In the Shade of Groves [COMPLETE]

Chapter 10

The entire car ride from Ross' house to ours was spent an utter silence. My dad finally hushed my mother after nearly three hours of listening to her rant. She spent half the time talking about how my sister never would have done something like this. She kept comparing Minnie and me, and told me how much of a disappoint I was. That's when my dad cut in and told her, enough.

I go immediately to my room and take a long deep breath, exhaling the tumultuous car ride. I pick up my backpack and dig out the "Cabaret" shirt that Ross and I promised to wear tomorrow at school. I also pull out my camera, eager to look over the evidence of our adventure. There's Ross and I with the drag queens, Ross in front of the Broadway marquee, and finally Ross sitting in the bus station. I tiptoe around my bedroom so my parents don't hear I'm still awake. I fear my mother may gain a second wind and barge in screaming. I open my laptop but leave off the rest of the lights. I upload the pictures and edit them before printing them out at 2:00 a.m. when I'm sure my parents are sound asleep. I want to show Mrs. Hinton the progress I've made and see if I'm any closer to my dream of art school.

The next morning, I walk downstairs anxious for what awaits me. As promised, I'm donning my "Cabaret" shirt. Of course it's not a part of any preapproved outfit but I choose to risk the consequences. Per usual, my mother is scooping my father's breakfast from the pan to his plate. She sees me coming off the stairs and smiles as if the previous day never happened. My dad never looks up, continuing to read the newspaper.

"Good morning, dear. Have a seat. I made you some breakfast."

Ah yes, yogurt with granola. I hope she didn't break a sweat. "Thanks." After a Carnegie sandwich, everything else tastes like tofu.

"I talked it over with your father last night and this morning and we've decided that you had a momentary lapse in judgment we are willing to overlook."

"Okay," I say cautiously.

"You obviously got caught up with this boy and allowed yourself to be led down the wrong path. We've also decided you are never to see that boy again."

Classic Dennis family deflection. Of course they would blame the whole thing on Ross. How could I possibly have made the decision to leave for myself? I was clearly coerced by a reckless third party.

"I'm pretty sure I'll see him at school."

"Paisley Dennis you are on very thin ice. We are willing to forgive you but no more of this nonsense. No more attitude, no more hanging out with dangerous boys, and no more yearbook." She turns her attention from the food to my shirt. "What is that god awful shirt you are wearing?"

It then dawns on me I never told my parents we saw a musical in New York. "They were giving them out for free in New York."

"Who was? That boyfriend of yours?" My mother says in a demeaning tone.

"No, somebody promoting for a show I guess."

"Well take it off, it's hideous."

"No."

Both my parents stop and look at me. I stare back, my conviction wavering.

"Excuse me?" My mother hissed.

"Paisley you have been acting completely inappropriate these past few weeks. I don't know what's gotten into you but it stops now. You are not to see that boy anymore and you will quit any extracurricular activity that is not chaperoned by your mother." My dad's jaw is clenched.

"First of all, he's not my boyfriend. We're just friends. Second, I can't quit yearbook; it's a class I'm taking for credit. Besides, I don't think Princeton would be very impressed I dropped out of yearbook."