In Need of Earl Grey

Chapter Seven

    "Is that lipstick?" Micah asks.
    "No. Don't be dumb," I wipe off the lipstick and rub my face for any other possible stains.
    "Who were you with last night?" He jokes.
    "No one! What are you talking about?" Did Catherine tell Micah what we did last night? What exact did what we did mean? Ugh!
    Micah raises a questioning eyebrow.
    "Just go," I say pushing him on the bus. But something is different when we get on the bus. Ella is in Micah and I's seat and Catherine is waving me other to sit with her. Ella rolls her eyes and Micah groans but they sit next to each other.
    "Um Cat what is this?"
    "Siddown!" The bus driver calls from the front. Catherine stands and I sit in the window with her in the aisle seat.
    "Hey," My voice jumps an octave.
    "Hey," She replies dreamily.
    "So, last night," I whisper.
    "Wasn't it great?" She whispers back.
    "Yeah it was amazing," I blush but I am glad my voice doesn't crack.
    "We could do it again tonight," She whispers. This gives me a thrill. My whole body tense with pleasure.
    "We could," Then I think, "If my father doesn't kill me first,"
    She puts her hand on my thigh, "Just don't die."

    School was a buzz. Nothing could get me down right now! I am basically walking on air. Elation and anticipation are my best friends. I feel like su-
    "Andrew Swoush to the main office, Andrew Swoush main office," The intercom calls.
    When I go downstairs to the office she ushers me into Principal Matterly's room. The principal sits behind her desk talking with my dad.
    "Andrew," the principal coos, "It is good to finally meet you,"
    "Hi Dr. Matterly," I say nervously.
    "Your father said he had to inform you on a change of after school plans, so I'm going to copy this papers and let you two talk," She taps level a stack of paper then levels the small office, shutting the door behind her.
    "Andrew Collen Swoush," Dad says between clenched teeth, "Where the hell have you been,"
"I was out," I whisper. I'm honestly terrified. I've never seen Dad like this.
"Where?" He whispers.
My mind goals blank, "Just on the roof,"
"You were not on the roof all night, so where were you?"
"I was at a friends house. Micah's," I lie.
Dad looks me in the eyes for a long time and doesn't say anything. "You're grounded. I want your phone now. I've already taken your laptop and speakers. You will be grounded for a week and you will not have friends over or be leaving the house unless you're with me."
I pass my phone to him and he looks at me disappointedly.
"But what about tomorrow?" I ask.
"Micah and Todd are still coming over because one of them, their parents are going out of town that day and I already said I'd watch him. Don't make me embarrass you in front of your friends." Dad puts my phone in his pocket and leaves the office just as Dr. Matterly walks back in.

            School went by to quickly and I was dreading going home. I am going to be under house arrest for at least a week. At least the police couldn't get involved. A person doesn't qualify as missing until after 48 hours.
"It could be worse," Micah says on the bus ride home, "He could've just spanked you,"
"I haven't gotten a spanking since I was 10. After 10 spankings become weird, borderline sexual," I shiver at the thought. Catherine looks back at me from her seat and I wink at her the best I can with my half bruised eye.
"What is up with you two?" Micah asks.
"Nothing," I say dismissively.
"Is she the one that kissed your neck?"
I must have hesitated too long because Micah starts bopping up and down hitting me.
"You dummy!"
"Dummy is not a nice word!" Brennan says loudly.
"What?" The bus driver yells from the front.
"Nothing!" Todd replies covering Brennan's mouth and pushing him back behind the seat. Brennan kept pounding away at the back of the seat, telling Micah that 'dummy' was a mean word.
"You and Catherine did it?" Micah whispers just as Todd comes around the seat to say something.
"What!"
"Shhhhhh!" I glance up at Catherine but she doesn't seem to notice all the commotion, "All we did was kiss,"
"On the neck?" Micah asks.
"The neck?" Todd looks confused.
"Neck, like, once and lips, I swear,"
"You're lying!" Micah says smiling.
"Micah, chill," I glance at Catherine again.
"I'll just ask her what happened," Micah says standing.
I yank him down hard back into his seat, "Fine I'll tell you,"
They lean in expectantly.
"Well, we were kissing then she kicked my neck and chest and I kiss her neck and stuff," I breathe in and rush the last words into one breath, "Then we kiss and took off each other's shirts and she kiss my belt buckle then she left,"
Their stunned silence made me nervous.
"She did not," Todd says.
"Yeah she did,"
"Prove it," Micah says. I pull up my shirt and point to red lipstick stains.
"Is that her hair!?" Todd grabs a short dark hair and pulls.
"Ow!" I jump and throw my shirt back down. "Damnit Todd, my first chest hair and you tear it out,"
"Ick!" He tosses the hair.