“Did you have anything to do with the bullying of Karla at school yesterday?”
My eyes widened from his comment. I didn’t know that Karla was bullied yesterday.
“No, Mr.East. I’d never do that. She’s my friend. If I knew—” My chest tightened as I realized that it was probably that asshole of a group who was bullying her. I hated them. I hated them all so much that it made my skin crawl. The backs of my eyes burned as I stared at Mr.East. “Karla is my friend, Mr.East.”
He didn’t seem convinced, but I didn’t blame him. I’d be very wary of people befriending my daughter, too, after all that Karla had been through.
“You have to understand, Ashish, any kind of negative comment toward Karla can really be a detriment to her well-being. Her self-esteem is suffering after all that she’s been through over the past year, and I am hoping you aren’t adding to that suffering in any way, shape, or form. I just want to make sure you’re a good person for her. That’s all.”
I nodded. “Right. Of course. I just...” I sighed and triedto push out a smile. It didn’t work, so instead I frowned as my voice shook. “My little brother took his life last year,” I confessed with a shaky voice.
Mr.East’s eyes softened.
I didn’t know they could do that.
“I’m so sorry to hear that,” he said gently.
I didn’t know his voice could be gentle, either.
I shrugged. “It’s all right.”
“No,” he disagreed. “It’s not OK, and I’m very sorry for your loss, Ash.”
He said Ash instead of Ashish. That felt important to me.
I rubbed my hand up and down my forearm. “I’m sorry for your loss, too.”
He parted his mouth to speak, but no words came out. I didn’t blame him. Sometimes, I didn’t know what to say either.
“I’d never bully your daughter, and if anything, I want to kick the asses of the people who do bully her, but she won’t let me.” I paused. “Sorry for saying ass.”
“I’ll allow it this go-around.”
I shifted around in my shoes. “I like Karla a lot, Mr.East. I want to be a good friend for her, the same way she’s been a good one for me. She helps me...” I couldn’t think of the exact word to describe what Karla did for me. It didn’t feel like there was a big enough word to show how much she’d meant to me.
“Breathe,” Mr.East stated with a sense of understanding. “She helps you breathe.”
I nodded. “Yeah. Exactly. How did you know?”
“It turns out I’ve recently reconnected with someone who helps me do the same exact thing. Thank you, Ash, for looking after my daughter.” He stepped to the side of the door, allowing me access. He then told me Karla was in her room, and I could head back there as long as I left the door open.
I thanked him.
“And Ash?”
“Yes sir?”
“You can call me Greyson.”
I smiled, and I swore he smiled back a little.
As I entered the house, I headed toward Karla’s room, and to my surprise, she was sitting on her bed smiling down at her cell phone. Don’t get me wrong, I loved seeing Karla’s smile. I just wasn’t used to it being so apparent. She was the master of halfway grins and hidden smirks. But this one was big and packed with true happiness.
“What’s got you smiling so hard?” I asked, bringing attention to the fact that I was standing in her doorway.
She looked up and kept smiling as she stood from her bed. “Ash! We have to go to a party!”
I blinked at her a few times, feeling like I was being punked. “What?”
