for the door, the car starts. I hesitate. I’d like to think she won’t pull away, but I’ve seen others do it and it always makes her laugh so maybe this time she’s thinking she’d try it with me.
I open the door and jump in, causing her to laugh. I start laughing, which eases the tension in the car. She pulls out and heads to my parents. The quick drive seems to happen so much faster. I’m dreading the mo ment I walk in and hope that only my mom is home. When she turns onto my dirt road, I see both my parents out front. This is not good.
I give Dylan a silent goodbye as I slip out of her car. My mom smiles softly at me. Her long blond hair is nothing like H adley’s. Where hers is full, my mom’s lays limp upon her back as if there's no life there. Her brown eyes are hidden behind dark, chunky glasses. I’ve told her many times to get contacts because I think she’s beautiful, but she mutters something about being vain and leaves the room.
My dad comes around the front of his truck. His coveralls are stained with grease. He’s wringing his hands together with an old towel. His blue eyes bore into me. I have to look away, breaking eye contact and remembering that I’ m almost eighteen and I’ll be leaving soon. My intention is to stay until graduation but I may not make it.
“Hi,” I say meekly. My dad scares the living shit out of me and I don’t want to cross him. The way he’s looking at me makes me think I’m about to b e told to go out back and pick my own stick for an ass beating.
My mom looks over and smiles. I wish she’d smile more. Somehow I think when they started dating she expected a bit more out of their relationship, but no, Joe Stone was destined to stay in Br ookfield and follow in his daddy’s footsteps. I don’t know what my mom wanted to be, but it couldn’t be a receptionist at a small construction company. I’m sure she had dreams.
“I’m just going to go shower.”
“Hold up,” my dad barks out. I stop immediately, afraid to move a muscle. “You have a curfew and you missed it. I know your mom gave you permission to attend the concert, but this other crap you pulled doesn’t fly. You’re grounded for a week. The list of chores is on the counter.”
I knew I’d have some sort of punishment when I got home, but I wasn’t expecting this. I nod as I walk into the house and head straight for the bathroom. I take my allotted five minutes and wish they weren’t home so maybe I could sneak another three minutes. In and out as fast as I can and into my room before my dad comes down the hall. I slip into clean boxers, shorts and a t-shirt and lie down. I know I have chores to do, but I need a moment to figure out what I’m going to do tonight.
CHAPTER 10
Hadley
“Stop pacing.”
I turn and glare at Alex. I can’t stop. I’m anxious and nervous. More nervous than the first time I went out on stage at twelve. Performing is second nature, almost like sleeping. But this… this decision has so many ramifications – not only for me, but for Ryan – and I can’t help but feel my heart in my throat right now.
When he texted and told me he was grounded I wanted to cry. I did cry. I also screamed into my pillow and kicked my feet. Only when he texted back saying he’d do s omething he had never done before did I start to smile.
And now I’m pacing. My hands are red from the constant pulling that I’m doing on them. I should sit, but I’m afraid I’ll wrinkle my dress. All I want is to see him again.
“You really like him, don’t you?” Alex asks as she places her hands on my shoulders in an effort to calm me down. I look at Alex and admire how beautiful she is. Tonight she’s wearing a light brown mermaid-style dress with a chocolate brown bodice. The contrast with her skin tone is perfect. Her long, dark hair is swept up into a French twist with just minimal make-up highlighting her eyes. I’m in awe of how natural she looks tonight.
“I do. I
I open the door and jump in, causing her to laugh. I start laughing, which eases the tension in the car. She pulls out and heads to my parents. The quick drive seems to happen so much faster. I’m dreading the mo ment I walk in and hope that only my mom is home. When she turns onto my dirt road, I see both my parents out front. This is not good.
I give Dylan a silent goodbye as I slip out of her car. My mom smiles softly at me. Her long blond hair is nothing like H adley’s. Where hers is full, my mom’s lays limp upon her back as if there's no life there. Her brown eyes are hidden behind dark, chunky glasses. I’ve told her many times to get contacts because I think she’s beautiful, but she mutters something about being vain and leaves the room.
My dad comes around the front of his truck. His coveralls are stained with grease. He’s wringing his hands together with an old towel. His blue eyes bore into me. I have to look away, breaking eye contact and remembering that I’ m almost eighteen and I’ll be leaving soon. My intention is to stay until graduation but I may not make it.
“Hi,” I say meekly. My dad scares the living shit out of me and I don’t want to cross him. The way he’s looking at me makes me think I’m about to b e told to go out back and pick my own stick for an ass beating.
My mom looks over and smiles. I wish she’d smile more. Somehow I think when they started dating she expected a bit more out of their relationship, but no, Joe Stone was destined to stay in Br ookfield and follow in his daddy’s footsteps. I don’t know what my mom wanted to be, but it couldn’t be a receptionist at a small construction company. I’m sure she had dreams.
“I’m just going to go shower.”
“Hold up,” my dad barks out. I stop immediately, afraid to move a muscle. “You have a curfew and you missed it. I know your mom gave you permission to attend the concert, but this other crap you pulled doesn’t fly. You’re grounded for a week. The list of chores is on the counter.”
I knew I’d have some sort of punishment when I got home, but I wasn’t expecting this. I nod as I walk into the house and head straight for the bathroom. I take my allotted five minutes and wish they weren’t home so maybe I could sneak another three minutes. In and out as fast as I can and into my room before my dad comes down the hall. I slip into clean boxers, shorts and a t-shirt and lie down. I know I have chores to do, but I need a moment to figure out what I’m going to do tonight.
CHAPTER 10
Hadley
“Stop pacing.”
I turn and glare at Alex. I can’t stop. I’m anxious and nervous. More nervous than the first time I went out on stage at twelve. Performing is second nature, almost like sleeping. But this… this decision has so many ramifications – not only for me, but for Ryan – and I can’t help but feel my heart in my throat right now.
When he texted and told me he was grounded I wanted to cry. I did cry. I also screamed into my pillow and kicked my feet. Only when he texted back saying he’d do s omething he had never done before did I start to smile.
And now I’m pacing. My hands are red from the constant pulling that I’m doing on them. I should sit, but I’m afraid I’ll wrinkle my dress. All I want is to see him again.
“You really like him, don’t you?” Alex asks as she places her hands on my shoulders in an effort to calm me down. I look at Alex and admire how beautiful she is. Tonight she’s wearing a light brown mermaid-style dress with a chocolate brown bodice. The contrast with her skin tone is perfect. Her long, dark hair is swept up into a French twist with just minimal make-up highlighting her eyes. I’m in awe of how natural she looks tonight.
“I do. I
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