Mom took away my phone for the rest of the weekend, claiming to give it back when she felt I deserved it. I knew I wouldn’t have to wait long for she had to have some sort of connection with me. We didn’t have a house phone so the cell would be the only way.
Nonetheless, I pretended as though my punishment was effective. I knew if I acted as if I was happy, she’d actually end up punishing me instead of this “grounding” she gave.
I didn’t do much Sunday, mostly stayed in my room. Mom handled Mason downstairs. I could hear her anger growing as her patience waned, yet I did nothing.
She deserved it.
I was being punished for something I had no choice but to do.
Monday came and I awoke late, making sure I spent the least amount of time downstairs. I dressed slowly, taking my time.
When I finally walked downstairs, Mom didn’t acknowledge me at all. I grabbed a banana and a bottle of water, slipping on sneakers. It was silent, for Mason wasn’t awake yet. Mom continued to flip through a magazine.
After I finished my banana, I grabbed my bag, heading out the door.
The bus ride seemed longer than normal. It was moderately quiet for a bus, everyone still tired from the weekend. I leaned my head against the window, resting my eyes for the ride, my thoughts drifting off topic.
Walking into school, I tried my best to avoid my friends. I knew if I started talking, I wouldn’t be able to stop. I never liked dragging them into my troubles.
Unfortunately for me, almost as soon as I got to school, I felt someone fall into step with me.
“Hey Pumpkin” Caden said, walking with me to my locker.
I sighed, spinning my combination “What do you want?”
“Why do you think I want something?”
“Go away, Caden, I’m not in the mood” I grumbled, shoving textbooks into my backpack. He sighed, closing my locker for me.
I guess I don’t need to bring my science textbook to class today.
I pushed past him, walking to the library to finish my essay before school began. I dropped my bag on the floor, taking a seat at one of the computers. Caden took a seat next to me, turning on his computer.
“Caden, seriously, what do you want from me?” I whined, rubbing my eyes.
“How was your weekend?” He asked, trying to change the subject.
I opened up a word document, plugging in my memory stick “It was fine.”
“Your mom called me and told me not to come Saturday. Everything alright?” He asked, sounding concerned.
“Everything’s fine” I said through gritted teeth. I pulled out my hand-written copy, typing furiously.
“You sure? You look a little mad” He teased, nudging my leg with his knee.
“Oh no, I’m just a big ball of sunshine” I muttered sarcastically. “Look, I have to finish this essay, can we chat another time?”
“I’ll wait” He said, rather rudely.
“Caden” I whined “Come on, leave me alone. I’m trying to get this done”
“You’re no fun, Pumpkin” He laughed, watching me work. “But I’ll leave you alone. I have to meet Shelley at her locker anyways.”
“Thank you” I hissed.
He stood up, ruffling my hair as he walked away. I groaned, running my hands through it, trying to fix it once again.
I finished typing my essay, grabbing the paper from the printer as soon as the bell rang. I sighed, realizing I was late for first period. I stuffed the paper in my bag, cursing at Caden under my breath as I left.
Walking into class, my teacher gave me a disapproving look “Do you have a pass?”
I shook my head, walking to my seat silently. I slumped down, watching as he scribbled something down on his attendance bored.
School lagged along slowly. I found myself looking forward to lunch, when I could finally escape the intense boredom of learning. It seemed that the teachers were conspiring against me, loading me up with homework and dull lectures.
Finally the bell rang for lunch. I grabbed my bag, following the students out of the classroom. I stopped at my locker, surprised to see Kasey waiting for me there.
“Hey” I said, opening my locker.
“What’s up with you and Caden?” She asked, trying not to sound curious. I knew her well enough to know she was bursting inside to spill.
“Nothing, Kasey, he’s Mason’s babysitter. That’s it”
“Why’s he always touching you and stuff then?” She grinned devilishly like she knew something I didn’t.
“Cause he knows it bugs me.”
“Do you like him” She pushed. I knew she would ask.
I slammed my locker shut, giving her a look.
She grinned “You do, don’t you”
“Kasey!” I hissed, “Shut the hell up! I don’t!”
“Then why’d it take you so long to deny it, Joey” She teased “You like him! You like him!”
“I swear, Kasey, if you don’t stop, I’ll beat you in the head with my book!”
“Joey and Caden sitting in a tree” She sang “K-I-S-S-I-N-G”
“What are you? Four?” I growled
“I think that’s cute” She smiled innocently at me. I narrowed my eyes, walking away from her angrily. Kasey sighed, chasing after me “Come on, Joey, I was teasing you.”
“If you’d shut up for once” I snapped “Maybe you’d know that I have a boyfriend and finally understand that I do not like him!”
“When did you get a boyfriend?” Kasey asked, mocking hurt. I rolled my eyes at her, dumping my bag at an empty lunch table.
I smiled, glad she changed the topic “Uh… Friday, actually”
“And why the hell didn’t you tell me sooner?” She frowned, grabbing a tray and loading it up with food.
“Because I got grounded”
“Why?”
“Just… got in a fight with Mom”
Kasey didn’t know me very well, but she was a good enough friend to know I didn’t like talking about my mother at school. I was too happy for something so sour to ruin it.
“Oh…” She grabbed a milk, tossing me a water bottle “So tell me about your boyfriend! When do I get to meet him?”
“Uh… maybe never?” I smiled apologetically
She pouted “And why not?”
“He’s kind of shy. He’s not exactly social. Plus maybe I don’t want to share” I winked at her teasingly.
She rolled her eyes, getting in the line to pay. “What’s his name?”
“Jason”
“Does he go to our school?” She asked, trying to think of shy people named Jason
“Oh, no. He goes to a different school” I muttered, not remembering the name specifically. Such a good “girlfriend” I was, wasn’t i?
“How old is he?”
“Junior” I muttered, leading us to our table “What is this? Twenty questions?”
“Well Joey, you haven’t had a boyfriend in a while and I want to make sure he’s good to you this time” She said caringly.
I had a reputation with picking loser boyfriends.
Kasey poked at her salad, not really eating it. I took a bit out of my pizza, silence filling our table. I chewed slowly, savoring the moment.
“You have to admit, Joey, that Caden is cute”
I nearly spat my water over her “Where the hell did that come from?”
“I’m just thinking…”
“Look, Kase, I don’t really care if you have a crush on my brother’s babysitter, but please don’t drag me into this stuff. It’s bad enough at my own house”
She raised an eyebrow “Oh really? What happens at your house when he’s there?”
“Nothing!” I growled, getting fed up quickly “He’s a conceited douche bag that takes pleasure in messing with me”
“Awh! He teases you?” She cooed as if it was the most romantic thing.
“No! He does stupid little jokes that he thinks are funny but aren’t.”
“So he teases you?”
I sighed in defeat “Yes, he teases me”
“What does he do?”
“Just…. Stuff. Look, Kasey, I’m really not in the mood. Can we pick a different topic to discuss?” I grumbled.
She shrugged “How do you think you did on that History test?”
We spent the rest of the lunch period discussing anything that came to mind. I could see it in Kasey’s eyes she wanted to talk more about Caden, but I didn’t. It was fine by me if she had a crush on him, I just didn’t want to hear about it.
The next half of the day was, thankfully, quicker than the previous. Yet not by much. I managed not to fall asleep in all my classes, yet still having mounds of homework to do.
It was definitely going to be a horrible night.
Collin tried to talk to me as we walked to our class, but I was too indifferent to respond. I felt a sudden wave of tiredness flow over me, drowning me in it during the last period.
My eyes were glued to the clock above our teacher’s head, watching the second hand tick slowly around. I was barely listening to anything the teacher was saying, focusing intently on the clock. I wasn’t sure why I longed to get out of school considering I was going back to my house. Yet, I could feel anticipation as the minutes shrunk.
The ball rang before my teacher was finished lecturing. I stuffed my books in my bag, listening to the last bit she had to say.
“Alright guys, I want you to think of a topic that could be considered controversial and write me a two page essay for Wednesday. Now, this involves a little research, so don’t procrastinate this until the last minute.”
I knew I would go against the advice given and leave this off until Wednesday morning, but I didn’t care.
I stopped by my locker to switch out books before leaving. Kasey met up with me just as I was about to close it.
“Hey girl” I said, slinging my backpack around my shoulder
“So I was thinking that this weekend you, me, your boyfriend, and Jack Gleeson could double date at the movies or something. It would give me alone time with Jack while getting your boyfriend out there.”
“I think you just want to meet Jason” I teased “But I can’t anyways”
“Why not?” She pouted
“I already told you.” I sighed “I’m grounded”
She smirked at me “Sure, you’re ‘grounded’. Doesn’t a certain someone come over on weekend evenings now? Hmm.. could that be the reason why?”
“Shut up!” I laughed “You’re such a jerk. No, I seriously did get grounded”
“Come on, Joey, please? Just this once?” She begged “I hardly ever ask you to come to stuff you don’t want to!”
“What are you talking about? You always do!” I laughed
“Yes, but you always refuse. Please” She pleaded.
I sighed sadly “Seriously, Kasey, I would but I can’t.”
“What’s the real reason? Being grounded never stopped you before! Come on, please, Joey?” She looked at me, eyes wide with hope that I might say yes.
I felt an arm sling around my shoulder, my body being pulled into someone else’s. I held back the curse words I so badly wanted to say.
“Sorry, honey, but she’s stuck with me” Caden smiled smugly, sticking his thumb towards himself.
Kasey blushed slightly, suddenly losing her will to speak.
“Go away” I whined.
“Hey, you’re coming home with me, by the way” Caden said.
I noticed Kasey raised an eyebrow, a smug smile across her face. “I don’t need a ride”
“You’re mother wanted me to get Mason after school so I told her I’d get you too. She thought that was a good idea”
“Why the hell are you getting Mason? Its Monday” I snapped.
He shrugged “I don’t know, I just got a call from your mom this morning”
I crossed my arms, shrugging his off my shoulder. “I’ll take the bus, if you don’t mind”
“Actually, Pumpkin, I do mind. And my car’s this way” He smirked, grabbing onto a strap on my backpack and pulling me with him. I groaned, looking at Kasey
“Don’t you dare” I warned to her before turning around to face Caden. “You fucking suck!”
He laughed, releasing me “Nah, I don’t do the sucking”
I groaned, stomping my foot dramatically at the innuendo “I hate you! Why do you have to do stuff like that?”
“Like what?” He smirked, stopping to dig his keys out of his pocket
“Embarrassing stuff!” I cried out, crossing my arms.
He laughed, hugging me to him. “Did I embarrass you?”
“Duh” I growled, trying to push him away “And you’re doing it now”
He pulled away, leaning against the car. Caden left his hands on my waist, holding me in front of him. I stood there awkwardly, not sure entirely what to do.
“So how was school?”
“Don’t you have to get my brother?”
He smirked at me “I lied”
I gaped at him “What did you…. Why?!”
“Cause I wanted to give you a ride home, Pumpkin” He smirked, pulling me towards him slightly. I stumbled a step forward.
“Are you kidding me? You know Kasey’s going to give me so much hell about this” I groaned “You fucking suck”
“I already told you, Pumpkin, I don’t do the sucking. That’s your job” He winked at me.
I narrowed my eyes “That was unnecessary”
“I beg to differ”
“Can you let me go so I don’t miss my bus?”
“I told you already” He said “I’m giving you a ride home”
“Why?”
“Cause I want to. Plus it gives me an excuse not to wait for Shelley while she finishes cheerleading” He shrugged
I rolled my eyes, shrugging out of his grip. I walked over to the passenger door, climbing in. Caden waited a moment before going in too, starting up the car “Thought you would love watching girls in skirts with big boobs throwing each other around”
“You’d think that” He laughed “But all their shouting gives me a headache. Plus Shelley gets all pissy if I don’t get her bag for her before she changes.”
I snorted with laughter “She’s making you whipped”
He shot me the death glare before turning back to the road “No girl will do that to me. I’m not that kind of guy”
“It’s not something to be ashamed of” I muttered, surprised by his sudden defensive mode.
“I’m just saying, I can be romantic, but I’m not going to be whipped”
“Whatever, Caden”
****So I switched the category over to Watty Awards. I hope it counts, but vote please(: And comment(: THANKS!****