Ghosts

Chapter 16

I wake up to one of my brother's yelling down the steps to someone in the main level.

"She's asleep! I'm not gonna wake Mar up!" It sounds like it could be any of the boys. It's weird because their voices sound so similar.

Why would they want me to get up?

I look at the alarm clock and jolt out of bed as I see that it reads '12:03 pm'. I slept way too late...

I walk into the hallway and see Josh sitting on the steps. He turns and smiles at me. "You're up! Now I don't have to get you up! Mom wants you downstairs..." He trails off and watches me as I slowly walk down the steps. Whatever my mom is going to talk to me about can't be good. It's probably about last night and she's just continuing on an argument.

I hope.

I find my mom at the kitchen table with her head in her hands. This'll be good.

"You needed me?" I ask. I don't say it very nicely considering all of my unfair punishments.

She looks up at me, her eyes slitted a little to show she didn't like my attitude. But I don't care what she thinks. "You slept so late... I would guess you were up pretty late last night?" She's testing me...

"Uh..." This is going to be hard... "Yeah..."

"Doing what and how late? I know you were inside all night, but what did you stay up so late for?" She waits for me to answer.

"I was texting Ally most of the night. She says it wasn't fair what you and dad punished me for..." Good cover. One point to me!

"I see... But I don't care what she says. You're still forbidden from hanging out with Max. He seemed nice when he came over the other night, but now I don't know... Seeing as how he got into trouble and you were with him at the time." My mom says. She doesn't seem at all sorry for doing this to me and it surprises me because she usually hates to punish me. She never usually does...

"So that's all you wanted to talk to me about? You could've just waited for me to get up when I wanted to." I say with an attitude again. I don't like to sound snobby, but to not be mad about my "grounding" would make her suspicious.

"Actually, there was a call from a family who invited us to dinner tonight... They said that their son knew you and wanted to invite us over... You have to come since you are the whole reason as to who it is that wanted you over in the first place..." She trails off.

Who would want me of all people over?

"Who called to invite us?" I ask my mom, genuinely curious.

"Mary Hart. She seems very sweet, and she said that her son is too! What a nice family!" My mom says with a smile.

"You're not serious." I say and have to sit down at the table so that I don't pass out. Luke wanted me to come over.

Why? Why does my life have to be so weird?

"I am! Isn't it great that a boy finds an interest in you? I don't know why there aren't a bunch out there that like you... You are so beautiful." She isn't mad at me anymore.

But I'm mad at her.

"Mrs. Hart's son is an ass! You can't be serious!" I say.

"Language, Marney!" That's all my mom says.

"I'm not kidding! He's the one who got in a fight with Max! Max was helping me out. You can't just call it off? I'd be fine with not going over to his house any day. He's a stuck up snob and he doesn't like me. I know that for a fact. He hates me and I hate him." I say and look my mom in the eyes so that she knows I'm not lying to her.

"Marney... I already said that we'd be there around five... I can't call it off." My mom frowns and stands up.

"What am I supposed to do? Die of annoyance or something? Can't I just stay home and you say I'm sick?" I ask hopefully. If I can, then I may be able to have Max over without my parents knowing.

"No, you have to go." She says and then walks into the kitchen, signalling that the conversation was over.

I can't do this. I won't.

Around four-thirty I come down the steps in a nice shirt and a skirt that was too short for my liking when going to Luke's. Anywhere else I'd be perfectly fine. My hair is down with perfect, natural curls that go to the middle of my back. I have a bobbie pin holding my long bangs that usually get in my face. I also have a little makeup, but not too much to make me look slutty. Thank god.

Normally, I wouldn't be this way, but my mom said that if I didn't she'd take away my phone and I really, really didn't need her seeing that Max was texting me.

"Mom... I'm ready..." I sort of yell. I really don't want to go and I couldn't do anything else because my mom would kill me if I ran off. I tried to sneak out of the house while my mom was in the kitchen doing the dishes, but just as I touched the doorknob she pulled me away from the door and yelled at me for trying to keep from going.

This evening is going to kill me altogether.

"I'm coming. Your dad won't be coming because he has to work, but the boys are and I'm waiting on them." She says. "Go in the car and don't forget a jacket. I don't know how late we will be there and I hear that it's supposed to get cold tonight.

"Fine." Is all I say and I climb the stairs to my room.

I grab my phone and a jean jacket that is laying on a chair in the corner of my room and then return downstairs. Once I get downstairs again, my family is just going outside to the car.

Kill me now.

~Author's Note~

Ugh... Sorry for a short chapter if it is... I'll start on another chapter tonight, but I just didn't want anyone waiting too long. for a chapter and this is the only free time I'm going to have for a while to write.

As I said, I probably won't be writing too much this month because I have a lot of things going on in my life. Maybe Malayna will write a chapter, but I don't think she'll be up for it! Sorry!

Anyway, what do you think of Marney going to Luke's? Is it too weird? Or do you think that it could get interesting? It will get pretty interesting... I'm thinking up ideas right now!!

Don't forget to comment what you think, vote, follow (if you havent already), and maybe share so that this story gets more reads?? That would be awesome!!

Thanks (as always) for reading!!

~Izzy :)