Miss Smarty's Mission

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Sure enough, after my Dad fixed Carol's and Frank's television reception, he began his lecture on boys. I could tell he already had his eagle eyes on Xander. He was watching his every move. The short drive conversation home consisted of the consequences of getting STD's, going through heartbreak and risks of pregnancy. All of it was discussed just because I was hanging out with a boy, even though we were simply watching a movie. Not just any movie, but a Disney movie. I pretended to act unimpressed yet understanding through the whole chat, but deep down I felt awkward. His words, however, were glued in the back of my mind.

I didn't know why, but I hated the way he was giving me advice (nearly orders) on relationships when his own love life was a complete mess. He's caused such pain and one thing that I wanted to make sure of was to avoid everything he's done to his own family. He was such a hypocrite.

For the past few weeks I stuck to the usual. I went to school, helped Xander out, tried to shut him up in class and successfully completed my work. During recess and lunch, he hung out with his own friends and I hung out with mine. Overtime, he was improving pretty well, which made me feel somewhat proud. He even cut back on his usage of cigarettes and restrained himself from wagging. I couldn't help but distance myself from him. I was scared of what my Dad would make of it if I was around him so much, but then again, how would he know? There were still so much that I didn't know about him. Why was he staying with his grandparents? Why did he want to get into university so much? Why was he the way he is?

As for home, Mum and Dad kept their arguements to a minimum, however they were both still giving each other snappy remarks that occasionally got under their skin. Though they tried to stop themselves from starting an arguement, it tore me inside that they were angered by each others presence.

"Oi." Xander loudly whispered, snapping me out of my day-dream. "Are you stoned or something? Stop staring out into oblivion like that."

I blinked a few times before finally gaining the ability to understand what he was saying. My eyes narrowed down at his face.

"Sorry." I nonchalantly whispered back. "I was..... thinking."

"Thinking about what?" Brooke butted in, trying to act like she wasn't copying my answers, but I knew.

There was a long pause, before I answered. I was in an airy and day-dreamy mood.

"Stuff."

"That was a lousy answer." Xander scoffed.

"Better than nothing." Brooke shrugged, before getting up to get a tissue.

I flicked my pencil, patiently waiting for more work to accomplish. I was exhausted since I spent the night beforehand frantically finishing an assignment that I totally forgot about, turned out I didn't even need to finish it until the next week. I furrowed my eyebrows and closed my eyes as I sighed in exhaustion. To add to that, it was pretty cold out due to the upcoming winter weather.

"How late did you stay up last night?" Xander asked.

"Three in the morning" I groaned. "I wish I was still in my bed."

"Doesn't everyone." He commented.

"You do realize that you just said that everyone wants to be in my bed."

"Well I want to be." He smirked wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. What disturbed me was the fact that I couldn't tell if he was joking or being serious.

"You're gross." I deadpanned, whacking him on the arm.

"Ouch, you just hurt my feelings." He joked. "Anyway, why did you stay up so late?"