Ms. Unlucky & The List

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven: Tension

Once I had showered and gotten properly clothed, as Lauren put it, I went back to face her anger. She was in the sitting room with her son and she was pacing. I sighed and trailed in before sitting down on the couch across from the both of them. I had never really fought with my father over anything but I had fought with my ex-boyfriends and ex-friends over quite a bit. I still didn't think I was ready for a fight with an adult.

"I don't want you hanging out with that boy," Lauren said, as if that was going to put a halt to that relationship. Not with me it wasn't.

"Funny because I recall Chase saying the exact same thing," I told her, glaring at Chase, no doubt in my mind that he had something to do with this entire thing. He seemed to tremble under my scrutiny and I was glad for it. I was right to be mad at him, he had no business butting into my life.

"He is right. Aiden Rex is bad news. He could get you into a lot of trouble," Lauren said, not sounding so much concerned as she was just trying to settle an argument.

"I'm sorry but I'm going to be friends with who I want to be friends with, Lauren," I told her. She halted in her pacing and looked at me as if I had just appeared out of thin air. Chase seemed just as shocked that I had denied his mother.

"Excuse me," she breathed out.

"I know you are the head of this household and you have certain rules but I have my way of living. I'm only seventeen, sure, but I have been living without proper supervision for two years and I intend to stay that way. I am not dabbling into anything sketchy and I'm not going to pick up any bad habits. If I think Aiden is becoming a problem for me, or if you feel he is negatively effecting my behavior, more so than I normally act, then we can discuss it, but that is it. I'm not going to just obey you," I said. I looked down at my hands.

"You live in my house, Nix. I have rules here and I will not have that filth around my daughter," she was raising her voice.

"You're daughter is never here," I tell her, "That doesn't make me her replacement. I have a mother and you are just smothering me. I didn't ask to come here, I was forced. If you want to play that 'I live under your roof' card, I will happily move out. I will not be pushed around and bullied into submission. I'm a round peg and not meant for your square life, Lauren." I had managed to maintain a normal volume but the anger was evident in my voice.

"Don't talk to my mother like that, Nix," Chase shouted, standing up from his seat. I turned on him, not caring how I sounded.

"You stay the fuck out of my life, prep. I didn't ask to be friends with you and I doubt you're doing yourself any favors by running to mommy for all your problems. I don't know what your beef is with Aiden but don't try to use me to win your pathetic, little war against him." He seemed shocked that I knew his game plan, either that or he wasn't expecting me to curse.

"I think that is enough of talking about this," Braxton said, glaring at his son. I knew he was disappointed in him. I wasn't sure why. I growled and stormed out of the room. Braxton stopped me, with a concerned gaze.

"I know, Brax, you're just looking out for me, but please just drop it. I'm going to see him either way. We're just friends. Would you rather I sneak out to see him or let you know where I'm going to be when I'm with him," I asked him. He sighed after a few seconds.

"The latter, I suppose," he said.

"Well good because I won a mud wrestling contest tonight," I told him with a smile.