"That's all you guys did?" Quinn asks, excitedly.

"Yes. All we did was study." I confirm. We're sitting in the library while Quinn eats her lunch. I pull a granola bar out of my bag and take a bite.

Although I prefer not to eat anything, I'm coming dangerously close to an anorexic weight.

"I don't believe you."

"Well believe it. He just helped me study and I left. But guess who came to my house afterword."

"Who?"

"Drew." Quinn spits out her pasta.

"He came over after what happened on Saturday?" Quinn asks wide eyed.

"Yeah. It was weird. We acted like that never happened. But..." I trail off.

"But what?"

"I think he knows." I say nervously twisting my hair around my finger.

"Knows what?"

"I think he knows about my eating habits."

"What?"

"I had to lie to Nina right in front of him and I tried to play it off like I don't like pasta but who the hell doesn't like pasta?"

"That's true. But don't worry about it. Boys are stupid, he probebly didn't catch on."

"Yeah." Just then the bell rings.

"Well, see you later Ash." Quinn comes around the table and gives me a hug.

"Later."

□

I park my car in front of my house and go up to the front door. If I'm fast I might be able to get a workout in before Dad comes home. I open the front door and am surprised to see that all our living room furniture has been moved out of the room.

All the lights are off except for a single spotlight on a chair in the middle of the room. The back is facing me so I don't know if anyone's sitting in it.

All of a sudden eerie music starts playing and the chair slowly spins around. I let out a laugh when I see that my dad is the one sitting in the chair. He has his fingers twitching in front of him in a doctor evil kind of way.

"I have been expecting you." He says in a dark voice.

"And I, you." I play along.

"Get over here kiddo." I go across the room and embrace my dad.

"Did you set this up just for me?" I laugh.

"Obviously. What else would I have done while waiting for you?"

"That's very true."

"Go change Ashley, I'm taking you out for dinner."

"Dad it's like three in the afternoon." I counter.

"I know. Think of it as a late lunch then."

Then I remembered something.

"Hey Dad, what about your surprise?"

"Go change, Ashley. Patience is key."

I give up on stalling and run up to my room to change.

In my room I straighten my hair and apply some makeup. I slip off my school clothes and put on a sundress that is cream on the top and blue with flowers on the bottom.

I come back downstairs to see a bunch of guys moving our furniture back in.

"Hello, Ashley." One of them says. I give a wave and leave to wander around the house looking for Dad.

"No, Hally, I can't do an interview tonight. I'm spending time with my daughter." I hear him say from a closed door. "Okay, then in the morning." Great to know he can spend one night with me out of his two day trip to see me. I hear him start moving around in the room and quickly run into the living room.

He comes around the corner dressed in dark jeans and a leather jacket.

"Ready?" He asks.

"Absolutely." He grins and comes over to me wrapping his arm around my shoulder.

"I've really missed you, kiddo."

"Same here, Dad."

□

"Mathew Roberts." Dad says to the lady behind the counter.

"Right this way." The lady comes out from behind the desk and motions for us to follow even though there's plenty of people waiting in line in front of us.

On our way to our table we get plenty of looks from people as they recognize who Dad is.

"This is your table. Your server will be right out shortly," the lady says. Dad flashes her an award winning smile as she leaves.

"So how is everything?" Dad asks.

"Just dandy."

"Is there anything you want to tell me?" He probes.

"Not that I can think of." I answer, confused. What is he referring to? God, I hope he didn't see the picture of Zack and I. He pulls out his phone and my heart rate picks up. The smile stays on his face as he shows me a picture. It's not of Zack and I which is a relief but it's not a good picture either.

It's a snap of Drew and I yesterday leaving my house to go to take pictures. The caption says "Who's Ashley's New Boyfriend?"

"Care to enlighten me on your new boyfriend?" Dad asks with a smile.

One of the problems of not having a mother is I can't talk to her about these kinds of things. When I first got my period, Nina wasn't home and so I had to have my Dad drive me to the store. It was beyond awkward. Same thing goes for boys. It's just not a conversation you want to have with your dad.

"Dad, he's not my boyfriend. We were partnered for an assignment for photography and we had to go get pictures taken." I explain.

"Uh huh." Sometimes I swear Quinn and Dad are the same person.

"Dad he's not my-"

"Hi, my name is Alicia and- Wait are you Mathew Roberts?" The waitress asks. I roll my eyes.

"That I am." Dad answers.

"Oh my gosh. My husband and I are big fans. Wow I can't believe you're right here. Okay, I'm sorry. What can I get you to drink today?"

"I'll just take a coke." Dad says with a laugh. He's used to all the attention and popularity that comes with being the freaking best actor of our time.

"And you?" She asks me with a little less excitement.

"Just a water." She nods and skips away.

I turn back to Dad who's on his phone. "So what's the surprise?"

"The what?"

"Dad." I tap his arm to get his attention. "The surprise. That you told me about."

"And here you are." The waitress puts our drinks on the table. "And what can I get you to eat?" I haven't even looked at the menu yet.

"I'll just take a steak." Dad says, still looking at his phone.

"And I'll take a garden salad. Vinegar, not ranch." I'm not actually planning on eating this salad but I can't just not order anything. She leaves again and I tap on Dad's arm again. He finally looks up.

"Right, surprise! So I don't exactly know how to tell you." Dad starts.

"You're scaring me," I say nervously.

"No, it's nothing bad. It's just, uh, I have a new girlfriend." I spit out the water I was just drinking. HE GOT A NEW GIRLFRIEND?!

Dad is always trying to date again and when I was younger I would try to sabotage them. In my teen years, now, I just ignore them and hope they get the hint.

I can never stand the idea of my Dad loving someone besides my mom. The worst part is sometimes he dates just for the media and it annoys the crap out of me.

"Speak Ashley. You look mental right now." I zone back into the restaurant and realize I'm not breathing. I suck in some air and stare at my father.

"Why?" I manage to choke out.

"Once you meet her I know you'll love her. She's so fun and sweet and kind and-"

"Stop. Please. I get it." I interrupt. He can say what he wants but I will never like her. She will never be my mother.

"Kid, she's at the house as we speak, but I wanted to let you know first before we headed home."

"She's at our house?"

"Well, yeah. She's not going to stay in a hotel." Right. "You're taking this surprisingly well." Dad says curiously while watching me. I tug a smile over my face and nod at Dad.

"I'm fine. I think I just need some air." I stand up and leave the restaurant just as the waitress brings our meal.