Dedicated to my best friends:
leayak and definitely sadie2407 One's been with me since forever and one I've been getting to know. You both mean the world to me.
I challenge you guys: smile at a stranger. Sometimes just letting someone on the street know that you see them can make a huge difference.
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Ryan didn't look me in the eyes as he stood up from the table.
"I'm heading to bed." I nodded.
"Okay, shut your bedroom do-"
"I know, I know. Shut the door. It's such a stupid rule." I'd had enough. Yes, he didn't understand that I had him close the door in case my mother or her friends came home, or something happened outside. But that wasn't an excuse to treat me the way he'd been treating me.
"Ryan," I didn't want to make Jesse feel uncomfortable, but on a scale from one to ten, my tolerance was at -7. "Don't talk to me like that. Whether you like it or not, I'm the adult in the house right now, which means you have to treat me with a certain level of respect. Is that clear?" Ryan looked pissed.
"Get this into your head Charlotte. YOU'RE. NOT. MOM. But you know what?" He added as an after thought. "You're acting a lot like her right now." I sucked in a breath and motioned tiredly to the landline.
"If you're so against me being the authority figure right now, then ask Dad to pick you up." That answer was met with silence. Ryan's eyes turned wide and I could feel Jesse's stare turn to me.
"Wha-What?"
"If you hate the two rules that I want you to listen to while you're under MY roof, then call Dad."
"It's not your roof." My eyes narrowed.
"I think we both know that's certainly not the truth." He finally began to look guilty, but obviously had too much ego to back down.
"Whatever." I saw his back as he headed up the stairs and I sighed. Jesse hand slid onto my shoulder and I leaned into him, the warmth comforting.
"Want to tell me what's wrong?" I shook my head.
"There isn't anything. You hungry?" He rolled his eyes, not pleased with me avoiding the question, but accepted it.
"Yeah a little."
"I'll make something."
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