Cal Jackson's new life as a rockstar fails to account for one thing: the existence of the girl he loves.
*****
"What are you thinking about?" she asks.
"A song," I say. "A new song."
I stare at the ocean as I sing the song that I wrote, something th...
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"I have never taught you to lie, Mia," Dad barks. "And you lied to us. You deceived us, just because of one guy with no background who suddenly appeared out of the blue. I told you not to play with fire--"
"He's not just any guy, Dad." My voice is shaking. I just can't stand it when people degrade Cal like that.
With no background? What was that supposed to mean? They don't know anything about his past.
"He's a great guy, Dad."
"A guy who doesn't even have the will to fix his life?" Dad snaps. "He's not even going to college. He's not a good influence for you, Mia. All he's been doing is sweeping you off your feet with sweet words and all, but we know that it isn't real. Look where we are now. You've been with him for a while, and you've started lying to us."
"It's not his fault," I snap back, my chest heaving up and down. "It's my fault, Dad. Mine. Cal has nothing to do with this. He doesn't even know that I was lying to you," I raise my tone.
Dad and Mom stare at me in shock, like they can't believe that they're looking at their daughter.
"I lied to you because I knew that you wouldn't let me go if I told you the truth," I whisper brokenly.
Dad turns silent for a moment, but then he steps forward, his eyes menacing as he towers me. "Well, you are absolutely correct," he says in a low voice. "You are not to see that guy ever again."
My mouth drops open. Pain strikes me at the thought of not being able to see Cal and Jasmine again. Before I know it, anger takes over my body.
"Why are you doing this?" I hiss, balling my fist on my side. "Why do you hate him so much? He hasn't even done anything to you. What has he done that made your heart so cold?"
Dad's jaw tightens. "Just from seeing him close to you made me want to explode, Mia. A guy like him is supposed to stay the hell away from you. He is dangerous, Mia--"
"He's not," I cut him off, glaring at him. "He's a good guy, Dad. He lives with his little sister and he provides for her. He's someone so matured and responsible for his age."
I make a note to myself not to ever tell my parents about the story behind his band -- about the drugs -- because that would make them have a heart attack.
"Even though he only finished high school, he was trying his best to earn money for a living," I continue. "He works hard by performing on stage, working on his songs--"
"Which justifies even more why you shouldn't be with him in the first place," Dad snaps. "You should never be with a guy like that. You will have no future with him, and he will only corrupt you, harm you, endanger you."
"That's not true at all," I shout, finally losing my patience. All the bad things Dad says about Cal slice my heart. "How could you say something like that so easily?" Pain is evident in my voice. "You're not God. You can't cut his heart and shows me what's in it. You don't know him. You don't know anything about his heart."
