I'm The Geek Who Slapped A Football Player.

16 - Football Quizzz?

“What Lola?” Came Dad’s far away and casual response.

Mom gave me this really confusing look before she dashed back down the hallway. Her face was like a mixture of shock and anger and desperation. What. The. Hell. What is her problem?

Stomping up the little steps and through the open door, I slam it shut behind me. Then stomp through the hallways, through the kitchen, and then down the other hall and then pause, placing my bags very carefully under the little cupboard by the stairs. Then I purposefully step on the right side of the bottom step, and it lets out a squeal. I pressed it a couple more times, getting less each time until I made it fade out.

Then my parents started whispering in the living room, and I crept over to the doorway, standing with my back against the wall, listening to the hushed voices of my parents.

“…can’t believe she’d outright lie to me!” Mom was saying, her tone frustrated, and I could hear her pacing. She paces like a caged lion when she’s mad, and right now, I think she could go toe to toe with a Great White Shark and come home with a tooth necklace.

And what? I didn’t lie! I did get gas after school, I did go to Walmart, and I did get sidetracked while at Walmart! I didn’t explain what had caused me to get sidetracked, but she didn’t ask that. If she’d asked that, then I woulda have lied to her.

“Lola, just relax, ease up on her. She wasn’t lying to you.” Dad said in his soothing tone. I nodded to myself. That’s right, MOM, eat Dad’s words bee-yotch!

“Rodney! She didn’t even call me! She just stayed out late!”

Late? It’s five minutes after seven. This is bullshit.

Dad chuckled his quiet chuckle, and I could hear him set aside whatever papers he’d had in his hands. “Just calm down, Baby,” Ew. “Its all gonna be alright, let me hug you,” Ew-er. “That’s right. Now remember, she’s a big girl Lola. Just as pretty as you.” Ew-est. Quit being a butt-kisser Dad.

Mom sighed. “I just don’t know what to do, Rodney, she lied–”

Dad shushed her, and I’m glad that I wasn’t watching because it was probably with a kiss. I know they’re not that old, but…gahhh I just can’t stand it when my parents get all lovey-ness on each other. Its just ucky.

“Lola–”

“No, Rodney,” I could hear them pull apart. “I could hear…someone else on the phone! When I called her! She told them to ‘go away’ and to ‘shut up’ and I even heard somebody laughing in the background! Rodney, she’s–”

“Branching out? Getting some friends? Just the other night you said she was on the phone with a girl named Scarlett, and you said she was a perfectly polite girl. This is a good thing Lola. Clarisse is a very smart girl, we both know that, but her social skills…are lacking.”

Lacking? I suck back the angry snort I want to snort. Because, dammit…Dad’s probably right. Like he always is. Gah, its annoying as hell because he’s always right.

My Dad continues. “So this is a good thing, Lola, Clarisse is…” Dad suddenly gives out a chuckle, and I recognize it has his Sinister Chuckle, the one he chuckles when he’s secretly implying something. “…branching out.”

Before I can wonder at what my Dad could be implying, my Mom’s butting in, speaking angrily. “Rodney! This isn’t a time to be laughing! Clarisse is–”

“Lola.” I hear my Dad say, and I can guess that he’s trying to hug her again (blech). But I can hear Mom’s footsteps nearing the doorway which I’m standing right outside of. I turn and dash up the stairs quickly, hearing my Mom’s voice but not hearing the words. I slip into my bedroom, making sure the door doesn’t creak.