Next Door

Punishment

"Okay, hon, you ready?" Big Red offered Ashlyn his hand.

"I don't know."

"It'll be okay."

"I don't know." She repeated.

"My parents are gonna talk to yours, remember? Keep your hopes up. You've always been an optimistic person. I hate that you haven't been recently."

"I do too." She nodded, feeling herself begin to tear up but forcing herself not to cry.

"We've got this, babe."

"I don't wanna feel this way."

"And I hate that you do, Ash." He squeezed her hands. "One step at a time. Just one."

"I guess."

"So this starts by walking home."

"I— I don't think I can."

"I know you can, sweetie."

"Babe, I just— I know you believe in me and I'm trying to but it's just— if I go home, then they can... I mean, they can essentially ground me until I'm a legal adult. And it's just... I feel like that's not the most they could do. I'm definitely going to summer school now, that's for sure. But, like, they're big fans of like private and boarding schools and I... I just left home, and they were telling me not to. I didn't listen."

"Honey..." he hugged her. "You know, I know that you know, you have to go there or you'll just be wondering and wondering what's gonna happen."

"Okay. Okay. Yeah. Yeah." She nodded. "Your parents are coming later, not now?"

"Now it's... it's just you. They're at work, I'm sorry, I—"

"No, it's good. I'm not in the mood to hear fighting. Or, any more than I will have to."

"I love you." He kissed her.

"I love you more." She kissed him a few times. "Okay, I'm gonna... I'm gonna go." She took a breath, pulling apart and hurrying home before she could turn around. She unlocked the door with her key. Unfortunately, her parents were in the living room. They turned to the door when she entered. "I... um, hi."

"We told you not to leave." Her dad said sternly.

"Sorry, I know, I was stupid. I was just— um, I was a little out of it, I guess." Ashlyn tried to apologize. "It was irrational..."

"It really was." Her mom agreed.

"I'm so sorry." Ashlyn felt helpless. She wanted her parents to tell her what was going to happen. She hated the tension.

"Just go to your room."

"Yeah. Um, what's... like, what's my punishment?" Ashlyn asked quietly.

"You're grounded, of course."

"How long?"

"The summer."

"I can't just go no where." Ashlyn didn't want to argue, but she furrowed her eyebrows.

"Summer school." They answered simply.

"I, um, okay, yeah." She nodded. "Is that it?"

"We're looking in to other schools."

"But I— okay." Ashlyn held back any thoughts.

"You can go now."

"Yeah. Thanks." She mumbled, walking up to her room. As expected, she called Big Red.

"Hey..." he said.

"Can you— um, can you tell your parents not to come? I don't want to get in more trouble."

"But they're... they're gonna try to help. You can't just sit there while your parents run your life, they're gonna help—"

"I'm sorry. I just— it's already bad."

"What'd they say?"

"I'm grounded for the summer, summer school, and they're looking in to another school... which if I had to guess was a boarding school, but either way, school is the only way I can see you."

"I'm so sorry, Ash." He sighed.

"So could you please, just, tell them not to come?"

"I... I can ask. But, honestly, I do think they should come. I'll tell them what you're thinking. The decision's up to them."

"Yeah. That's fine." Ashlyn picked at her fingernails. "Thank you so much, for all of this. I hope I'm not becoming too much to handle."

"It upsets me that everything is like this, but I know there's a light at the end of the tunnel. I love you, I'm not taking the easy way out. It wouldn't even be easy."

"I love you too." She smiled slightly. "I can't wait for it to just be us."

"Me neither. It'll happen."

"I should go, now." Ashlyn said. "I'm tired. Gonna try and take a nap."

"Hey, I, um— real quick... how do you go to therapy if you're grounded?"

"Uh... um, I don't know."

"I'll just talk to my parents. Rest. Love you."

"Thanks. Love you more." She hung up.