Dude...Thats Not a Guy

16. What mother doesn't know can't hurt her

Ashton's POV :

"And just where do you think you're going? "

"Damnit" I cursed ".... uh, just grabbing breakfast" I replied subtly stretching my arms in what I hope came across as just having woke up.

"And you expect me to believe that?" Mum asked, crossing her arms in that signature 'you're not fooling anyone ' posture, and its times like this that I thank my expert lying skills.

"Why would I lie to you mother? What kind if son do you take me for?"

"You are aware that it is 3 in the afternoon, right?" She stated, raising an eyebrow in a condescending manner,

"I'm a teenager, what's you're point?" By now I'd moved on to looking through the pantry and randomly opening the fridge, because sure I might not have actually needed breakfast but now that I thought about it a nice bowl of cereal would be fantastic.

"Well last time I checked if you're trying to pull the 'teenage sleeping' thing then you at least need to pretend to go to bed at some point in the evening" the motherly eyebrow game was on point, she was raising it in full on scepticism and in hindsight I probably should have just lied and said I was sleeping over at Xavier's. But what the hell, I've already dug myself a hole now.

"Have you been reading those parenting manuals again?" I asked, looking over the fridge door to raise my own eyebrows in question,

"Don't be changing the topic, where were you last night and this morning?"

"Urg fine, Xav held a party to celebrate the win, it's no big deal, I just crashed at his for the night" I shrugged off her question simply, who knows maybe it wasn't to late to use that excuse anyway.

"A party, hmm?" Mum stated, her lips pulled into a thin line, "And was there drinking at this party that Xavier threw?"

"Of course not mum, it's Xavier were talking about, you know he doesn't like alcohol, and besides, you've raised me better and should know I would never drink under the law." Lies. But she didn't need to know that, because as far as she's aware the most I've had to drink was a glass of wine at thanksgiving dinner last year. And as for Xavier not liking alcohol....well .... let's just say that's definitely not a bubble I plan on bursting for her.

"Well I would like to hope I did'?" Mum spoke skeptically, an eyebrow raising disbelievingly but she didn't push that fact any further "How is that boy these days anyway? Its been like what? 3 days since he's been here? He must be sick"

"Well jeez you'd think he was your friend not mine" I stated with a smirk, raking a hand through my disheveled hair and subtly peeking over her shoulder for an escape route. Luckily Jacques was wandering down the hallway, her hair like a birds nest and mud splattering the front of her floral dress. Sandy bounding along beside her, tongue lolling out of her mouth and matching mud stains all up her front and on her back.

"Jacqualine! Why on earth are you so messy?" Mum gasped, spinning on her heels and turning to face a now guilty looking 5 year old. She looked like she had been planning to sneak through the kitchen into the laundry but the mirror dangling on the wall hadn't worked in her favour.

It didn't look like she had an answer to mums question so I took the opportunity to save both our hides and strode past mum, bending down to pick up my younger sister.

"Well aren't you just a little grubby gremlin?" I teased, ruffling her hair even further, and setting her on the side of my hip, balancing her with one arm as she giggled hysterically.

"And just where do you two think you are going?" Mum asked, her hand resting on her hip,

"Stopping this little munchkin from tracking mud through your nice clean house of course" I replied simply, sending a subtle wink to Jacques and grinning when she burst into another round of giggles,