Dad

Really late A/N: I'm actually on the verge of tears rn guys... 20k views??? I just can't... have no words. I'm going to post this chapter for you guys since we've reached this amazing milestone!

*Maximus*

"I'm whipped and I don't know what to do about it, dad," I groaned into the phone.

It had been a few days since the Halloween party and I realized that Amy was becoming very important in my life... more important than before. My friends liked her, her friends liked me, my family loved her, her mother loved me (her father was very overprotective so I don't think he was even close to tolerating me) and I was in love with her. Had been for God knows how many years. She was just always on my mind and I couldn't find a way the get her out, not that I really wanted to.

It was just that we were in high school, a time where everything is weird and gross and just no, so the fact that I was dating someone and having serious feelings towards them just wasn't something that seemed smart to me. Not a lot of high school relationships last after graduation, and even if they do, they don't last too much longer after that. I'd met only one couple that has lasted that long, and it was Amy's parents, and we were a lot different from them.

What would I do if Amy left me? How would I go on?

I wouldn't. That was the answer, in case you were wondering. I wouldn't go on because I'd never love anyone again. I know that sounds dramatic, and it probably is, but Amy was my one and only. She was the one I wanted to have kids with, grow old, and die with. She was my Juliet, yet I was no Romeo. She was it for me, she was what I wanted, what I needed, the reason why my heart beat.

"How do you feel about this girl, eh? Other than 'whipped'." My dad wondered.

I sighed. "La amo," (I love her.)

"Allora dille!" He exclaimed loudly. (Then tell her!)

"Sei pazzo? Lei mi lascerà." (Are you crazy? She'll leave me.)

"I don't remember raising a wimp! You've won every one of your boxing matches yet here you are scared of telling your tiny ass girlfriend that you love her. The girl is a sweetheart, of course she wouldn't leave you. She wouldn't stick with you this long if she didn't love you." He chuckled. "Besides, your mother hated me when we first met. It took her a while to love me, months after I confessed my love for her. A bunch of couples have someone confess before the other, doesn't mean they have to break up."

I sighed. "But I don't know when to tell her. It might be too soon to tell her anyway."

"How long have you liked this girl?" He asked rhetorically. I blushed, and even though he couldn't see me, I knew he knew. "Exactly. You're blushing, I can feel it through the phone. You know what-" he was interrupted by the doorbell.

"Hold that lecture- I mean- thought, dad. I've got to get the door."

Everyone was out somewhere. My mom, Audrey, and the girls were out to a movie, Alexander was out with Austin and his friends, and the twins were too busy in their room, doing God knows what. So I took it as my responsibility to get the door, even though Ainsley's usually the one who did that. Though I don't think she was supposed to.

Once I opened the door, I was ready to see Alexander or a package but instead got a huge surprise.

"Don't freak out or else everyone will know I'm here," my dad said as he put a hand in my mouth.

I just stood there with wide eyes for a few seconds before jumping up like a little girl and hugging him. Yes, imagine that; a scary-looking six-foot five inches tall Italian boxer jumping up and down like a little kid on Christmas.

I must've looked so stupid.

"What are you doing here?!" I whisper-yelled.

He shrugged. "It ended early. Now, where is the rest of my amazing family?"

I rolled my eyes. "Not here, dad. All of them had better things to do than hang out at the house."

He chuckled. "Perfect. Then I can surprise them with food! Everyone likes food."

I nodded. "That's true. Anyway, how was Italy?" I wondered as I followed him to the kitchen.

"Amazing, Breaker. Where's that pretty girlfriend of yours though, ah? Did she already leave you like you said she would?" He teased.

I rolled my eyes. "She's at dance rehearsal, dad. She isn't going to be with me today." I frowned at the thought of not being with Amy. See what I mean? I'd never felt like that for anyone yet there I was, feeling like that for Amy.

"You look like me when I found out your mother lived in America. Anyway, invite her over, ah? I'd love to see her. She's made my Breaker so happy."

I blushed. "You make me sound like a lovesick puppy."

"If the shoe fits, mio figlio," he muttered. (My son).

I huffed in annoyance before walking over and sitting at the counter. "What are you going to make?"

"Non lo so ancora." (I don't know yet).

"Hey Max! Where's Mom and Audrey?! I need them for something," Ethan called as he walked into the kitchen.

"Ciao a tutti, Tesoro," My dad greeted nonchalantly. (Hello there, Treasure).

Ethan paused in his tracks with wide eyes, staring at my dad like he was crazy. After a good ten seconds, he smiled widely and sprinted into my dad's open arms.

"Papa!" He cheered happily.

"Tesoro!" My dad cheered back.

"Ethan?! Did you find Mom and Audrey ye-" Noah stopped his sentence when he saw my dad hugging Ethan in the kitchen. "Papa?!" He wondered.

"Angelo!" My dad yelled happily. (Angel).

If you guys were wondering, my dad has nicknames for everyone in the family. I was Breaker, since I'd been breaking and smashing stuff since I was little. Audrey was Stellina, which meant "star" because he said that she brightened up his life when she was first born. Alexander was Cucciolo, which meant "puppy" because he always followed someone around when he was little.

Then there was the twins.

Their names were special because my dad wanted them to know that they really were part of the family to him. Ethan was Treasure because he was like a special little treasure he and my mother found when they wanted to adopt. Noah was Angel because he was a little angel from above, since they were only expecting to adopt one but couldn't pass him up.

Ainsley was Firecracker because of her red hair and her attitude. She'd always been sassy and energetic since she was born, basically. Noelani was Little Noah because she loved Noah so much and her name had "Noah" in it (which my parents did on accident). She used to hug him all the time, tell him all of her secrets, make him the best gifts on his birthday and Christmas, and try to copy the way he dressed and acted. She grew out of it a little bit but she still favored him over all of us. My mom's nicknames was Love or "amore" because he loves her, obviously.

So yeah, that's all of our nicknames.

"Why are you here?" Ethan asked as both him and Noah pulled away from their long hug.

"It ended early. Now I'm going to make you all a big feast! Oh, and don't tell anyone else, especially your mother, okay?"

"Why?" Noah wondered.

"Do you not know how surprises work?" My dad asked sarcastically. "Now, leave me so I can make the food, ah? That includes you, Breaker." He pointed to me and gave me a certain look that said "I love you but leave."

We all nodded to our father before leaving the kitchen. Once we were in the living room, I stopped the twins from walking up to their room.

"What did you need Mom and Audrey for?" I wondered.

They both shrugged. "Twelve-year-old guy stuff. You wouldn't get it," Noah said vaguely.

"I was twelve once, you guys know that, right?"

"In 2014, sure. Back then YouTube was a happy place without, like, any drama. Get with the times, bro. Life was different back then," Ethan said in a tone that sounded like he was talking to a five-year-old.

"Okay... fine then."

~<~<~<

"Mommy! I thought you said I could have it?!" A high-pitched, and very familiar voice whined from the front door. I quickly rushed from my spot on the couch, only to see Ainsley being dragged in by my mother's arm and Audrey carrying a sleeping Noelani on her back.

"Why did I decide to spend an entire day with you?" My mother growled angrily as she plucked my sister off her arm. "You whine way to damn much!"

Ainsley stopped in her tracks with teary eyes and a small pout. "I thought you loved me!" She whimpered as she started to cry.

I sighed. That girl was an emotional rollercoaster and she wasn't even going through puberty yet.

"Honey, don't cry. I do love you, I promise. Mommy's just really stressed right now with taking care of all of you, okay? It doesn't mean I don't love you," my mother cooed as she bent down and picked Ainsley up.

Ainsley sniffled and wiped her tears. "Are you sure, mama?"

My mom chuckled. "Of course I'm sure." She then turned to me and winked. "Do you wanna ask Max a million, just to make sure? You know he'd never lie to you."

I chuckled and walked over to Ainsley and my mom. I kissed my mother's cheek while taking Ainsley from her. Ainsley took my sleeve in her hand and wiped her eyes with it before hugging me around my neck.

"Perché il mio piccolo Firecracker piange?" My dad wondered as he walked out from the kitchen. (Why is my little Firecracker crying?)

All of the girls gasped loudly in surprise. Ainsley was the first to run towards him, though, as she jumped from my arms and tackled him in a hug. Noelani was next when she jumped off of Audrey, Audrey soon following after her. My mother though, she just stood there with a shocked face. Dad hugged and kissed his daughters with a happy smile before sending them off the kitchen so they could see the food. The twins had already come down when they heard the cheers, because for them that meant food.

Oh, and Alexander came up too. He had come back about twenty minutes after my father came.

Once the girls were in the kitchen, my dad turned to my mother with so much love in his eyes, I decided that they forgot I was in the room. I quickly walked out before I could see anything I didn't want to, and made my way to the kitchen. Noelani was already playing with Noah while Audrey and Ainsley were fighting with Ethan about something, and Andy just sat there waiting for his food. I just shrugged at whatever it was they were arguing about and sat down at the table, waiting for mom and dad to come in. After a few minutes they came in, hand-in-hand, and it made me wonder how my mother stood up to my father all those years go.

My dad was extremely tall, hence why all of his children were, but I wasn't even as tall as he was. He was a whopping six-foot seven, towering over pretty much everyone I knew. He was quite the giant, I'll tell you that. And the weird part was, my grandparents were very short. My grandpa was very tiny, only five-foot five, while my grandma was five-foot three. What's weird though, really weird, was both of my grandparents parents, were tall. They were the tiny ones of their family, since they had several brothers and sisters. My dad always made fun of my grandpa for being so short, but that little man could really pack a punch, I'll tell you that. He's really where my family gets their fighting spirit, even if he is shorter than his grandsons.

Anyway, when my parents came into the kitchen everyone settled down. My mother helped my father, much to his protests, hand out all of our food. Once everyone had their food, we all dug into my father's amazing pasta. We talked, teased, and laughed with each other. My father had been gone for two months yet he was caught up with our lives in twenty minutes. It was an amazing dinner and it was absolutely perfect. We hung out for hours, just enjoying each other's company. Just as we were cleaning up, though, I got a call from Xander.

"Hey man, what's u-" he quickly interrupted me.

"Amy's in the hospital, man. She was in a car accident," he sounded frantic and like she was rushing.

I froze. Completely paralyzed. I couldn't move a muscle if I tried. Everything around me stopped and the whole world turned into a haze. I couldn't tell what was going on around me. But this only lasted for a second before I heard the news that made me move.

"We don't know if she'll make it."

Okay..... welp. You all hate me, don't you? That's okay, because we have 8K reads?! I pre-write chapters so it might even be higher this time. Oh! And I wanted to dedicate this chapter to choumamiki for writing such amazing comments. You are honestly so sweet and kind. Thank you so much for saying that I deserve a million reads on my story! I'm happy that one person is reading it, let alone 8K! Also, I would like to say that you guys can send me covers on my Instagram, which is @caitywash06. I need more covers anyway...

That's enough of me, I'll just continue writing so I don't leave you guys on a huge wait for the next chapter!