Perfect Student

Chapter 23

I hid in my room. Bryce wasn't home when James dropped me off so they thankfully couldn't talk, but I knew that he had called him earlier to explain what happened. He would know that I snuck out and despite being my brother and not my parent, he wasn't known for being lenient with me.

I twisted my feet together anxiously as I sprawled out on my bed, doing homework. I played music in the background to distract myself, but the lyrics filtered through one ear and out the other as I pondered the kind of trouble that I was in. 

I heard the front door slam shut a half an hour later and I whimpered. I didn't hear footsteps on the stairs, so I shut my textbook and tucked a pen into my notebook, resigning myself to my fate. 

When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I spotted Bryce sitting on the armchair in our living room. His arms were crossed, and his face was hard as stone. I could tell he was furious. He cleared his throat loudly, making me scamper into the room and drop into the couch across from him.

"Hey, Bryce. How was your day?" I asked, a weak attempt at distracting him.

"Adeline Grace Johnson," he began, sending a chill down my spine. "I cannot understand why you would do something so reckless."

 "W-well, I didn't mean to," I said, unsure of what defense I could offer. I couldn't say Hunter told me to do it, I went with him willingly. I didn't mean to get caught though, certainly.

"You didn't mean to," he mocked dryly. "You are so lucky that the school didn't decide to press charges and wreck your entire future."

Tears stung my eyes and I tried to keep them down so he couldn't see.

"You're grounded," He went on without pausing. "No football games, no boyfriend, no Trinity, none of it. Not until you prove yourself trustworthy again."

"That's not fair! I've never done anything like this before!" I screamed in disbelief.

"And now you never will again," he answered, standing up to leave the room. Anger boiled inside me as he walked away, propelling me to stand up and fight.

"I have been PERFECT, doing everything right in school and my life and you never said anything about it, but the first time I mess up, you're here to chat in an instant!" I yelled, hands shaking at my sides. His eyes were wide in shock, never having seen me like this.

"I've told you you're doing well," he spluttered, face rumpling in confusion.

"Not once," I said harshly. It was the truth. "You hold me to this standard of perfection, and I don't get any credit for all that I'm doing right!"

A traitorous tear slipped from the corner of my eye, and I rubbed it off with the back of my hand swiftly.

"That's not true!" he argued.

"It is and you know it," I hissed. His face burned red as he grew mad, too.

"I only hold you to a high standard because I know you can reach it! And Mom and Dad aren't here to fix you when you mess up, so I have to do it!" he shouted. His chest puffed up and he fixed me with a glare.

"Nobody can be perfect all the time!" I protested.

"I can see that!" he spat. His expression was condescending until he spotted the look on my face. I took a huge breath and ran from the room, running up to my bedroom and slamming the door shut behind me. I clicked the lock and grabbed my phone from the top of my dresser, sending a text to Hunter immediately.

Hey babe. What're you up to tonight?

Think there is a party on Elm I'm heading to with Jonathan.

It's a Monday... who's throwing a party on a school night?

Some theater kid Jonathan knows that dropped out of college. You wanna join?

Can you give me a ride?

I'll be there in 20.

Perfect. 

To deter any suspicion Bryce might have, I flipped on my Bluetooth speaker and began blaring my anger playlist, so he knew I wasn't in the mood to talk (A/N abcdefu). There was a very real chance that he might walk in later and discover I wasn't here, but I decided to ignore that as I got ready. 

I didn't really own anything that seemed cool enough for a party, but I threw some things together and hoped it would work. A black flowery skirt I'd owned in elementary school now hugged my body tightly, hanging almost halfway down my thighs, a couple of inches above my fingertips. A black tank top was tucked into it concealing a push-up bra that made my average chest become noticeable. I threw on a fake diamond studded black choker and black leather jacket that I'm pretty sure had been Bryce's in junior high. I powdered my face and adorned my cheeks with contour and blush as the time passed slowly.

I marveled at the fact that I was really going to a party when I could be studying or sleeping early. While Hunter and his football friends were constantly scanning for wild things to do, Trinity and I had always opted out, using the time to prepare for later lessons or the SAT. I typed in her number with one hand as I put lipstick on with the other.