"Alright, kiddo, let's talk."
I sat up to show that I was listening. More than anything, I was curious as to what he wanted to say. It's very rare that he is ever so serious about talking so my curiosity was piqued.
"I'm not going to lecture you since I am sure that Jill and Charlie took care of that pretty well, but we are going to talk about some new rules. It has been brought to my attention recently that I am doing you a major disservice by being your friend rather than your dad. All I want is for you to be a successful, efficient adult and that isn't going to happen if we don't make some changes around here," Dad started out.
I held back a heavy sigh, knowing that he wouldn't appreciate it at this moment. Instead, I kept my focus on him so he knew that I was listening.
"I have made a list that will be on the refrigerator for a few weeks until we have learned them."
"Really? A rules list on the fridge like I am five?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.
"Yes. We are both going to need to learn them and I want them up for a while. It's not like anyone but us is going to see it. You're grounded for three weeks so you're not having anyone over."
I rolled my eyes, but I didn't argue further. He pulled out the piece of paper that I assumed were the rules he had composed. I didn't understand why he put in so much effort for something that wasn't going to go anywhere.
"Alright, this is the list. We're going to talk about it just so that we are clear on it all," Dad started, but I interrupted.
"Dad, I can read just fine. We don't need to discuss each one."
"I think we do. Just so there's no confusion," he gave me a hard look.
"Whatever. Let's get on with it," I replied, annoyance clear in my tone.
"Watch yourself," Dad warned me, "We will start with respect. This rule is a big deal. You will show respect to others, yourself, and property. I don't expect you to "yes/no sir/ma'am" everyone all the time, but I do expect that with strangers and when you are in trouble. Jill and Charlie appreciate it too, but it's not required unless, again, you are in trouble."
"Okay."
We continued going down the list. Dad kept warning me about my attitude and smartass remarks but I couldn't help it. His rule list was stupid.
After a particularly smart comment, he paused and looked at me menacingly, "You know what, I think that you need a break from this conversation to regather your thoughts. I think a few minutes in the corner will help quell that attitude so we can get through the rest of this without the unnecessary remarks."
I glared at him, "Personally, I think this conversation is unnecessary. I am almost a legal adult. I shouldn't have these rules like I'm some sort of child."
"As it happens, you are not an adult and I am the parent. You better get your nose in that corner before you find yourself over my knee. I already told you, Andrew, I am done with the games we have been playing."
Dad sounded more stern with that statement than he had in years, even more stern than Jill or even Charlie ever got with me. I finally decided that it was in my best interest to obey him because he was not bluffing.
I rolled my eyes as I got up and made my way over to the walls he had indicated. It was one thing to get my ass busted at my age, but it was a whole other ballgame to have to stand in the corner.
I crossed my arms and popped out my hip as I stood there. When Jill and Charlie had put me in the corner, I knew that I was in enough trouble already. There was just no way that Dad was going to bust my ass like they did. He didn't have it in him.
"Stand up straight, Andrew. Uncross your arms," Dad called over to me, still sounding mad.
I huffed but did as he said. He left me there for a long while. I was ready to turn around and give him the what for when he finally called me back.
"Ready to lose the attitude and get this over with?" he asked me as I settled back into my spot on the couch.
I remained silent and gave him a slight glare.
"Okay, we're not ready. I understand if you need a bit more time. Head back over to the corner and when you are ready, you can come out and we can finish this discussion," not only had he switched from stern, mad Dad, he switched into a much worse tone, one that you would use when trying to gentle parent a three-year-old.
"Go suck a dick," I stormed outside before he could reply.
What the fuck were the past few weeks? Every time I turned around something new was happening. I want everything to go back to normal.
I made my way across the yard before I paused. Dad was standing at the door, with the screen door closed. He had a nasty look on his face, proving just how angry he was. I couldn't say that I wasn't wearing probably the exact same face. He made me mad too.
I went over to the shed with the intention of hanging out in there for the rest of the night, finding something to work on. However, when I got in there, my eyes caught my dirt bike. I hadn't ridden since school started and it sounded rather appealing right about now.
Dad would still be mad when I got back, but maybe he would have some time to change his mind about this whole thing. That probably wouldn't happen, but maybe?
Thankfully, I kept the keys in the shed and Dad hadn't thought to take them. I checked the gas in the bike and it was still more than halfway full. I had more than enough to go out for a few hours and blow off some steam.
I quickly decided that I was going to go to my aunt's and see what my cousin was doing. He would probably enjoy getting out on his four-wheeler with me. Their house was just over a mile away and I would make it there in very little time. I contemplated pushing it until I was out of hearing range from Dad, but I decided against it. He was going to know that I had left either way, and it wasn't like he was going to catch me on it.
As soon as I rode through the front yard, out of the corner of my eye, I could see Dad on the porch, looking absolutely furious. I would definitely come to regret my decision, but I needed to get out.
I was at my aunt Ann's fairly often when I was younger, especially before my mom died. After that, it was a lot less often because my dad didn't want to hear her lectures. She had two kids, Nyla and Jackson. Jackson and I were close when I was younger, but because of the seven-year age gap between us, we didn't stay that way for long. I had always looked up to him as an older brother.
When I got to their house, I was thankful that Aunt Ann's car was not in the driveway, but Jackson and Paw's trucks were. Paw was not my grandpa, but my uncle. When I was little, I called him Paw Baby. I am not sure why I called him that, but as I got older, the baby was dropped and Paw stuck.
I parked my bike and went up to the door to knock.
"Oh, hey Drew!" My aunt exclaimed when she opened the door, "What a pleasant surprise!"
After she hugged me, she opened the door for me to walk through.
"What are you doing here, squirt?" Paw asked me after I hugged him as well.
"I came to see if Jackson wanted to hang out for a while," I told him.
Jackson had then walked into the living room where the rest of us were.
"Sure, I'll hang out for a bit. I think I heard your bike. Is that what we're doing?" Jackson replied to my statement.
I nodded my head.
"Let me go put some different clothes on."
I stayed in the living room with Aunt Ann and Paw until he got done. They wanted to talk about all of the things and I gave them the answers they were looking for. Dad is doing good. School was fine. Yes, I work a lot. No, I don't have a girlfriend. Yes, my truck still runs good. All of the things.
When Jackson came back out, I said goodbye to my relatives and left out the door with him.
"So what's up?" he asked me as soon as we got out of hearing range.
"Nothing much. I thought it was a nice evening to get out."
"The sun is already set. What is going on, for real?"
I sighed, realizing that he was not going to let me off the hook and I might have been better off going somewhere alone. "Dad and I got into a fight and I needed to blow off some steam."
"So why didn't you take your truck?" he asked, giving me a look of suspicion.
I sighed again, "I am grounded."
He busted out laughing and after a moment of me just staring at him, he sobered, "Wait, you're being serious?"
At my nod, he said, "I'm sorry it's just that MK never punishes you so I thought you were kidding. Why did you get grounded?"
We had been walking as we were talking over to the barn where Jackson's four-wheeler was at.
"There's quite a long list... I yelled at Jill, ran off, bought alcohol, got drunk, rode in the truck with someone who was also drunk., plus all the other things that go along with those things."
"That is quite a list. I will say that you deserved to be grounded. But if you are grounded, then why are you here with your dirt bike?" As I mentioned before, Jackson has been a surrogate big brother to me. He always watches for me and sometimes I have to keep that in mind when we are talking because I am not used to people talking to me the way that he does.
"It wasn't necessarily a sanctioned trip," I replied.
It was his turn to sigh, "How much more trouble is it going to get you in?"
"Probably quite a bit. You know I got my ass busted for the first time the other day. And for the second time just yesterday."
He looked at me with wide eyes, mouth hanging slightly open, "MK busted your ass? Twice?"
That's not something that I would admit to just anyone but since we were together a lot when we were younger, I saw him in trouble multiple times. Plus, he has made his feelings about my dad's discipline methods clear more than once. I figured he would be glad that I was finally starting to get disciplined, though I couldn't say that I was having the same feelings.
"Well it wasn't Dad, but he approved of it and let it happen."
Jackson was still shocked, "What?!?"
"I got in trouble with them last Friday, and they gave me the option of a spanking or being grounded. I had a thing with a girl on Saturday so I chose spanking. Of course, they called Dad to approve it and that was the first. The other one for all the things I mentioned earlier."
"Wow."
"Yeah and now Dad is going on and on about these new rules that are going to ACTUALLY be enforced. I doubt that they will but that's what we got into a fight over."
We had long since reached the barn but we had found random things to sit on while we talked. It was almost dark so we probably wouldn't end up going anywhere anyways.
"So you ran away in the middle of a fight?" he asked me.
"Yes."
Jackson grimaced, "You know you're going to catch a lot of shit for that right?"
"I think he will have calmed down by the time I get back and realize how dumb all of this is."
Jackson grimaced once again, "Sorry Bub, I don't see that happening. I think he'll be ready to wear you out when you get back. I oughta call him," he said thoughtfully.
"Why would you do that?!?"
"I'm supposed to look out for you. That means that whenever you're making choices that are not good for you, I should let someone in authority know. That has always been my policy. Besides, this is more me trying to save your ass rather than snitch. It'll only get worse the longer you're gone."
I glared at him and stood up, "You know, I came here hoping to get some support. Thank you for letting me know that I will never have that with you."
"Andrew, you and I both know that you came here because you knew that I would help you make the right choices. You have been craving this kind of structure your entire life and now that you have it, you don't know what to do. I know it's stressful, but give yourself and your dad some slack. It will come to him naturally and you'll follow his lead."
I rolled my eyes and began to walk out the barn door.
"I'm calling MK right now to let him know you are leaving here. If I find out you went anywhere but home, you're going to be dealing with me. Got it?"
I rolled my eyes and continued to walk out the door.
"Andrew Oliver, I mean that. Do not test me."
I didn't acknowledge him again in any way, but I will admit that he was kind of impressive sometimes. I did not doubt that he would gladly beat me if I didn't listen.
I got on my bike and drove off. I could almost feel him smirking behind me. I was going to go home and hopefully get this thing sorted quickly. Maybe Jackson was right, and I needed structure. Maybe it was a better idea than I thought.
A/N: Sorry it was so long in between updates. I couldn't keep focused at all trying to write this chapter. I am excited for the next one and hopefully, it will be up soon.
Also, I could not remember if I had given Drew's dad a name yet, and if I did, please comment what it was. As it is in this chapter, MK stands for Martin (last name that starts with K)