Now, some of you were dead on in your reviews, some of you saw right through me and I think I confused some of you, so hopefully you are all warmed up in reading between the lines now and we'll see how right you all were in your guesses. This chapter will definitely make it clear as to what's going on and what I have planned, but is it going to go how you expect? That is the question.
I haven't been as cryptic this A/N. haha, but I will say thank you to all you wonderful muffins who reviewed (and not to forget those of you who read- thank you as well!) your reviews all brought massive smiles to my face and made my sucky week better, so thank you! Grateful thank yous to: izzi creo, sass box, dannylindsayfan, alexindigo, shipperheart, webdlfan, Thorne Lockehart, CTI-Jenn, brendanakai, sprog101, rhymenocerous, dannyandlindsayforeva and quinndex.
When you were in trouble, the crooked little smile could melt my heart of stone. Now look at you; I've turned around and you've almost grown.
My Little Girl – Tim McGraw.
"Daddy! I'm already late; move already! What's the hold up?"
"Lindsay, I'm not interested in your busy schedule… We'll go when I'm ready."
Growling at the sound of her father's answer, Lindsay counted to ten in her head as she knew any back-chat would quickly decrease her summer allowance. She'd been late home from cheer practice to begin with, and just as she was about to head out the door and walk across town to meet the girls, her Dad had offered to take her… which had initially been a sweet gesture… but now it was proving to be even more frustrating than it would have been to walk. If he had let her go when she had wanted to, she would have been there five minutes ago.
She dropped herself down in at the kitchen table and took a seat. Her father was so infuriating. Kelly's dad would have dropped everything to take Kelly wherever she had needed to be, and she would have gotten there on time! But no; not her own father. He'd be late to his own damn funeral... which would be fast approaching if he didn't pick up his feet already!
"Daddy!" She called again. "Let's go!" she exaggerated with her pronunciation. "The diner is gonna close before we even set off."
Straining her ears, Lindsay could hear the footsteps of her father on their hardwood flooring. Finally! She implored inwardly. She glanced up and raised her eyebrows at her father, tapping her foot impatiently; who, coincidentally was looking at her in the same way.
"Are you quite finished, madam?" He scowled at her. "If your attitude is going to change when you're a cheerleader, I can call Coach and tell him to drop you from the team. We go way b-"
"You go way back, I know, you've told me a million times, Daddy." Lindsay said softly. "Daddy, I just really want to leave already. Please? Stop making me wait. If I had my own car…"
"If you had your own car I'd never damn well see you, you'd be out till all hours."
"You know that isn't true," Lindsay scrunched her face in disgust. "Listen, are we going or what; because if we aren't, I'll just walk and be late."
Sighing, Mike Monroe rolled his eyes before grabbing his keys from the hook in the kitchen. He looked at the car keys before tossing them across the room to his daughter. "Don't make me regret this."
"Are you serious?" Lindsay implored as she looked at the keys her father had just tossed her.
"For some reason, I am." He sighed. "You're back by ten. You don't give rides. No alcohol. No boys."
"Daddy, I'm going to the diner. They don't even sell alcohol there."
"I know, it's just something I have to say as your father. I mean it Lindsay. This is a test you need to pass if you expect me and your mother to trust you with a car. The Pinto is waiting for you, show us that you're ready for the responsibility and it's yours, honey."
Jumping out of her chair, Lindsay grabbed her bag as she launched herself into her father's arms and squeezed him tight. "I love you for this!" she cried. "I'm sorry I got mad with you."
"So you should be," Mike scoffed. "Your old man isn't going to be here forever you know, and that's not even taking into account the fact that in a week you're leaving me to go to camp."
"I'll be back though," she whispered in his ear as her father tightened his arms around her. "And I'll only be gone for like six weeks. It's not even the full summer. We can still do all of our things together. I hear that the fly fishing season is in its full force the week I get back. Yellowstone has got our name all over it."
"Your methods of persuasion are second to none, Lindsay Monroe." Mike laughed as he released her. "I thought you were going to be late…"
"I am," She scrambled out of his arms and stood on her tiptoes as she kissed him on the cheek. "Bye Daddy, thanks for the car. Love you."
"Yeah yeah," he scoffed. "Just be safe Lindsay; don't mess with the radio... concentrate on driving."
"Whatever, Daddy." Lindsay grinned as she disappeared out of Michael's sight.
Sitting in the seat that his daughter had just vacated, Mike Monroe sighed heavily. Last week he had been teaching his little eight-year-old how to use her fly fishing rod. Now, he was giving her the keys to her mother's car? She had grown up way too quick for his liking.
Bursting in through the doors of the diner, Lindsay Monroe smiled at her friends who were already settled at their regular table. Their playful cheers, announcing her arrival, made her smile. She wasn't that late, was she?
"Nice of you to join us," Jenny smirked sarcastically as Lindsay manoeuvred herself around the table and dropped down into her usual chair. "What did you do, walk backwards?"
"Nah," Kelly chirped in before Lindsay could even offer a response. "I bet she stayed late at cheer practice to stare at Jeremy."
"That's only half true!" Lindsay cried. "Cheer practice did run over… And Jeremy wasn't at school today. If he was he skipped Calculus and Chemistry."
"Ahh," judgemental, teasing jeers sounded from each corner of the table. "No wonder you were a little lost puppy." Jenny teased. "No lab partner in chemistry? Nobody to borrow a pencil from in calculus? Poor baby."
"Whatever guys, Jeremy and I are going to happen one day." Sighing dramatically, Lindsay dropped the chunky set of car keys on the table and grinned at her friends.
"Shut up!" Kelly cried as she grabbed the keys from the table. "Your parents let you drive the car?"
"Oh yeah," Lindsay grinned. "All by myself too; didn't even have Daddy following me this time."
"Mike dropped the ball there; he missed out on pivotal father stalking moments! He must be losing it in his old age." Jenny implored. "Damn Linds, you must have impressed them with something. Did you get your report card early or something?"
Lindsay shrugged. "I have no idea. I kind of hope I keep at it though. Senior year will be pretty good for us if it carries on."
"I hate you," Brianna finally found her voice. "You're the youngest and you're just driving around like you own the place… people like you make me sick. Sick Lindsay Monroe, do you hear me? Sick!"
"Drama club going well, Bri?" Lindsay smirked as she reached for the menu.
"What do you think you're doing?" Jenny implored as she grabbed the menu from Lindsay and smacked her on the arm with the said menu. "You're surely not reconsidering the tried, tested and proven successful menu choices, are you?"
"Well, I was kind of hoping for a change." Lindsay blinked at her friend. "But I'm guessing from that whole snatching the menu away thing means you have different plans?"
"So long as apple pie is involved, I don't care," Kelly chirped. "I would die for that pie."
"That's so funny. I just told some guy outside that it was to die for. It looked like he was debating coming in. Hopefully I persuaded him. According to my Daddy I have methods of persuasion that are second to none… whatever that means."
"He won't need persuading if he knows what's good for him," Brianna winked. "So, who's ready to order?" she smiled as Sarah approached the table.
"Hey girls, the usual?" Sarah inquired as she pulled out her mini spiral notebook to write down their order. Sharing a look between her friends, Lindsay smiled and nodded. In sync to one another, they all sang, 'yes please' before bursting into a fit of giggles.
And in that moment, Lindsay realised that everything she needed in the world was sat beside her.
So, what on earth is going on? The plot thickens... thoughts are appreciated as ever. Who was right in their predictions? Who was totally off course? Who still thinks I've lost my mind? haha. I'd love to know what you think I have planned.
Thanks for checking in once again guys, I really appreciate it.