Picture Perfect

Chapter 1

It was a Friday night. Every week on Friday and Saturday I would spend my nights at some house party with my friends and boyfriend. It was like clockwork. At 6 I would head over to my best friend, Catarina's, house to get ready. At 8 we left for the party after pregaming a little. I met my boyfriend Damien there, which was pretty easy since he was Cat's brother. We partied until it was time for me to sneak back into my house. I had gotten pretty good at that, at least I had until that night.

"Good morning, Alessia." I looked up from the window of my room I was climbing through to see my mom standing in the doorway. Shoot. "Where are you headed to at, hmmm, 3:39 in the morning? Especially in those clothes?" She did a one over of me. I was wearing a black mini skirt and a laced bralette top. Not exactly the what you wanted to see your daughter in. Especially if she sneaking through a window. "Unless, this might sound crazy, but maybe you were just coming home?"

"Mom, I can explain." I hopped off the window sill.

"Oh don't bother. I was a teen not that long ago, I know exactly what you were doing. I want to talk about that." I rolled my eyes and sat down on my bed waiting for the lecture to come. Mom laughed and sat down next to me. "Don't give me that look. I am okay with you going out and having fun with friends, but I'm worried that is all you care about. Not to mention the fact that being out so late, or should I say early, is extremely dangerous. I'm not asking you to stop having fun, I just want you to be safe."

"But I am, Mom," I whined.

"How am I supposed to know that? I don't know where you are for half the night. So I want to set some rules. I want to know where you are going and with who. And your curfew is midnight. I want a text that you are on your way home. I also expect your grades to be phenomenal if you have so much free time. Ok? Good. In return I'll trust what you say and not tell your father." Dad has always been super protective over me, if I wasn't the perfect child he thought I was it might would kill him.

"Thanks, Mom." I smiled. I had gotten off better than I expected. It was super easy, I mean she never checks my grades and she says she trusts me. Who knew I was so lucky.
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"I have the worst luck in the world." I turned to Cat after getting in her car.

"What did your nail break?" She laughed.

"I wish. It's super bad. You know the promise me and my mom have."

"Yeah, the whole trust and good student thing." Cat made a face as she said the second part. We all knew I barely get by in all of my classes, well except my mom. "What about it?"

"Well, I got called up to one of my teachers desks after class. All to inform me that my mom requested my transcript. She's gonna know that I let her think I was a good student, which is basically lying. Then boom, social life over." It's not that I wanted to lie to my mom, I just thought I'd have more than a weekend to fix my grades.

"I don't think she'll be that harsh. She's letting you date Damien for goodness sakes, she most be easy going."

"Yeah, maybe you are right." Here's the thing. My parents don't know about Damien, he's not exactly the bring him home to meet your parents type. He does his own thing. The only reason he hasn't been expelled from the private school the two of them attend is because their parents bankroll most of the school. And trust me, Damien should be expelled. But he is sweet, don't get me wrong, he just doesn't like rules. Which is probably why he likes that fact my parents don't know.

I stayed silent the rest of the way home, fiddling with my hands. I looked in the mirror and I had worry written all over my face. And let me tell you it wasn't a good look.

"Bye, Cat. Tell Damien I'll call him once I deal with my mom." I unbuckled my seat belt as soon as we pulled up to my driveway.

"Chill, Sia. It'll be fine." She called before pulling off heading to the house a few doors down.