"Hey, Dad," I smiled, attempting a light and cheery tone. Maybe that would help keep me out of trouble. "What's up?"
"ESMERALDA AURORA GILBERT!" Nope, definitely getting in trouble. "Where are you?" He demanded. "Why didn't you pick up the first time I called?"
I sighed, rubbing my temples as his voice blared through the receiver. Honestly, did he have to yell? "Sorry," I muttered, chewing my lip, hoping a more substantial answer would spring to my mind. "I... Uh... Sorry."
"Sorry?" He repeated, anger consuming his words. "Is that all you have to say? You're sorry?" He bellowed.
"Look," I interrupted, brushing dirt from my jeans as I stood up using the tree for support. "I know you told us not to come, but-"
"No buts," he snapped. "You can think of a better apology after you apologize to your family for explicitly disobeying me and skipping family night," he threatened. "Now, where are you?" He asked, his volume decreasing ever so slightly. "Is Elena with you?"
I frowned, trekking through over fallen branches and moss-covered logs. "No, she's not. I'm not sure where she is, but I'm..." I squinted through the night, straining to read the road sign. "North to Tabor Road," I replied. "On the corner."
"You are in a lot of trouble, Young Lady." My heart sunk. Dad only called me Young Lady when he was disappointed in me, like, super disappointed. I could handle his anger, I could handle being grounded, but disappointment? I hated disappointing him. And Mom.
"Dad-" I tried.
"Save it," he muttered, his tone weak and fragile. "We'll discuss this later." I nodded, sighing as I kicked a pebble across the desolate road. "Stay where you are," he ordered, the jangling of keys muffling Mom's voice in the background. "We'll be there soon."
There was a brief crackle and then... Silence. Sighing, I slid my phone back into my pocket before sitting cross-legged on the edge of the road. I hated disappointing him. It just made me feel so worthless. I glanced back over my shoulder, tempted by the music pumping from the clearing amidst of the trees. If Dad called from home then it would take him, I don't know, fifteen minutes? I could easily party hard for the next ten and make it back here before he saw me. I mean, surely he would rather his sixteen-year-old daughter surrounded by friends instead of being alone in the middle of the night and the middle of nowhere. Mystic Falls was a reasonably safe little town, but you never knew, some strange man could easily-
