Tangled Strings (sequel to Red Strings)

Chapter 45

"Is Natalie still in bed?" I hear her say, hearing her chuck her keys down onto the small table that we have at the front.  "Well she's stirring now so I can only assume she's getting ready." I hear my dad reply.  "Oh and Calum came by, I just sent her up to her room." ARE YOU KIDDING DAD WOW WAY TO PUSH ME UNDER THE BUS.  

"Sorry what?" my mother asks and I'm changing at a lightning speed, as Calum tries desperately not to look, pretending to be interested in the dead street outside.  "Cal, pass me the Maccas." I say, tying my hair into a bun.  "Don't tell me you're gonna throw it out." Cal says, a look of horror on his face.  "No, I'm gonna keep it in my bathroom.  Plus, I need to freshen up my room cause it now smells like oil." I say as I throw the bag into my small bathroom, opening the window so that it can air out the smell.  I then grab the air freshener from underneath my sink to then spray all around my room.

I can hear footsteps coming up the stairs and I look at my bed quickly chucking the sheets and duvet back to make it look semi-decent before plonking myself down and pulling out my laptop, as if I were doing work.  

"Natalie?" I hear my mom knock and I glance at Calum who's pretending to scroll through something on his phone.  "Come in!" I say and my mom walks in, a frown evident on her face.  "Oh Calum's here?" she says glancing over at Calum and Calum waves, trying to be polite.  My mom purses her lips. "And I'm sure your....boyfriend is helpful to you while you study?" my mom spits out boyfriend like venom and I tense as I then say "Well Calum just wanted to say good morning. And-" "And she wanted to tell you some great news!" Calum interjects.

No, no, no!  My mom raised her eyebrow and said "Is that so?" "Well I WAS planning on telling you soon anyways so um..." I bite my lip before I stand up and say "Mum...when we went to that party a couple nights ago....well....see Sky's friend Emma she's a talent scout and she heard me sing and then....well....she offered to help me get a deal." 

My mum has her arms crossed as I explain and when I'm finished her rigid facial expression doesn't change.  "So you have a deal?" "Well no, she's just a scout.  She's gonna try and help me get a deal.  She's already started contacting agents and record companies back in LA so when I go back I can see what I can do there-" "Since when were you going back?" my mum asks, as if I was speaking rubbish.  

I almost choke on air before my mum says "Calum it would very kind of you to leave my daughter and I to talk....privately."  Calum looks over at me and I then say "Mum, he's my boyfriend he has the right to know-" "It's fine Nat, I can wait downstairs." Calum says and I look at him, and he gives me a reassuring nod before walking out, shutting the door gently behind him.  

There's an uneasy silence that now fills the room.  "What the hell mom!" I snap completely and my mom is taken aback.  "Excuse me?  You're asking me what the hell I'M doing?  The real question is what the hell YOU'RE doing young lady!" my mom retorts and I then reply "It was an accident!  I didn't mean to get roped into this, really I didn't!  Sky never told me Emma was a talent scout, and I never knew that singing one song would turn out like this!" 

My mum rolls her eyes and says "You've been planning to ditch school ever since you got to LA haven't you?  Is that why you sang with that Vic?  Because you knew you could get away with it while I wasn't there?  Guess what Natalie, you're not going back to USC or LA for that matter.  You're gonna stay here, and you're going to go through uni.  You're getting too distracted over in California, and with your boyfriend."  I'm shocked and I then say "I lived the way you wanted me to while I was here.  And I'm sorry that when I left, that I figured out I don't want the life you want me to live mom." 

My mom glares at me and then says "Over my dead body are you going back to California." "I'm 18 mum.  You can't do ANYTHING to stop me." I said through gritted teeth.  My mum is frozen and I then say "I'm really sorry that I'm not that PERFECT daughter you want but this is MY life, and I'm gonna live it the way I want to." 

My mum doesn't say a word before turning on her heels and walking out.  I fume as I make sure to slam the door behind her as I flop onto my bed.  She technically couldn't keep me here forever.  She didn't have the right to.  Legally that is.  

I then realize that my mum must've gone downstairs and I immediately remember Calum's there.  I scramble up before running down the stairs, turning the corner to see my dad and Calum sitting in the living room as they look like they're deep in conversation.  

"Well at least you two get along great." I say as I walk in casually.  My dad lifts his head, smiling at me.  "Well Calum and I were just discussing the band and whatnot." my dad says as I sit down on the couch beside Calum.  I'm looking at my dad, trying to see any sign that he's getting better, or getting worse- which I desperately hope isn't the case.  

"Were you now?" I ask and Calum grins before saying "Yeah, your dad was telling me some sick bass tips." "Wait dad, you played bass?" I ask, shocked.  "I mean, we had our own little rock club at school and we'd sometimes perform for the school and I loved playing the bass so I would rock out there." my dad says casually.  

"Well I think that you two should get going..." "Wait what?" "Well considering your mother is still slightly ticked off....I'm gonna try to handle her alone.  And I think you should be out of the house for a bit....just so she doesn't try and come after you." my dad says getting up and out of his seat.

I bite my lip and my dad kisses the top of my head before heading out.  "Well then should we go?" Calum offers and I then say "But WHERE."  Calum grins at me and says "Well my place is still up for grabs...."  I grin and say "Well what are we waiting for then?"