(Sunday, 1:30PM, LA)
I sit with Dad on the couch, scrolling through Snapchat on my phone. Dad looks at me. "Ash." He says. I look over at him, switching off my phone. "What's up, Dad?" I say. Dad smiles. "I'm happy that you've found someone, bud." He says to me. I smile. "Thank you, Dad. That means a lot, coming from you." I say. Dad nods. Mom comes in, sitting next to me. She runs her hands through my hair, making me sigh. "Mom, I'm fine. I'm just growing up, that's all. I'm not two anymore." I say to her. Mom nods, letting go of my hair. She gets up, walking out of the room. I hear her footsteps going up the stairs. Dad sighs.
"Just give her time to relax. I still don't think she realises that she has a kid." Dad tells me. I nod. "What about school?" He says. I groan. "Dad, I don't wanna have this conversation with you right now." I say. I stand up, grabbing my phone. "Ashlee." Dad warns. I turn around to look at him. "Dad, stop! You are the last person on this earth that I would listen to about behaviour, okay? Just because you're my dad doesn't mean you control my life!" I shout. Dad looks at me. "Why are you so rude, Ashlee? What did we do to you?" He whispers. I grab my jacket, slipping on some shoes. "Where are you going?" He asks me. "Fuck off." I reply, slamming the front door behind me.
(2:30PM)
Josh opens the door, looking at me. "Oh my God, Ashlee!" He says, pulling me inside and shutting the door. I hug him, crying softly. Paige comes out of the kitchen, looking at me. "Hi, Ash. You okay?" She says. I shake my head. "Oh, sweetheart..." She trails off. She grabs my hand, sitting me on the couch. "I'll go make you something to eat." Paige tells me, walking back into the kitchen. Josh comes back into the room, sitting next to me on the couch. "I don't understand how they can't even understand their own child." Josh says to me. I shrug, laughing through my tears. "It's all I've ever known, Josh." I say. Josh sighs, hugging me again.
(3:45PM)
The doorbell rings and Josh gets up, answering it. A girl with red hair and cyan-blue eyes walks in, smiling at me. "Hey." She says. Max comes and sits next to me, kissing my forehead. "I brought cigarettes." She says. Josh pops his head around the corner. "Ashtray is in the box under the coffee table." He grins. I smile back. He disappears from sight. Max opens up the packet, taking two of the cigarettes out. She hands me one and put the other one in her mouth, lighting it. She chucks me the lighter, taking a puff of hers. I light the cigarette, taking a few puffs of mine. "I fucking hate parents. They suck." Max says, taking another puff of her cigarette. I nod. "I'm going home today." Max says. I choke on the smoke of my cigarette, taking a deep breath. "Really?" I say. She nods. "Is that a good idea, baby?" I look her, raising an eyebrow. "Probably not, but Papa is threatening to call the police so I might as well go home." Max says, finishing off her cigarette and putting it out. I take another puff of mine. "Do you want me to come and support you?" I say. Max shakes her head. "I should be okay, I'm just gonna stay in my room for a bit." She says. I finish my cigarette, sighing deeply. "Okay." I say. Max kisses me, cupping my cheek. "Don't worry about me, princess. I'll be fine." Max says.
