Bad Intentions

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I toed my shoes off as I entered the house.

"Mom!" I shouted as I walked into the living room.

"God Peyton Elizabeth, do you have to shout?" My mother asked as I walked into the kitchen area. My mom was setting down crystal dishes and placing them carefully on top of one another.

"Who died?" I asked looking at the antique plates.

"No one died. If you paid even a small amount of attention you'd realize your father had an important dinner with a very influential family tonight.

"So we eat dinner made by Rosalinda served on our good China for a family of suits, bull sh-"

"Watch your language." My mother warned as she continued stacking plates. I went to the counter and started making a sandwich. I felt eyes watching me but ignored them as I placed a piece of bread on top to finish it off.

"You aren't going to eat that."

"Well, I didn't make it to stare at it," I muttered. My mother sighed and took the sandwich from my hands and dumped it in our trash can.

"Why was I not allowed to eat that?"

"You know how your father is about eating before dinner. "

"Dad doesn't like I doing anything."

"That's his job," my brother Ethan said walking in with a box of doughnuts," make it so we are never happy. Speaking of dad he's been waiting for you." Ethan said buying into his doughnut. I sighed and climbed the spiral staircase to my father's study. I knocked on the huge mahogany double doors.

"Enter." His voice was soft but seemed to echo in the dense room. I sighed and walked in holding my pride with whatever was left of myself.

"Hello, sir," I muttered standing in front of his desk.

"Peyton Elizabeth, you're late."

"There was traffic."

"Are you aware of tonight's events?"

"Dinner party."

"Good, are you aware of how the food is going?"

"Rosalinda is still cooking away."

"Good, how is your siblings' attire?"

"Ethan just walked in and I haven't seen Quinn yet."

"Hm, subpar report."

"I apologize."

"Is that what you're wearing?"

"I was on my way to change."

"Well, in that case, you're dismissed. You may exit." He says his voice strong and firm as he kicks me out. My feet carried me out the room and I stopped in front of the door. Talking to my dad always left me disoriented. My heart dropped to my stomach as I walked to the attic.

I always enjoyed the fact that my room was in the attic. I enjoyed the fact that in the attic was a place where I could be myself. The attic was given to me after my parents realized I had a curiosity for bats. They put me up there in the hope I'd get tired and stop asking. I was a dedicated bat enthusiast. They can't take that from me. They can't take my heart from me and they sure as hell aren't moving my shit downstairs.

~*~

I sat in my room curling my hair and talking to my sister, Stephanie Quinn. Stephanie Quinn had long beautiful blonde hair which always made me jealous. I always compared it to my full brown hair which laid straight while hers curled voluptuously. Her eyes glow an emerald type green while mine stayed a dead dim blue. Everything about Quinn was me but better. Her grades, her friends, her confidence. Quinn was better everything.

"I have a question." She muttered under her breathe. I just barely caught her and looked up cocking an eyebrow.

"If I like somebody, should I go for it? I mean he dated someone in close to, would it be bad if I went for it?"

"Your happiness is more important than anyone else's. It all depends on who means more."

"They both are equally important to me."

"Well, ask for forgiveness. Not permission." I muttered honestly.

"What?"

"Ask to be forgiven. It's easier than asking for permission."

"True, thanks! I'll see you at dinner." She smiled hopping away. I sighed an looked at myself in the mirror. I looked tired. I always looked tired. My skirt was plain black and my shirt was a silk material with polka dots. I looked okay for a dinner. I looked like an intern with my hair pulled back into a curled high ponytail. All I needed was some black framed glasses that took up the top half of my face. I sprayed a little perfume on myself and say on my bed. In the corner of my eye, I saw a black car pull into the driveway. First, a man came out of the driver seat. He smiled and ran a hand through his hair. A woman about his age stepped out the passenger seat and smiled.

"Very quaint." She mused looking at the house. The man nodded in agreement and they both stood together. Out from the back seat was a boy. Well, not a boy but a boy. His hair was flushed. It looked messy but professional. He looked bad like he smoked cigarettes and got high with prostitutes.

Not that, that was bad. It was just kinda unsanitary. I sighed looking down at the family laughing about something.

Showtime.

~*~

Dinner wasn't what I expected. I expected some huge debate about the political stance on the Iraq oil found by Bush and Channey. Instead, it was small talk.

"So were you all born here in Mendona?" Mr. Greene's wife, Mrs. Greene, asked

"Um, we were all adopted," Ethan said.

"All of you?" Mr. Greene asked.

"Yep! Every single one." I smiled.

"Do you know who your real parents are?" Mr. Greene asked.

"Well, these are my real parents."

"I meant your biological parents." He said.

"Yeah, we spend a month out of the year there. It's to keep us humble and connected." Quinn said smiling.

"That's sweet." Mrs. Greene smiled at us. I nodded and looked away. I realized that Asher hadn't said two words all night. Other than hello and I'm Asher. But that'd be three words now.

"Do you all play sports?"

"Not really, we used to play tennis," Quinn muttered pushing her food around.

"We have a tennis court, you guys should come over some time for a game!" Mrs. Greene exclaimed clasping her hands tightly.

"Maybe. That'd be fun. Do you play tennis, Asher." Asher's grayish-blue eyes were glowing as he watched me.

"Unfortunately."

"Unfortunately," I repeated sighing. The table was quiet as they