Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 117 -

Neal.

When Becca left, my emotions rolled through me like a thunderstorm over a grassy field. I couldn't believe that I had acted the way that I did. She hadn't deserved it, and honestly, I felt nothing but remorse swelling through my body like an angry viper looking for a way out.

After everything that she had been through lately, and all the countless times I had stood by her side, I had never given her a reason to doubt me, to doubt my allegiance to her, to doubt the safety that she felt with me, until she found out the truth.

Even though she said she was okay, I saw it in her eyes, the resentment, the anger... and all of it because I couldn't be f*cking honest with her about who I was.

Sitting on the edge of my bed, I held my head in my hands. I had been foolish to think that I was someone that could be desired. Never had I been a man to care what other people thought. But when it came to Becca, I cared deeply. And that was because I was in love with her.

Without warning, my bedroom door flew open, and Allegra stood there with an angry scowl upon her face that quickly turned into a gentle, soft expression as she closed the door behind her. "Oh, Neal."

I didn't want pity from her, but it was obviously what she was going to give me whether I wanted it or not. "Llook, don't interfere. What's been done is done "

"Nothing is done, you idiot," she snapped at me, cutting me off mid-sentence before I could say anything else. "She asked, and that alone should speak volumes for how much she cares about you."

Coughing, I rolled my eyes and looked towards the window. The sea outside was slowly growing darker and darker as the sun set behind it. "How could she ever honestly care for someone like me, let alone trust me after the past, I explained to her?"

"I don't know. But she does, and that's all that matters," she replied, trying to make me see reason. "Now, put this pity party behind you, and go get showered. She is waiting for you in her room. The invitation she gave you wasn't for no reason."

Quickly shooting daggers in Allegra's direction, I narrowed my gaze. There was no way in hell that Becca wanted to see me after everything I had just told her. "That invitation wasn't an honest one. She was only saying that because she felt guilty."

"You're a complete f*cking idiot. You do realize that?" she snapped as she rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips. "I swear, sometimes I don't even know how you're related to me."

I didn't have time for Allegra's games, and as I stood, I stormed across the room, into the bathroom, and slammed the door. Hopefully, that was enough of a hint for her to take her leave. The last thing I wanted to do was have another argument. My emotional state couldn't handle it.

I was typically a strong-willed person, a man who never let his emotions take charge. But for some reason, Becca bringing up my past completely made all of that void, and I found myself unable to focus on anything other than how I had upset and disappointed her.

"Neal, I wish you would realize that she loves you in her own way. She loves you, and nothing you will ever do will ever stop her from loving you. Right now, she needs you. She can't have you fall apart when she's already lost so much."

I knew what Allegra was saying was true, but it didn't mean I agreed with her.

There was no way that I could get past the fact that Becca knew the side of me that I had kept hidden for so long. Letting a sigh escape me, I walked towards the shower and turned the water on, hoping that Allegra would get the hint to f*cking leave.

No matter how much she tried to be the comforting older sister, right now wasn't the time or place for it. Right now, I just wanted to be alone.

*****

James

A week passed since I had called Neal, and every moment that I sat trying to make my life normal in some essence in my apartment in Tokyo, I found myself losing control. Trying to pass the time, I spent a lot of it outdoors, wandering the city streets and even venturing deeper into the heart of Japanese culture.

I couldn't help but feel that I had walked into a completely different world here, a world where I was the alien that everyone stared at. It wasn't a bad thing, honestly. Most of the people were far kinder than those in the states. Everyone seemed to smile, and those who didn't seem to typically keep to themselves.

Which again... I was okay with it.

"America!" A soft voice called from across the street. Turning, I locked eyes with the mysterious woman from before and watched as her smile lit up her face while she made her way toward me.

"It's you?" I muttered, raising a brow.

"Yes, it's me. How did you like the food my mom made?"

The girl was very straight to the point with things, and I didn't want to be rude to her. "It was great. Thanks again for that."

"That's good. She will be happy to know that you liked it."

She was dressed in leggings and a white sweater with tennis shoes, so I couldn't help but notice how young she really was. For a girl that was in college, she barely looked older than fifteen. Yet, most of the women here looked like that. "I didn't get your name the other day. I'm Les."

"You can call me Sue." She laughed, "If I gave you my full name, you would never be able to pronounce it. Sue is what all my friends call me."

"Sue... I like it. Well, it's a pleasure to see you again, Sue. I'm just headed up to the market," I replied, watching as her eyes lit up.

"Oh! Me too! We can go together. Come on before they sell out of all the good stuff."

The girl was far more energetic than I would have cared for this early in the day, but I followed behind her, and she continued rambling on about different things that were going on in her life and what her mother needed to do that she couldn't replace help with.

"So your mother needs stuff fixed in her home?" I questioned what she was telling me.

"Yes, but there is no one to do it."

"Why doesn't she have the maintenance guy come do it? The one that looks after the apartments?" My question made her sad for a moment as her smile fell and her shoulders slowly sagged. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you." As her eyes met mine, she gave a small laugh and shook her head. "You didn't... the maintenance guy was my father. They haven't had luck replaceing anyone else to do it."

Guilt hit me as soon as she explained, and I felt like a complete asshole for even asking such a thing. "Oh, Sue... shit. I'm sorry. I didn't realize_"

"It's okay, it's okay. How could you? You only just moved in." She laughed again with a small smile. "I will replace someone eventually. Now come on, we need to get proper food in your house."

After thirty minutes of taking me from stall to stall, she was able to help me collect various amounts of vegetables and other items to stock my kitchen with. I couldn't help but admire her willingness to help those in need. She had a drive that most young women her own age didn't have, and it was refreshing to see that there were still people her age who wanted to do good in this world.

"Okay, I think the only thing left is fish," she stated cheerfully as she gestured for me to follow her.

"Fish? What kind of fish?"

Laughter escaped her again as she looked over her shoulder at me. "It's best you don't ask and just do. There are things we enjoy here to eat that you may not, and it's good, but if you know what it is, you won't want to try it." It made sense what she was saying, and as we approached the booth, my eyes set upon a mother carrying her newborn baby, and my heart all but shattered. That would be Becca in a few months, and I wouldn't be able to see it. Sue must have noticed my quick change in mood because her hand gently touched my arm, pulling me from my thoughts, and when I looked at her, she glanced between the woman and me and frowned. "Are you okay?" "Uh.. yeah. I'm fine."

"You don't look fine. Does that remind you of your daughter?" she whispered, trying not to make the conversation more awkward but failing miserably at it.

"It does, but it also reminds me of someone else. Someone close to me who will be giving birth in a few months, and unfortunately, I can't be there with her."

I wasn't sure why I had told her that, but there was a moment of hesitation before shock filled her face. "Is it your new girl?"

What was I honestly supposed to say?

I wasn't supposed to have mentioned anything of my previous life, but I guess, in a way, I didn't. "Yeah... she was."

Deciding not to press further, she quickly turned back to the task at hand and ordered food she thought I might like as well as doing her own shopping. Before I knew it, we were both headed back to the apartment, and as we were, something inside me perked up a sense of belonging that I needed to fill.

"Sue, if your mother needs help, tell her I would be more than happy to help her. It's the least I can do for both of you being so kind to me."

Sue's eyes widened in surprise before softening, and as they did, she nodded her head.

"I will let her know, and I will also write some recipes down in English for you so that you know how to cook your food. If you're going to make it here, you're going to have to learn."

The offer sounded good to me. It was an equal exchange of services, and I was grateful to have made a friend in this place. God knows I desperately needed it.