Dad, Pa

You hate me, I know. In turn, I hate my terror teachers. :D

Dad, Pa

"Dad," Troy looked at Jack before shifting his gaze to Federico. "Pa…"

Jack and Federico exchanged glances. This had to be a serious predicament for Troy to address Federico as Pa. He only ever used it when he was utterly hopeless and in dire need of advice and endless support from not only one but two fathers. The last time Troy said it was when he was voted as the basketball team captain, sophomore of last year, and was given the lowdown on how to completely become 100 master jock and nothing else.

Troy back then looked down; today his face was much worse. He looked just downright defeated.

"I told Anne I loved her."

The fathers looked puzzled. "Don't you always tell her you love her?"

Troy emitted a frustrated sigh. "Yes but this one, it's different. I told her I loved her – not like a friend nor like a best friend and most definitely not as a sister. I love her like…"

He faced Jack. "Like you love mom…" He then turned to Federico and said, "And just like you love ma."

"Whoa! Congrats kid. What'd she say?" Jack grinned.

"She flipped out!" Troy exclaimed as he stood up and started to pace back and forth.

"She was…I mean…I couldn't even begin to understand her behavior. I told her I loved her and I know she loves me too. She said it herself but then she went and said she couldn't do it. What kind of an answer is that? I mean, it's just so obvious we feel the same about each other so why wouldn't she want us to be together? Why?! Plus she wouldn't give any of those reasons holding her back. Argh!"

He plopped back into his seat and buried his face in his hands.

Jack and Federico looked at each other overwhelmed by Troy's ranting. Jack pointed to himself then to Federico then to himself as if trying to ask who among the both of them would try to sort out Troy first.

Federico nodded and he seated himself next to Troy on the couch. "Troy, hijo, first of all, congratulations on finally telling my hija what you truly feel. I thought we would have to wait until the next century for that to happen. Good thing we don't need to anymore."

His words caused a small smile to appear on Troy's face but then the boy's spirits were still very much dampened.

"Now, about what Gabriela said…," Federico continued. "I actually do not know what to make of it. I wouldn't try and justify her actions simply because I do not know how to go about it. I think before your father and I would give you an advice, we should first talk to Gabriela."

Troy looked at Federico. "I kissed her. And she kissed me back."

Federico's hand that was about to pat Troy's shoulder froze in midair. "You kissed my daughter?"

"Pa, it was inevitable."

"Yeah but…you kissed my daughter."

"Federico, should this really be something you're going to be surprised about?" Jack said. "Come on, you kiss Maria…all the time."

"That's different. She's my wife."

"She wasn't always your wife when you kissed her Federico," Jack conveniently pointed out.

Federico blinked and opened his mouth countless of times but he could not offer any comeback. He finally turned back to Troy.

"You kissed my daughter?! Her first kiss and followed by a disaster…"

"Whoa whoa whoa! Pa, if you think that was her first kiss, then you are so sadly mistaken," Troy said with a little laugh.

"What?!" Federico perked up again. "What do you mean? You mean to tell me she already had her first kiss for a while now without telling me?"

"Federico, it's not exactly the first topic of conversation Gabriela would be so willing to have with you considering the fact that she knows just how truly protective you are of her. It's just plain awkward," Jack answered him.

Federico waved off Jack and concentrated on Troy. "When was her first kiss? Who was her first kiss? Where did it happen? And most of all, why did it happen?"

"Okay pa, uncle, slow down," Troy said with complete gesture of the hands. "Um…well…you see…it happened on her thirteenth birthday and…it was actually me."

"You?!" Federico exclaimed as both he and Jack stared at Troy.

"Uh, yeah," Troy uncomfortably shifted under their gaze.

"Why?"

"Do I really have to answer that?" Troy sent his second father a pleading look.

Federico fixed Troy a hard stare before he finally sighed. "Fine. Forget about it."

Troy breathed a sigh of relief as he moved to hug Federico. The father hugged back and patted his back. When Troy broke the hug, he stood up to give Jack a hug too.

"I haven't offered any advice yet Alexander," Jack chuckled.

"I know but you're still going to give me that advice. You wouldn't help yourself. Plus, you're here, you suffered my rant. That's gotta prove something. Thanks dad."

"You're welcome son. Don't worry, this will be sorted out."

"I hope so dad. I really hope so," Troy sighed.

"Oh stop being so dramatic hijo. This will be solved in no time; I can tell you that," Federico said as he too stood up.

"So says the person who wasn't being dramatic a second ago. You kissed my daughter?!" Jack said as he mimicked Federico.

"Shut up Jack. You don't have a daughter, that's why. Troy, hijo, in the future, when you have a daughter, you'll understand what I did or am doing," Federico said clapping Troy's back.

"Whoa, pa! I'm still trying to figure out how to make Anne my girlfriend. The kids thing, please don't talk to me about that just yet. I'm still in high school. I'm not even a senior yet! So, okay?"

Federico and Jack laughed at Troy's considerably tomato red face. "Alright."