Life of Harlow

Rebel

Liam

Raising one teenager was a feat in itself, but keeping up with two? Kenz and I had our work cut out. I don't know how my parents did it with three because I'm struggling with two. Logan and Erica have 5 to manage. How the hell did my grandparents keep up with 6 kids plus busy careers?

It's been two weeks since the whole car ordeal with Harlow and she's been insufferable. She did the classes with Kenz for a week and settled on Pilates and kickboxing. I figured she'd fall in love with kickboxing and I signed her up for weekly afternoon classes. I told her she only had to choose one and she said she wanted both. The deal was, she had to follow through, no rescheduling. That hasn't been the issue.

The issue has been me getting daily calls or emails from her teachers. She's skipping classes. She's missed curfew the past two weekends. Drake was in town a couple of weeks ago and made sure she was back by curfew, but Harlow took it upon herself to not come in the house and go hang with some friends, new friends.

While she still hangs with Jace, Emma, even Trevor, these newfound friends of hers don't have the best reputation around school. They're known for being disruptive, not showing up to class, skipping school, and smoking weed on a regular. They also go to these parties that often have the police shutting it down and even. I'm not sure what's going on with Harlow or why she's being distant from me, but I'll be damned if I give up on her. Not now. Not ever.

We got into a pretty heated fight just a week ago. A fight that led to me spanking her and Kenz intervening for her to not leave the house and still partake in her family night. I wasn't one to placate to my child, especially when they were in the wrong. She could brood alone, but Kenz thought it'd be better for us to just spend some time together, no drama and no consequences.

Flashback

It was a Friday afternoon and surprisingly we didn't have a game this weekend which I know the team was happy for a break. We had 3 straight road games and were able to win 2/3, one of which was our rival. The team is training hard and I couldn't be prouder of them. I had them training all week and told them today they'd have off Friday and Saturday and that we'd be back at it on Monday.

Being that I didn't have any practice, I decided to stay home and get some stuff done. T was doing his laundry tomorrow and Harlow had started hers last night, but left it in the dryer. No big deal. I needed to do laundry and moved would just put it in her room. That's no big deal.

When I entered her room, it wasn't the neatest, but it was decent. I sat her basket down and out of the corner of my eye I saw something. That couldn't be what I think that is. Moving closer, I felt my blood boil seeing a lighter, a packet of weed. My daughter has officially lost her damn mind.

I picked it up and took it out of her room. If this is what she's doing with her new friends, I'm not with that shit at all. I get it, she's a teenager. No, weed isn't the end of the world, but it's still not something I want Harlow doing.

Heading downstairs to my office, I tossed the items down. How the hell did we end up here to where she's resorting to weed? Was this a phase? Is this her lashing out? She's close to losing her Captain spot on the debate team if she doesn't get her grades up. I don't want her jeopardizing her future and all the potential she has over this. Call me overreacting. I could care less at this point.

I sat in my office the remainder of the afternoon, lost in my own thoughts. I then heard McKenzie calling my name. I made my way out of my office and couldn't help but smile seeing her face.

"Hey, baby," she greeted.

Her warm smile always lightened my mood.

"Hey, sweetheart."