“Are you sure the two of you will be fine?” Denise said worried. “I don’t want to come home to find the two of you at each others throats.”
“We’ve been working on getting along and so far it’s going smoothly.” AJ reassured her. “We won’t know how this situation will work unless we really test it out.”
“Ok well just incase you need me my cell will be on at all times. My itinerary is posted on the bulletin board in the office but don’t worry about the time differences. If there is anything wrong don’t hesitate to call.”
“Mom, we need to try and work things out on our own so I’m not going to call you every time we disagree on something. If it’s really serious and it can’t be settled between just us I will call you, but I want us to work things out on our own.”
“I know you will be fine. Just remind her that if she’s not on her best behavior then its goodbye California.”
“She knows and she’s been trying to improve. I’m sure we wont have too much trouble.” He smiled trying to get her to relax.
“I’m a mother, I’ll always worry no matter how much I know you can handle it. It’s my job to worry.”
“I know and you’re the best at what you do.” AJ teased and helped her bring her bags to the front where there was a cab waiting.
“Have Ashley call me when she gets home from practice. I should be in New York by then.” Denise said before opening the cab door.
“Will do.” He said as he put her bags into the trunk. “Have a safe trip and please try and relax and enjoy this, you deserve it.”
“Thank you sweetheart, I will.” She hugged him goodbye before getting into the cab.
AJ shut the door and waved as the cab pulled off. He hoped his confidence wouldn’t get the best of him and the two of them could really get along as well as he hoped. He went back into the house and got some things together that he wanted to discuss with Ashley when she got home from school before deciding relax on the couch and watch a movie.
“I’m home!” Ashley called from the front door as she entered the house a few hours later. It was just about 6pm and Ashley was tired after a long day of school and play rehearsals. She walked into the living room to find AJ asleep on the couch.
“If I was a good sister I would let him sleep all peacefully.” She snickered. “But too bad I’m evil and hungry.” She grabbed a pillow off the couch and jumped on him smacking him with the pillow.
“Uhh!” AJ groaned in the shock of being jumped on. “What the…”
“Wakey wakey!” she grinned. “When’s dinner?”
“When you make it.” He said still in a fog of sleep.
“No way! I’ve been at school all day you’ve been sleeping. You’re supposed to make dinner!” she whined.
AJ turned quickly knocking her off of him and onto the floor.
“Oww!”
“Ha. That’s what you get.” It was now AJ’s turn to laugh. He sat up on the couch and reached out his hands to help pull her up. “Stop whining…what do you want to eat?”
“Food.”
“If you want dinner stop being a smart ass.” He said getting up and walking into the kitchen.
“I don’t know, anything that’s ready fast. I’m starving.” She followed taking a seat.
“Do you care if I just order a pizza? I’m not really in a cooking mood.”
“Tonight it’s fine, but I’m not gonna eat pizza for the next two weeks.”
“I’ll get better at cooking but you just gotta give me time. I’m not used to it.” He reminded her.
“You’ll pick it up fast.” She teased.
“While I order this go call mom, she wanted to talk to you when you got home.”
“Ok.” She smiled and went off to her room.
“Food should be here in about twenty minutes.” He said as she walked back into the kitchen. “Did mom get in safe?”
“Yea she was on her way to the hotel she said she would call you tomorrow because she was really tired.”
“So how has school been? No one’s been bothering you?” he tried to start some conversation.
“Nope. I guess after they got threatened with expulsion next time they got in trouble the figured it wasn’t worth it. They still don’t talk to me but I could care less about that.” She shrugged.
“Rehearsals are going good?”
“Yup.” She fiddled her fingers on the table at the awkward conversation. As much as they tried to get along any time they were in a conversation it felt forced. They were getting better but they both still needed work.
“So I was talking to a friend and they said it might be best if we tried to set up some ground rules that we would both follow to try and make things runs smoothly.” He suggested.
“Rules?” she raised a brow.
“Yea things that we both feel need to be worked on. They would be agreed upon by both of us so that we can’t argue about them later.”
“Just for these two weeks or for good?”
“Well we can set some up and try them out now and then if we make this permanent we can fix some or add some if we need to.”
“So what would these rules cover?”
“Anything we think we need to cover. Curfew, dating, house rules all that stuff.”
“I guess that wouldn’t hurt…but we’re negotiating on these right? It’s not just what you say goes? I can plead my case?” she asked.
“We’ll work through them and come up with a happy medium. Agreed?”
“Agreed. So where do we begin?”
“I have one rule and it’s really simple.” Ashley looked at him, waiting for him to continue. “No drinking, no boys and no sex.”
“Fine, my turn.” Ashley crossed her arms to challenge him “No drinking, no girls no sex.”
“You can’t tell me I can’t have girls in my own house.
“Hey listen all I’m saying is you don’t want to hear it and neither do I.” she smirked.
“You’re too young to be having sex anyway.”
“Let’s not get into this whole age battle because that will not hold up in this court.” She crossed her arms. “You can’t tell me I can’t have sex.”
“Maybe I can’t but mom can.”
“Oh no don’t you bring mom into this. What are you gonna do when she’s in Florida for real?”
“How’s about we settle on no guys here when I’m not home or without my permission.”
“Jared doesn’t count right?”
“Why wouldn’t Jared count? He’s a guy.”
“Yea a gay one who has no interest in getting in my pants. He doesn’t count.”
“Can you try and be a little less vulgar?” he shook his head.
“I’ll watch my mouth if you watch yours.”
“Remember who the adult is here again.”
“Remember how you said we were in this together and had to make compromises that would work for both of us?” she challenged.
“Fine.” AJ reluctantly gave in. “Jared doesn’t count but I want to meet any guy you’re even thinking about dating before hand.”
“Yea right, you’ll scare them all off the second they get here. I’d never date again!”
“That’s fine with me.” He shrugged. “You can’t blame me for that one, you haven’t had the best track record. I won’t go crazy, but I just want to make sure you’re not hanging around any sleeze balls.”
“I guess I can deal with that, but the second you scare one of them off that rule goes down the drain.” She reasoned with him.
“Ok we’ll play it by ear.” He agreed. “Now onto curfew. What’s your curfew right now?”
“Depending on where I am it’s usually one.”
“I think that’s a little late. I know mom is flexible with it and I’m willing to adjust it as needed but I think for now it should be 12:30.”
“That’s not fair! Why should I have to change it? I’m never anywhere good anyway.” She argued.
“If you’re never anywhere good then you won’t mind coming home early.” He smirked smugly knowing he was winning.
“12:30 is to early I’m gone be the only one who has to be home at that time.”
“Like I said depending on the situation I’m willing to be flexible, but just to have something set I think 12:30 is fair.” He rebutted. “As time goes on if you are good with getting home on time I’ll think about making it later, but you have to work for it.”
“Fine. 12:30…” she sighed in defeat.
“See that wasn’t that hard.” He smirked as the doorbell rang. “We can work with these for now and then talk about more later…sound good?”
"I guess only time will tell." she shrugged as he left to get the food.
Author's Chapter Notes:
YAY! New Chapter! Let me know what you think please :)
Chapter End Notes:
hopefully a new 1 soon. I got some ideas in the works so there should be some fun stuff coming up...if you guys have anything that you want to see just let me know and I'll try and work it in. I love writing for you guys.
