Months

17

It's late. It's like time has stopped existing. Everything feels frozen. Lavender's been away for two weeks and nothing has changed.

Her complex was never really well-lit. It made stumbling in drunk at 2 AM really inconvenient. But now, it just reminds her of the delivery locations for all those polaroids she took of Kenton.

She might as well forget about all that now. Lavender drops the borrowed bike in her roommate's reserved spot. With any luck, she'll be asleep already and Lavender won't have to put up with her confrontation. She could've been bluffing when she told her that she'd be waiting with her parents. And at this time of night? She can hope.

Lavender adjusts the brim of her cap and digs into her pockets for the keys. Nevermind, no need- the door's unlocked. Lavender steps inside as quiet as she can manage, but it seems like that's for naught as well.

There are three figures in the dim light. Standing in the kitchen, blocking the way to her room.

Goddammit.

"We need to talk," says Lavender's mom. She's always hated these talks. This was far from the first and it won't be the last. There's no pleasing Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes.

"Your grades haven't gone up," says dad. "What have you been doing?"

"None of your business," Lavender grumbles.

"Excuse me?" Her father's stern tone is a signal for her to shut up. She glares at him.

"We're paying for you to get a degree. If you think you can squander that and do whatever you want, you've got another thing coming. Your business is OUR business," he asserts. Lavender's mom pipes up.

"Do you know how much it costs to provide for you?"

This again. Acting like she's such a burden. Money isn't even a problem for them. Lavender tunes them out while they babble about the financial logistics of blah blah blah.

"We can take away more privileges if you don't get yourself together. And as soon as you start cleaning up your act, you'll get them back. Is that clear?" Her mom crosses her arms at her. Lavender can feel the blood pulse in her temples. She shrugs at them. That's the best answer they're gonna get. Then her roommate steps forward.

"Lavender, if this is about Maritza-"

"You shut the FUCK up," Lavender yells. Some dog outside starts barking at the sudden noise. She balls her fists. The four of them stand in tense silence. Lavender steadies her breathing as best she can but she's still seeing red. She chooses her words carefully.

"You don't know shit. Don't let me hear you speak her name ever again."

"Lavender!" Her mom seethes. "Don't you-"

She's not going to bother listening to the rest of this shit. Lavender storms past them, shoving past ther stupid blockade and slams her door behind her. Her dad can pound his fist all he wants, her mom can bitch and moan about her rotten attitude- but none of it matters. She's going to sleep.