Street Racer

Chapter 21

I woke up the next morning, wearing an old baggy t-shirt and plaid pajama bottoms. I walk into the kitchen and pour myself a bowl of cereal, like I always do.

Michael is already sitting at the kitchen table, munching away on toaster waffles and pop tarts. I give him a small smile as I pour my cereal.

He keeps looking over at me, sneaking small glances and contemplating over something. I can feel he's onto my little lie. He's probably thinking about how I acted and what I said last night.

I ignored him and are my bowl of cereal on the kitchen island, instead of the table. I fear that if I sit down with him, it would be like a police interrogation. He would just keep looking at me weirdly and trying to find out as much as he can about why I acted so strange last night.

My mom walked down the steps in her business outfit, and I roll my eyes when she's not looking and take another bite of cereal.

My mom walks around the kitchen, grabbing food for her lunch and trying to organize things up. She an clean freak, and I hated that. I was like the complete opposite of her, I always wondered if I was even her real daughter or if I was switched at birth.

My dad comes down next. He's still in his pajamas, an old shirt and baggy sweatpants. I stare at him as he walks in and steals a bagel from the counter.

But our messy, 'family breakfast' is ruined when there's a knock at the door. My eyes widen and I turn to see who it is. I walk to the door as my whole family sticks their heads out the kitchen to look across the living room at me. My dad sets down his bagel and follows close behind me, staying in the living room, near the door.

I open it, and Aaron takes a few steps into the house. He sees my father, and begins to talk to him about something. My eyes widen in horror.

"Sir, you must be Luna's father-" he says. But before he can get in another word. I shove him out the door and slam the door shut behind me. He looks at me weirdly, confused.

"What the heck are you doing?" I say to him, us both standing on the front porch. I know my family is probably really confused right now, especially my dad.

Aaron takes a look down at my outfit, the t-shirt ad the sweatpants, and then looks back up at me.

"Can I just say that you look really cute in your pajamas-" he starts to say, and I hit him in the arm.

"What were you thinking, you idiot!" I say to him, my eyes wide. His eyebrows furrow together, perplexed.

"What are you talking about?" He asks. I take a deep breath and cross my arms over my chest, "I was just going to ask your father for permission to date you."

"You don't need my father's permission okay? I told you I had a bad relationship with my father, and he doesn't even know about the street racing, or you for that matter," I instruct Aaron. He just puts his hands down at his side.

"I'm sorry, Luna, I just wanted to be a gentleman," he says.

"Aaron, you're not a gentleman, don't lie to yourself," I tell him. He smiles a lopsided smile, and it makes me smile, my cheeks growing red.

I glance back at my house, hoping my partners weren't watching us. It was hard to stay made at Aaron, especially now, and especially when he gives you that adorable half smile you can't say no to.

"Go home, Aaron," I tell him, "before you get us both in trouble."

He hesitates a second, and I see him glance back at his Dodge Dart, parked by the curb. He turns back to me, and I start to shove him back.

"Aaron, just go!" I say. He nods and leaves. I stare after him more a minute, then compose myself, taking soothing breathes and heading back inside.

My dad stands there in the living room, his arms crossed over his chest. My brother stands next to him looking at me. I bet my mom is too busy in the kitchen to care or even notice.

"Who was that?" My brother asks, giving me a hard, stony glare. I glare back at him.

"He was no one, just a friend from school," I lie, and push past them to the kitchen before they can say anything.

Once I'm in the kitchen, I lean back against the wall when I see my mom has already left for work. I hear my brother and dad talking in hushed voices outside in the living room, but loud enough that I could hear a few pieces of their conversation.

"Something's not right... Hiding something... Changed.... Lies, maybe?"

I couldn't listen anymore, so I turned and walked up the stairs, and I knew they were on to me.