“cute.” Rappers who sang about getting laid and getting high regarded him as a mascot, and he had been photographed holding glass pipes and various guns.
It was clear that Jonathan looked up to this older kid for having the balls to t ell the world to go fuck itself, especially since he felt helpless over his own situation.
Elise, as it would seem, was still trying to win her son’s favor by allowing him to make the decision for himself. She apparently didn’t want to risk being “the bad guy” by telling him no, like his father would have done. She even bought him his own cell phone, which his father had refused to do. This fueled Jonathan’s interest in the poisonous alliance. Being friends with Justin killed two birds for Jonathan. One, he could get back at his dad by publicly aligning himself with a problem child Drew couldn’t stand. Two, he could prove once and for all Elise was unfit, and unable to protect him from such disastrous choices.
Whether he was trying to get himself removed from his mother’s sole custody – or the Fullerton family entirely – Justin provided a bang-up way to shake up the status quo. So w hat better way to get back at both of his parents than to embarrass them at a very public soiree bound to be covered by every news outlet from Hollywood to Washington?
I knew that Drew would never allow Justin to attend the party, though I was pretty sure at least one of his parents made the VIP guest list, just to secure their high-dollar donation. From what I understood of the rebel without a clue, I suspected that Justin would find a way to make a scene anyway, especially now that he had the perfect pawn to work on the inside.
I finally agreed to go to the party, not because of Alex’s wild conspiracy theories but because of Jonathan’s threat. I checked out Justin’s Twitter, which alluded to something “big” that would happen to the fat cats who wanted to run the show for money and for power.
Although Jonathan had developed this gruff exterior that was too cool for school, I could see his eyes light up when I sat him down that Thursday and told him we had decided to attend the party. “But,” I said holding up one finger. “You have to be on your best behavior. The only way you can keep coming here to learn is if you cooperate with your family instead of work against them. If you have any plans to embarrass your father or punish your mother, it’ll prove to the courts that the current situation is not working and they’ll have to find another, less preferable option. You think things are out of control now, just wait until you become a ward of the courts.”
I could see the gears turn as he mulled over my proposition. “Fine,” he agreed.
My eyebrow arched. “Pinky swear?”
He stared at my hand for a long moment before he finally relented. “Pinky swear.”
“Good,” I confirmed, before giving h im his assignments for the day, which included a folder of other assignments he had previously ignored completely or half-assed and failed. He didn’t utter one objection as he took the folder and started to work quietly at the other desk in the library. He had so much to do that he ended up taking the folder home with him, which I figured would keep him out of trouble somewhat by keeping him away from Justin.
Alex toasted me with his cup of hot tea as we sat together in the family room, watching a bit of TV before turning in for the evening. “You truly do work miracles,” he complimented.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” I warned. “The party isn’t over yet. Which reminds me,” I segued as I turned to face him, “I expect you to be on your best behavior, too.”
He held a hand to his chest in mock outrage. “ Moi ?” he asked.
“Yes, vous ,” I said. “You have to model behavior for Jonathan. If you make a battle out of everything, he’ll learn to do the same. Is that what you want?”
“I want him to stand up for himself,” he
It was clear that Jonathan looked up to this older kid for having the balls to t ell the world to go fuck itself, especially since he felt helpless over his own situation.
Elise, as it would seem, was still trying to win her son’s favor by allowing him to make the decision for himself. She apparently didn’t want to risk being “the bad guy” by telling him no, like his father would have done. She even bought him his own cell phone, which his father had refused to do. This fueled Jonathan’s interest in the poisonous alliance. Being friends with Justin killed two birds for Jonathan. One, he could get back at his dad by publicly aligning himself with a problem child Drew couldn’t stand. Two, he could prove once and for all Elise was unfit, and unable to protect him from such disastrous choices.
Whether he was trying to get himself removed from his mother’s sole custody – or the Fullerton family entirely – Justin provided a bang-up way to shake up the status quo. So w hat better way to get back at both of his parents than to embarrass them at a very public soiree bound to be covered by every news outlet from Hollywood to Washington?
I knew that Drew would never allow Justin to attend the party, though I was pretty sure at least one of his parents made the VIP guest list, just to secure their high-dollar donation. From what I understood of the rebel without a clue, I suspected that Justin would find a way to make a scene anyway, especially now that he had the perfect pawn to work on the inside.
I finally agreed to go to the party, not because of Alex’s wild conspiracy theories but because of Jonathan’s threat. I checked out Justin’s Twitter, which alluded to something “big” that would happen to the fat cats who wanted to run the show for money and for power.
Although Jonathan had developed this gruff exterior that was too cool for school, I could see his eyes light up when I sat him down that Thursday and told him we had decided to attend the party. “But,” I said holding up one finger. “You have to be on your best behavior. The only way you can keep coming here to learn is if you cooperate with your family instead of work against them. If you have any plans to embarrass your father or punish your mother, it’ll prove to the courts that the current situation is not working and they’ll have to find another, less preferable option. You think things are out of control now, just wait until you become a ward of the courts.”
I could see the gears turn as he mulled over my proposition. “Fine,” he agreed.
My eyebrow arched. “Pinky swear?”
He stared at my hand for a long moment before he finally relented. “Pinky swear.”
“Good,” I confirmed, before giving h im his assignments for the day, which included a folder of other assignments he had previously ignored completely or half-assed and failed. He didn’t utter one objection as he took the folder and started to work quietly at the other desk in the library. He had so much to do that he ended up taking the folder home with him, which I figured would keep him out of trouble somewhat by keeping him away from Justin.
Alex toasted me with his cup of hot tea as we sat together in the family room, watching a bit of TV before turning in for the evening. “You truly do work miracles,” he complimented.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” I warned. “The party isn’t over yet. Which reminds me,” I segued as I turned to face him, “I expect you to be on your best behavior, too.”
He held a hand to his chest in mock outrage. “ Moi ?” he asked.
“Yes, vous ,” I said. “You have to model behavior for Jonathan. If you make a battle out of everything, he’ll learn to do the same. Is that what you want?”
“I want him to stand up for himself,” he
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