Ashley checked her cell phone as she sat around the house party later that night, it was already 10:45 and she would have to be home soon.
“Why are you sulking around like the world is over?” Jared said taking a seat next to her. “You haven’t had any fun tonight.”
“What’s the use, when I get home you know its going to be like FBI level interrogation, bright light included.” She rolled her eyes. “I didn’t even have a drink tonight because he’ll probably give me a field sobriety test.”
“He can’t be that bad.” Jared reasoned with her.
“Usually he’s not, but for some reason he’s on this power trip wanting to prove to me he has some control over my life. At this point I don’t even want to go back there.”
“You have to Ash. Look listening to him this once isn’t going to kill you.”
“Yea but if I listen to him this one time turns into next time then the time after that. It’s not fair and its not fair to you either. You have to leave early to bring me home when you don’t even have a curfew.”
“You know I don’t care about that, this party blows anyway. What do you saw we blow this place and go get something to eat before your time of doom.” He teased.
“Sounds good.” She half smiled and got up with him to find Tina.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
An hour later Ashley waved goodbye as she walked up the walkway to the condo. She was about use her key to open the door when it was opened for her.
“You’re late.” AJ said with a stern face on the other side.
“Like ten minutes, it’s no big deal.” She said pushing by him to get inside.
“Fifteen minutes actually, and late is late whether it’s one minute or twenty.” He shut the door,
“Get over it, I’m still home before my real curfew so you succeeded, happy now?”
“Where were you that you couldn’t make it home on time.”
“The party sucked so we went to In and Out Burger to eat but we were in Long Beach and hit a little traffic on the way back.”
“Why didn’t you call?”
“Bacsuse I didn’t think it was a big deal.”
“Well it is and you should have called.” He crossed his arms.
“Can I just go to bed?” she said not bothering to wait for a response.
“We’ll talk more about this and your punishment in the morning.” He said as she walked off.
“My what?” she stopped dead in her tracks turning back towards him.
“You heard what I said.”
“For what? I didn’t do anything!”
“You were late and you’ve had an attitude all day. You need to learn that you can’t just get away with everything you want. If you don’t want to follow the rules there are consequences.” He said firmly.
“You can’t be serious! Whatever little ego trip your going on is about to be over.” She said as she grabbed the phone from the table in the living room. “I’m calling mom.”
“You’re not calling mom, it’s almost 3 in the morning there. She has more important things to focus on then your whining.” AJ said grabbing the phone from her, hanging it up. “If you want to talk to her wait until tomorrow, but I don’t think she’ll disagree with me.”
“This is such bullshit!” Ashley said angrily giving up on him for now, retreating to her room. There was no way that she was going to let him run this on her for no reason, she thought to herself as she slammed her door in frustration. In the morning things would be resolved and Denise would knock him off his high horse.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ashley awoke to the sound of a text message the next morning. She grabbed her phone off the nightstand and flipped it open to read the message, seeing it was from Angel.
‘Party tonight in Redondo Beach at my boy Devon’s house. It’s gonna be crazy fun. Bring Tina and Jared, I better see you there. I’ll text you the addy later.’
Ashley sighed shutting her phone. She knew the chances of her going to that party were slim to none the way AJ has been acting. Hearing her stomach rumble she headed to the kitchen to make some food.
“Oh hold on she’s up.” AJ said handing her the phone. “It’s for you.”
“Hello?” Ashley said not knowing who to expect.
“Hi sweetheart.” Denise said. Ashley sighed knowing her tone of voice immediately.
“There’s no way I’m being grounded for coming home 10 minutes late when I shouldn’t of had to change my curfew in the first place.” She pursed her lips as AJ stared at her with a smirk, letting her know he had already won.
“Fifteen minutes.” AJ reminded her.
“Whatever it was just a few minutes, that’s still no reason for me to be grounded.”
“Honey its just until I come home, I really don’t want to have to come between you two in an argument. I told him all he could make you do was stay home, nothing else.”
“You’re not, you’re just taking his side. You always take his side!” Ashley complained.
“Please sweetheart, just listen to him and spend some time with him, that’s all he wants. I’ll make it up to you when I come home I promise.” Denise pleaded.
“Fine, but I’m not happy about this.” Ashley gave in, not wanting to stress out Denise.
“I’ll be home on Thursday honey, hang in there until them I’m sure you guys can work past this and still have a good time together.”
“I’ll try.” Ashley sighed and hung up turning back to face AJ. “Happy now?”
“Very much so.” AJ said placing a plate of food on the table. “I made you breakfast.”
“I’m not hungry.” She lied as her stomach betrayed her, growling at the site of the food.
“Sure sounds like you are. Look Ashley I’m not trying to be mean and ruin all of your fun, I’m just trying to enforce some type of order into your life. I know it’s easy to persuade mom into getting your way, but your way hasn’t been right the last couple of times. I don’t want you to go down the wrong path.”
“My life is just fine Alex. I do good in school, I don’t get into trouble I barely hang out with my friends because I’m working so hard for what I want…what more do you want from me? I’m just being a normal teenager.”
“I just think you’re growing up to fast.” He sighed.
“I’m not a little kid Alex, I’m fifteen, I have to grow up eventually.”
“Just eat your breakfast and we’ll talk about it later.”
After breakfast Ashley retreated back to her room to call Angel and inform her she wouldn’t be coming to the party.
“No way you have to come!” Angel said. ”This party is going to be beyond insane and everyone’s gonna be there.”
“Everyone but me.” She sighed.
“Can’t you just ask him to let you go or ask your mom?”
“Are you kidding? He’d probably want to hire a body guard or escort me there himself. It’s not like it’s some second grade pool party Angel. The second he starts questioning about adult supervision and all that crap it’s a done deal.”
“Come on Ash, there has to be a way that you can come. You would so regret not being there after.” Angel continued to push her.
“I’ll see if I can figure something out but I’m not promising anything. Text me the addy and I’ll talk to Jared and Tina, but like I said no promises.”
“Yay! I’ll see you there tonight!” Angel said excitedly, knowing Ashley wouldn’t pass it up.
“I said maybe Ang.”
“Uh huh, like I said I’ll see you tonight.” Angel laughed and hung up the phone.
Who was she kidding, Ashley knew she wanted to go but now she had to figure out a way. Asking was completely out of the questions, that was a given. There was only one other solution. She had snuck out many times before when Denise was home, but she knew AJ would be a lot harder to get around, but where there’s a will there’s a way. She picked up her phone to text Jared, not risking the chance of AJ overhearing her on the phone.
‘Party tonight in Redondo Beach, it’s gonna be crazy. Meet me at the front gate at 9:30. You know the drill’
Author's Chapter Notes:
i wont be home for the next few days and I didnt want to leave you guys hanging so heres a new one leading up to more drama
Chapter End Notes:
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! I WILL BE BACK AND BETTER THEN EVER IN 2009!
