Page 122 of Love, Academically
“Oh for God’s sake, Dad!” Rhys shouted. “It doesn’t matter if she’s English! Christ, it wouldn’t matter if she was green or had no teeth, I’d still fucking love her.”
For once, Llewellyn Dallimore was lost for words. His mouth opened and closed like a sock puppet with no voice. Finally, he raised an arm to point at him, finger shaking with rage.
“Byddwch yn difaru hyn, bach,”You’ll regret this, boy.
“Dad, the only thing I regret is letting you dictate my life for so long.” And how he’d treated Lila, but he wasn’t about to open that little can of worms for his father. “Also, stop calling me fuckingbach.I amnota boy anymore and you don’t get to treat me like one.”
“You are a boy until I tell you otherwise, Rhys,” his father said. “I will cut you from this family.”
Rhys scoffed and shook his head.
“Dad, I hope you don’t do that, for Mam’s sake, but if that’s what you feel you have to do, fine.” Rhys put his hands back in his pockets. “I’m done with this discussion.”
“We are done with this discussion when Isaywe are done with this discussion.” His father’s voice shook with anger.
There was a knock at the open door.
“Um.” Lila stood there, mouth open in a little O, eyes wide in shock. “You’re very loud, and people are still here.”
“You,” his father seethed at her, his face puce.
Rhys was out from behind his desk and across the small office before his father could say anything else, placing himself in front of her.
“Tad,” he warned, this time in Welsh. “Ei amser i chi fynd.”It’s time for you to go.
Looking like he was about to explode, Llewellyn Dallimore sneered one more time at Rhys.
“You’re making the wrong choice,bach,” he said, pushing his way through the door and storming down the hallway.
Rhys watched him go, not regretting one little thing. In fact, his shoulders felt lighter than they had for an awfully long time.
Lila touched his arm gently and he turned to face her. God, she was beautiful.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
He actually was.
“Yeah, I am,” he said. “Why are you still here? Are you all right? I’m so sorry, my father is…” So many words, none of which would do him justice.
“He is, isn’t he?” she said, wringing her hands in front of her. “I stayed late because I wanted to come and talk to you, because the flowers are great but I don’t have any more vases at home and then your father came and you were both very loud and we could all hear. We could hear what he said, what you said.” She looked up at him through her lashes. “And I’m a bit flustered now, so I think I should probably go.”
But she didn’t make any move to leave.
“Lila, I’d obviously like to talk to you, but I’m not going to force you. Like I said, it’s your decision,” he said, rooting his feet to the floor, “but before you do go, can I just tell you a few things?”
She nodded, a pink blush high on her cheeks.
“I’ve realised that I need help to sort through all my emotions and I’ve started therapy because it’s unfair on you to be that sounding board for me.” He paused briefly before continuing, “and apparently, the blue moustache worked because the Professor Painter wants to introduce me around on the meet and greet evening, but I’m not going to go.”
“Wait, what?” she said, a frown creasing her forehead.
“It was a pin that my father put in the calendar. Professor Painter hinted strongly in his email that although they were impressed, I don’t have the body of work. Which I knew. I’ve withdrawn,” he said. “I’m not ready and I don’t want to put myself through the stress of it, nor do I want something I haven’t yet earned.”
“But Rhys…” she said, unsure of what she was supposed to say.
“I’ll apply again, but when I’m ready, not to prove something to someone else.” He started to reach for her, but held himself back.
“You’ve made me want to be a better person, Lila. You’ve shown me what it’s like to be happy.”
