Beyond The Music

Chapter Eighteen - Steven

"When I said that you could go out because your grandmother isn't coming this weekend, I didn't mean you could stay out all night and come back when the sun comes up. Where the hell have you been, Steven? And don't lie to me because I will find out," I watched Uncle Henry as he stood in the doorway of my bedroom, glaring at me while drinking a cup of coffee.

"I, um...was on my way home but then I got distracted and lost track of time, that's all. I didn't plan to be home so late," I sat on my bed while Henry glared at me.

"How'd you get distracted for so long? It better be good otherwise you're grounded and that means, no going to Club Neon tonight or any other night for a month," I raised an eyebrow and ran a hand through my hair.

"How do you know about that?" he smiled and took a sip of coffee. "Spying on me again, Henry?"

"GPS, kid. So I'm also waiting for you to tell me why you were at the school for so long. Did you miss school that much that you had to go back?"

"Like I said, I got distracted."

"So what distracted you?" I couldn't help but smile as I thought of the way Mika felt against me.

"It wasn't a what. It was a who," one corner of his mouth quirked up as he watched me.

"Okay. So who distracted you? Wait, it was a girl right?" I nodded as he watched me, "So who do I know that you like? Hmm. That's a tough one. Oh wait, no it isn't. It was Mika Hodge, wasn't it?"

I shrugged a shoulder and smiled, "Maybe."

"So she got back a few minutes ago, right?"

"I don't know. So, am I grounded?" he laughed softly and smiled.

"Oh, yeah but there is a way for you to get ungrounded right now," I raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"How?"

"First, why do you always go to Club Neon on Friday and Saturday every weekend?"

"I like the music."

"Second, what has Mika got to do with any of this?"

"She doesn't."

"Okay. Third, what's so different about her from the other girls that you've liked so much?"

What? Why is he asking that?

"I don't know but you're forgetting something, Henry."

"And what's that?" I smiled as he took a step into my room and smiled.

"It doesn't matter what the other girls were like."

"Okay. So this thing that you have with her, what is it?"

"I don't know," he sighed softly and shook his head slightly.

"You just couldn't keep away from the only girl in school that if you mess this up, it's bad for everyone. Especially me because you live under the same roof and you're my nephew. Why couldn't you just go for Keira, she's nice," I shook my head and smiled.

"Sorry, Henry but she's with Max and even if she wasn't, it wouldn't matter."

"I know. Why couldn't your determination about girls be focused on school work?"

"I'm an A average student, remember. I might have screwed around most of the time, but I did my work."

"Yeah, I guess."

"It is. So, is there anything else that you wanted to talk to me about or can I go to sleep now?"

"Nope, that's it. Oh and you're still grounded but only for two weeks, okay. Don't sleep until dinner otherwise I'm going to dump a bucket of water on your head," he laughed as he turned around and walked out the door, closing it behind him. I sighed softly and fell back onto my bed with an arm draped over my eyes before drifting off to sleep.