Sorry I took so long to get this chapter up! I've been so busy until now. I didn't get the time I would have liked to edit this but hopefully I can start on the next chapter once I get back from vacation! Again, I am so so sorry for the wait, hopefully you enjoy the chapter!

And thank you to those of you who continue to read, favourite, follow and review this story! You are my motivation :)

Chapter 16: How It Ended

"But how…?" I trailed off. It made no sense. Dwayne was colour blind, essentially crushing his dream of ever being able to fly. There was no way he could get into flight school. What in hell was his dad on about?

"I honestly don't know," he sighs. "I didn't think it was possible but maybe he found a way… I don't think so though. It just doesn't seem possible. That bastard."

"Maybe you could give him a chance. I mean he is your father after all," I said trying to offer some advice. I didn't want to see Dwayne snuff his father just because of hard feelings. Maybe he had really changed. I didn't know much about this man, as Dwayne had never really talked about him.

Dwayne just sat there looking sullenly at the dirt in front of him. I knew it would be difficult to cheer him up but at least I would try.

I leaned in and planted a soft and lingering kiss on his lips. This softened his scowl, as he smiled into my lips.

"I don't know what I'd do without you Emily."

I smiled up at him, his usually harsh features were soft as he gazed at me.

"I guess we should get going, everyone is really worried about you Dwayne."

I pulled him to his feet and we started back towards home. He looped his arm around my waist, as we casually found our way down the sidewalk, making our way back to our street.

"Hey Emily, I want you to come inside with me," he said once we reached our neighbouring houses. "I don't think I can bare to be alone right now."

"Sure," I agreed as he led me inside the Hoover residence. I expected to find Dwayne's father inside but instead we were with greeted with an emotional Sheryl.

"Oh Dwayne," she said hugging him. "We were worried."

"Hey, mom. It's okay," he said trying to reassure her, as he pulled himself away from her embrace.

"Oh thank you Emily," she said, giving me a warm hug. "Dwayne, your father's not here right now, thank god. He's gone for the moment, I don't know where but he's probably at his motel or whatnot. He might be back later this evening. I know no idea with that man."
We were left alone in the hallways as Sheryl left to go back to whatever she had been doing before we arrived. Frank popped his head out of his bedroom besides Dwayne's.

"Glad you cared to join us," he smirked at Dwayne, who brushed off the comment.

Once we were alone in each other's company again, we stood there awkwardly. Finally I met his gaze.

We stared awkwardly at each other for a moment, before Dwayne averted his gaze and pulled me towards his bedroom. He quietly shut the door behind us.

I walked over to his bed, and perched myself on the edge.

"Dwayne," I said. "I know this is hard for you, but just remember you're not alone."

He slowly walked over and sat down beside me, pulling me into a tight hug. He buried his face in my thick hair.

"What did I ever do to deserve you? You're too good for someone like me."

"Dwayne," I said in a serious tone, while flopping back to lie down on his bed. "You're a great person and you really have to stop doubting that. You're different from other people both inside and out. And that's because you care. You're actually genuine and you mean what you say. You aren't fake like everyone else."

Dwayne didn't say anything. Instead he pulled me close, holding me in a tight hug.

I nestled into his warm chest. We stayed that way, cuddling for a long time. We only broke apart at the noise of the front door slamming.

"That must be my father," Dwayne growled, sitting up.

I placed a soft hand on his shoulder.

"Just be civil with him Dwayne. Maybe things won't be so bad then," I tried to suggest.

Slowly, I followed Dwayne out into the hallway. We came upon a man sitting in living room, completely sprawled out like he owned the place. Sheryl was standing anxiously in the doorway, wringing her wrists. The rest of the family was nowhere to be found.

"Oh Dwayne," Sheryl almost cried. "Why don't you… uh introduce Emily to your father. I have… something to do."

Mrs. Hoover hurried from the room, leaving Dwayne and I alone with his father.

"So this is your girlfriend huh?" the man asked Dwayne, completely ignoring me. Dwayne merely gave a slight nod of his head. Hiding his stormy eyes behind his dark bangs. "I didn't think someone like you could get a girl. But maybe she doesn't have high standards, you know."
I let out a small huff at this, indignant at the way this man was acting.

The two continued to talk, Dwayne's father never short of ungracious side comments, especially towards me; no wonder the boy didn't care for his own father, he was a downright pig!

Finally the topic that had been clouding Dwayne's mind came up.

"So have you thought anymore about flight school Dwayne?"
"I really don't know," Dwayne answered honestly.

"Well it's your dream, isn't it kid? I guarantee I could wriggle a way in for you. You'd just have to come live with ol' me. But you wouldn't mind spending some time with me would ya?"

He continued, since Dwayne remained silent. Turning towards me, and addressing me for the first time, he asked:
"You wouldn't mind me having Dwayne for a while?"

I couldn't take it anymore. This man had pushed me to the end of my rope. I got up and stormed out of the Hoover residence, but not before I heard him say:

"What's her problem?" in his same sleezy voice.

I wasn't able to hear Dwayne's reply though, as I had already shut the door behind me and was running across the lawn.

I couldn't believe that someone could be so awful, especially to their own kin. It made me feel sick to my stomach.

I stayed in my room the rest of the day. That evening I decided to work on some sketches. I sat trying to perfect my latest drawing but gave up frustrated with it.

I flipped through my past drawings, finally looking over the one I had drawn of Dwayne in our hide-out at sunset. It then hit me that Dwayne had not stopped by at all to see how I was after storming out, he hadn't even called. He was not a very vocal person, but he was one to reach out to those he cared for.

I went over the next day to see Dwayne, but Sheryl answered the door saying that he had gone out with his father but that she would tell him I had been round. I figured he had gone out with his dad as common courtesy.

Dwayne didn't come by later though, and over the course of the next few weeks we didn't see much of each other. When we did, we never talked about his dad at all.

Dwayne seemed to be becoming more and more distant from me.

xXx

School had begun again, and the first week back was as stressing and hectic as ever. Already the teachers were loading on the workload, as it would be our final year of high school.

One day after school I was hanging out with Dwayne at his house. We were sitting on the edge of his bed, each flipping through a book and sketchbook respectively, when I finally decided to broach the subject of his father.

"So how are things with your dad?" I tried to say as casually as I could.

"Oh Terry? Things are great," Dwayne replied nonchalantly.

"Ok…" I said in a small voice.

Dwayne reached over, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. He leaned in and pressed his lips against mine. As much as I just wanted to give in, I pushed him away.

"What?" he said before finally clueing in to what was bothering me.

"Look I apologize for him acting like a dick that day but he's not that bad ok?"
"Ok," I replied with a sigh, turning my head to face him again.

Straight away, his lips were glued to mine. He pulled me back with him so we were lying side by side on the bed. One arm snaked around my waist, pulling me tightly against him while the other cupped my cheek. His lips worked against mine, as he slipped his tongue into my mouth.

Soon he had thrown his shirt off and was pulling my own off. It was so hard not to resist. Even though I was upset with Dwayne for trusting this asshole, I still loved him so strongly.

"Dwayne," I said, struggling to push him away. "Stop."

He pulled back, a hungry look in his eye that I had never seen before. "Is this about my dad again?" He continued before I got a chance to respond. "Well I gave the bastard a chance and he's not that bad once you get to know him."

He got up, standing away from the bed. I picked my shirt up off the floor and fumbled to put it back on.

"The few times I've been around him, he's seemed like a downright asshole. He doesn't care about anybody but himself!"
"Well maybe it'd be nice to have a father figure in my life for once! Just because some people's parents aren't divorced doesn't mean everyone's lives are perfect? I thought you would know that!" Dwayne yelled at me.

"That's not what I meant!" I cried. Before I could continue to explain though, Dwayne pointed a stiff hand at the door. He didn't need to say anything, I could tell his mood from his smoldering eyes.

xXx

That was the first fight I ever really had with Dwayne.

This year at school we didn't see much of each other anymore. The main change being that I ate lunch in the cafeteria with my friends instead.

We were starting to drift apart from each other, and I knew that we could only continue to grow further apart.

Thank you again for reading!

Let me know you thought of this chapter! It would be greatly appreciated! :) Hopefully I can get the next chapter up soon, but I know I won't be able to get to it during the next week sadly since I'll be without a computer

Anyways, I hope the wait was worth it for this chapter! Please let me know!