Hiya Peeps! I just wanted to say that I edited the last chapter. Instead of telling Shanks the truth as to why they were late, Luffy just asks for Shanks to let them off with a warning. I also made it seem like Nami is a lot more saddened about breaking up with Arlong. I've also decided that everyone is now a senior. Thanks for reading, and enjoy the story!

♚♛♚♛

Once me and Shanks got in the car to drive home, he questioned me about earlier.

"Tell me the truth, Luffy. Why were you really late today?"

"I'm sorry, dad. I can't tell you."

"Luffy if you d don't tell me right now you're grounded."

"I can't tell you. It's about Nami, and I don't think she'd be happy if I told you." The car lurches. Dad grabs the steering wheel tightly. I can see the flame in his eyes. He doesn't believe me. He knows I'm a bad liar, and he still doesn't believe me.

"What do you think I was doing? Smoking? Drinking? Yeah, I was getting high in the courtyard, at school, where anyone could've caught, and arrested me." I say while throwing my hands in the air, signaling that even the thought of that is unreasonable.

"Just tell me the truth, dammit!" He yells while hitting the steering wheel. I still can't understand what he's thinking. I can't help but think he doesn't trust me. I've always considered him to be the kind of father who always believed in me. Believed me.

I'd like to say that with what happened to Ace, I can understand why he's on edge about everything, but I can't. It's like he's there, but he's not. Sometimes he's the guy he was before Ace died, and sometimes I think I'm in another foster home, with completely different people.

♚♛♚♛

Once we get home from a silent car ride, he walks straight to the fridge for a beer. I walk straight to my room, not saying a word. Words can't describe the way I feel.

I lay on my bed and stare at the ceiling. I've become aware that I've changed since Ace died. Everyone had made it painfully clear. They tried to pretend I was the sane person, but everyone knew I'd changed. I kept impulsively saying and doing things out of instinct. I always regretted them, but couldn't take them back.

Nami was the only one who understood. She's lost people important to her. She knows how it feels to be so overwhelmed by loss that it takes control of you.

I've chosen to believe that's what's happened to dad. He keeps snapping. It's like he's running on an inch long fuse and whenever he explodes the fuse gets shorter. It's hard to make excuses for someone when they keep doing the same thing over and over again. I guess that's how my friends felt, or still feel.

My thoughts are interpreted when Shanks walks in the room.

"This is your last chance to tell me where you were." His voice is flat, signaling that he's not playing games anymore.

"I was making out with Nami. Is that what you wanted to hear? Because that's not what happened. Nothing happened. We didn't do anything. We talked. And talked. And talked. And talked. Nothing else. I don't understand why you don't believe me. Do you not trust me?"

"Luffy, I do trust you. I don't trust her." He said, looking down. I could feel the venom dripping off his voice when he said those words. Sadly, I understand why he doesn't trust her. None of the teachers in our school have met Nami's parents. She told me, Zoro, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, and Franky about what happened when we kept asking her about it. All she said was that her mom was a single parent who died when she was young. We don't know where she lives, or how she takes care of her sister.

"Why do you need to meet someone's parents to trust them?" He looked down, probably realizing his mistake.

"Whatever. Dinner will be ready soon." He said it so quietly I almost didn't hear it. I can't believe it. He's letting it go because he doesn't want to explain. Once he leaves and closes the door, I turn onto my stomach and scream into my pillow. I've never felt so much like I don't matter. He basically brushed me off, walked away, and insulted my friend, in a matter of minutes. I lie on my side, facing away from the door and fall asleep.

♚♛♚♛