#ryder;

Babysitting wasn’t exactly Oliver’s forte. He didn’t know the first thing about what this kid wanted or needed, let alone how he was supposed to communicate with a four year old girl who had no idea who he was. To her, he was just some bloke her mum had invited round to look after her, but the truth was so much more in depth than that. He was her father, but Oli had only found out a week or so ago and they hadn’t even thought of telling Elisa yet. She was only four, she wouldn’t understand. She wouldn’t understand the concept of a one night stand or what it meant for her mother to have slept with someone at 16 and nine months later have a child to care for, without ever knowing or telling the father. Oli had been none the wiser until he had moved in to the new apartment complex where she just so happened to be living, and, more accurately, into the apartment across the hall from Sally’s own. Typical.

Elisa was too busy playing with her barbies for the most part anyway. She was quite content putting them in the car and driving them off to go shopping and then taking them back home for dinner, or whatever it was she was doing. At the start, Oli had joined in with her games but she’d quickly shut him down when he tried to put Barbie in her car when it was apparently time for bed, and the young girl had told him he wasn’t allowed to play any more. He had found her little outburst of pouting to be quite comical, and even more so when ten minutes later she came cuddling up to him telling him how sorry she was for being mean. The kid was raised well, he couldn’t deny that.

Pulling his phone out from his pocket, he decided he’d give his best friend a call to see if he wanted to come over for a beer while he kept an eye on Elisa, just so that he had some company he could actually talk to.

“Ry, mate. What ya up to? Wanna come over fer a drink or summat?”

“Oh.. Hi Oli. I’ve uh- I’ve got a date tonight mate, sorry.”

Oh. A date. Why the fuck was everyone going on bloody dates all of a sudden, and why was Oli the one left on his own? That wasn’t how things worked, Oli was never left alone, he always had a girl on his arm or at least one lined up for the next night. But now, his best friend and the mother of his child who he was rapidly developing a crush on both had other plans. Well, that was karma for you.

“A date? With who?” He asked, confused.

“Er, her name’s Sally. Met her in a bar the other week.”

Well fuck. Now it made sense. Oli didn’t really know how to react. He had no right to be angry whatsoever, but at the same time he wasn’t particularly pleased either. Surely, as the father of their child, he should have the ability to ask her on a date before anyone else did — the chance to make a proper family out of their mismatched existences. He wasn’t sure if the long term was for him, but he should least have the chance, right?

“Alright.. Have fun.” Cue the heavy sigh.

“You okay mate?” Ryder’s voiced sounded concerned.

“Yeah, I’m fine. See you.”

Click. The phone was put down, and with it, Oli slumped down onto the sofa. Elisa seemed to sense the change in the boy’s mood, and she climbed up on the sofa and sat next to him, holding out a Barbie doll for him.

“You can play.” She spoke softly, smile on her face.

Yeah, maybe he should play. Take his mind off the weird feeling of almost heartache that he was feeling. Not that he would ever admit that of course, but he knew it in his heart that it was exactly what he was feeling.