My Summer Love

Grounded

I nod my head yes.

He sits on the edge of my bed and looks at me.

"Look, Reina, about last night-"

"I know dad, you were worried about me. I get it, and I'm sorry." I sigh.

"Yes, yes, I was worried. I was very worried, which is why I reacted how I did. But I realize now that things have calmed down that I was a little too hard on you."

I raise my eyebrows at him.

"I'm only going to give you a twenty-four hour grounding."

A smile starts to spread on my face.

"But-"

Of course, there is a but.

"You get the honors of calling your mother and sorting this out with her because she thinks you should be grounded for the rest of the week."

"She was really upset yesterday, huh?" I scrunch up my face.

"Yes, she was, and for good reason. But Reina," he turns towards me. "I know you and I are no longer close as we once were, but I am really hoping while you're here this summer that that will change."

I feel my eyes starting to well up with tears, so I quickly blink them away.

"I'd like it to change too, dad."

He smiles at me.

"Call your mother and then get dressed."

He hands me his phone and then stands up, heading for my door.

"But, wait, where are we going?"

"Out for a father daughter day."

He smiles again and then leaves my room.

I take a deep breath and click on my dad's phone. There is no screen lock, and her contact is already up and waiting for me to dial.

"Here goes nothing." I mumble to myself.

It rings about four times, and then on the fifth, I hear my mother answer.

"Hello? Reina?"

"Hey mommy, how are you?" I say in my sweetest voice.

"Uhn uhn don't you "hey mommy how are you" me. Where the hell were you last night? And girl, you had better have a good explanation."

"I was out with our neighbor, and my phone died."

"Okay, so why didn't you use the neighbors phone?!"

"His phone died too!"

"Excuse me? Did you just say "his phone" ?"

"Yes." I say slowly.

"Reina Kimberly Ann Smith are you telling me you were out with a boy that your father, nor I, have ever met until the late hours of the night, and did not tell anyone where you were going AND you let your phone die?!"

"You know now that I'm hearing it all laid out. I'm beginning to understand why you're so upset."

"Oh honey girl, I am not upset. I am mad! I am madder than mad, and if I wasn't on the other side of the world right now, I'd be whoopin that ass."

I sit in silence for a moment.

"You better start talking. I'm not having this conversation with myself."

"I'm sorry, mom, I really am. I talked to dad and Xavier about it and I know it was really irresponsible of me to not let anyone know where I was going and to not get ahold of anyone and let you know I was safe."

"Reina-"

"I really am sorry, and I promise it will never happen again."

I hear my mom sigh heavily.

"So what's this boys name who has my little girl out all hours of the night?"

"His name is Zenith." I smile.

"Zenith? That sounds like one of them hippy names."

"Mom, stop." I laugh.

"But it's true." She laughs with me.

"How old is he."

"He is nineteen."

"Hmm, does your daddy know that?"

"Um, I don't think so."

"Well, best not tell him unless he asks."

"Momma!"

She laughs like crazy causing me to laugh even more.

"I miss you, mom."

"I miss you too, baby, and I need to get going now."

"Alright, I'll call you again once I get my phone back."

"By the end of the week is what I told your daddy."

I sigh.

"Yeah, that's what he said too."

"Bye, baby girl."

"Bye, momma."

A/N
I based Xavier's personality off of my brother's 🤣 he's so fun to write. Chapter 8 is complete!