The Guy on the Left (The Underdogs, #2)(99)

Troy



The phone rings just as I get out of class, and I see Clarissa’s name and stop in the middle of the hall. She never calls anymore.

“Hey, everything okay?”

Silence on the other end of the line, followed by a sniffle, has me on high alert. “Clarissa?”

“Troy.” This cry is unlike anything I’ve ever heard. I make a beeline for my mom’s truck.

“I’m on my way. What happened?”

“I happened. I…j-just, I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

“Can…can you come over?”

“I’m coming. Is Dante okay?”

“Oh, he’s fine. I’m sorry if I worried you. I’m fine,” another sob. “I just…I’m sorry. I’m sorry…for so much.”

“Clarissa, you’re scaring me. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“You’re on your way?”

“Yes, I’ll be there in ten.”

“O-kay.” She sobs again, and my heart plummets as I speed toward her house.

Racing down the road, I wrack my brain for anything that could have happened, the panic inside me building. She keeps apologizing, but I can’t imagine what for, and it’s killing me inside. After an agonizing drive, I rush to her front door, feeling Theo’s eyes on my back as I knock sharply and then let myself inside. I find Clarissa at her kitchen table, a piece of paper in her hand. She looks over to me, her face soaked with tears before she sets the letter down on the table and turns to me, twisting her hands in front of her.

“Where’s Dante?”

“With your mother. They’ll be back in an hour or so.”

I reach her in two strides and pull her to me, wrapping my arms around her.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I just…Troy, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry for locking you out of his life. I’ve been admitting it to myself for months, but it’s time I admit it to you.” I keep her close, encircling her in my arms as she looks up at me with tears streaming down her cheeks. “I was wrong, so wrong to keep you away from him. I was so angry and terrified, but that’s no excuse. It was a huge mistake, and I’ll never be able to make it up to you.”

I shake my head. “No more apologies. I understand why you did it. I’m not saying it was right, but maybe it wasn’t wrong either. We’ve been back and forth over this. Why are you so upset?”

She turns back to the table and lifts the paper. “I was going through his folder, and I found this and…here.”

Hesitantly, I let her go and take the letter, my eyes burning when I see Dante’s handwriting and the first sentence.



I don have a daddy. But I have my naybor Troy. And he better than having a daddy. Because he my very best frend. He watches my videos. He plays XBox with me. He weres my merch. He give me choclates Mommy says I cant have. If I could have a Daddy I would pick Troy. But I don need one no more.



“This is,” I look up to Clarissa, whose eyes search mine as she nods and nods.

“He chose you.” A tear I can’t help slides down my face as she palms my cheeks. “He chose you no matter what his DNA is. He chooses you.”

“This is…thank you.”

“Keep it. It’s yours. He’s yours, no matter how much I’ve screwed it up. He’ll always be yours.” She sniffles again, and I pull her to me and wipe her tears away with my thumbs. “It’s okay, Clarissa. I’m not mad anymore. I’m not anything anymore. I just want us to be good.”

“Troy, it’s time.”

“Time?” My heart begins to pound.

“Past time to tell him. Just another thing to be sorry for.” She worries her lip. “I hope he forgives me.”

“He won’t even hold a grudge.”

“He’s half mine,” she grimaces through fear-filled eyes. “There’s a good chance he’s good at holding a grudge.”

I’m smiling like an idiot. “We really doing this?”

“Yes,” she wraps her arms around me and leans in and whispers in my ear. “I’m so glad it was you, Troy. I know I’ve led you to believe otherwise in the past, but I’m so glad it was you. You’re an amazing father.”

I pull her to me, the scent of her shampoo making breathing harder, but I ignore it and let the feel of her in. It’s been so long since I’ve had her this close. I ignore the bells going off and simply hold her, leaning in. “And I couldn’t want a better mother for my son.” When we separate, she’s smiling. “Can I be there when you tell him?”

“Yeah, of course. We should do this together.”

“This is special. I want this to be about the two of you.”

“I want you there. I’m nervous.”

“There’s no reason to be. He’s going to be over the moon.”

“Do you trust me to say the right thing?”

“Yeah, yeah, I do. I trust you, Troy. I really do.”

I sigh a breath of relief. “Thank you. What do you think I should say?”

She wipes beneath her eyes. “Whatever is in your heart.”