she's been around for too long without using her vocal cords.

"Well, that's fine. Better than getting your ears talking 24/7.”

I could see enough to see that once again the attitude of Mac had changed all of a sudden. It was the way his shoulders slumped, and his eyes turned from wide and free care, to sink in and down in just an instant.

"Well, you don't have to hear me talk so much when you go next week. So don't worry."His voice cracked, clearly trying not to cry anymore. But the sadness of his heart fell from him as steady as his tears.

Who breathed in again. Only this time longer. "Let's talk about this at home. I'm sure Zara needs to unpack just about anything.”

No. gabe. I wasn't.

"All right."Mac's voice was gnarled, but was defeated at the same time when he reached his hand into one of his fathers.was offered to him like that to me just a moment ago.

They stood up, and I succumbed to the desire to see the odd father, the duo's daughter. I could see in the shape of their eyes, and the furrow of their eyebrows that Mac must have been Ahmad's daughter. But that's how far they're going. Her dark brown hair, almost black, was different from her brown. Her tan skin made her white-spotted face out of place as they joined the hands in the hands. It's an interesting sight.

"Well, I think I'll meet you at school at that time."Mac pretends chipperness, but I can tell he's still down about his father leaving.

I nodded, taking one last glace in the ensemble she must have chosen for herself this morning, wondering if I would be able to see her tomorrow on my first day, wearing the same choice of clothes is annoying.

They had turned away, about to make their departure back to their own homes. And I feel lonely. I don't know why. I like to be alone. Always there. But as they walked away I was filled with unfamiliar feelings that I wanted to be with them.

Maybe he just might be my Good Friend after all.

My mind was troubled when I saw the towering man twitching his body, long enough to call. "Goodbye, little Zara.”

I bit my cheek so as not to smile at the nickname.

Xxxxxxxx

“Oh really?” An arched eyebrow is sent my way by Mac’s dad. “You think you can handle this one every day?”

He shoots a thumb towards his daughter, who slaps it away giggling. “Whatever daaaad. We’re gonna be best friends, I already know it.”

Best friends? I wouldn’t know what that’s like.

“Well, I think you’re gonna have to check with her on that one first, kid.”

Mac rolls her eyes playfully. “She’ll learn soon enough what’s good for her.”

I chuckle at her confidence, all while being absolutely aware of the man still crouched down within inches of myself.

“I’m referring to myself being the thing that’s good for her, by the way.” Mac chimes with a smug smile.

“Noted.” Ahmad, who then turns his attention to me. “So where are you coming from, sweetheart?”

The light touch of his back hand tapping my knee sends me deeper into my shell. I nervously tuck my hair behind my ears, before continuing my hard to break habit of fiddling with my blunt and abused nails.

He’s making me more nervous than even other men do. And I’m not sure why. It’s probably his size, or the way his face makes it seem like he’s about to scold me.

“Singapore.” I whisper, paying close attention to the skin around my nails.

“Ah, long ways away.”

I can only muster up a nod.

“She’s shy. I can tell.” Mac speaks again. She doesn’t seem like one to go too long without exercising her vocal cords.

“Well that’s alright. Better than getting your ear talked off 24/7.”

I can see enough to notice that once again Mac’s demeanor has shifted suddenly. It’s the way her shoulders slump, and her eyes turn from wide and care free, to sunken and down cast in only a split second.

“Well, you won’t have to listen to me talk so much when you leave next week. So don’t worry about it.” Her voice cracks, unwittingly trying not to cry again. But her heartbreak falls off her as steady as her tears.

That deep exhale. Only this time longer. “Let’s talk about this at home. I’m sure Zara needs to unpack anyways.”

Nope. I don’t.

“Alright.” Mac’s voice is stubborn, yet defeated at the same time as she reaches her hand into the extended one of her dad’s. Offered to her much like it was to me only moments ago.

They stand, and I give in to the urge to look up at the odd father, daughter duo. I can see in the shape of their eyes, and the furrow of their browser that Mac is definitive Ahmad daughter. But that’s the extended of their similarities. His dark brown, nearly black, hair is contrasting to her brown. His tan skin makes her freckled white look out of place as they are joined hand in hand. It’s a fascinating sight.

“Well, I guess I’ll see you at school then.” Mac feigns chipperness, but I can tell she’s still down about her dad leaving.

I nod, taking one last glory at the ensemble she must have chosen for herself this morning, wondering if I’ be able to spot her tomorrow on my first day, wearing an equally obnoxious choice of outfit.

They’ve turned, about to make their department back to their own house. And I feel. lonely. I don’t know why. I like being alone. Always have's. But them walking away has me filled with an unfamiliar feeling of wishing I was going with them.

Maybe she just might be my best friend after all.

My thoughts are interrupted when I catch sight of the towering man turning his body around, just long enough to call out. “Goodbye, little Zara.”

I bite my cheek to keep from smiling at the nickname.