G.U.A.R.D D.O.G.

Chapter 1

"Baylee, dinner's ready!" Mom yelled from downstairs.

I could hear her fumbling through the cutlery and Dad yawn at the table while pouring himself a glass of juice. Sniffing the air I smelled pasta, cheese, and tomato sauce, instantly my stomach rumbled at the thought to digging into Mom's famous lasagna.

Putting the final dab of makeup on my face, I stared at myself in the mirror. I could do this, growing up and living your own life is normal. It was time for me to move on. To finally be the person I always imagined myself to be, fun, adventurous, and a little wild. Those were the things I wanted to be and its now or never to finally start living that dream.

I sprinted downstairs. Mom was probably going to yell at me for running in the house but I didn't care, all that was on my mind at the moment was food. I could practically feel my mouth flooding with saliva, I was so hungry.

"Good grief, Baylee slow down before you break something!" Mom shouted from the kitchen and opened the oven up. A new warm waft of lasagna permeated the air and instantly made my stomach grumble.

I sat eagerly at the table, nearly jumping up and down in my seat to have a taste of freshly cooked food.

"What's with the fancy get-up? Going out tonight?" Dad asked eyeing my outfits and deciding whether or not he wanted his daughter going out tonight.

It was strange for me to wear black skinny jeans paired with a sparkly sapphire blue loose tang top and my black platform heels with spikes on the toe. Quite a large contrast to my mundane sweatshirt and leggings I usually wore at home. I didn't get out much. Or pretty much at all unless I was with my parents.

My hair was done in voluptuous curls that reminded me of the old Hollywood marathons I'd watched when I was studying. I fell in love with their tragic love stories and party lifestyles, it was picture perfect. But then again, that's exactly what the directors were going for. A romantic lifestyle too good to be true, but what we all wanted to be real.

"Oh, Hannah and I are going to a club tonight, it should be fun." I said nonchalantly, trying not to sound like I'm doing something wrong. I was hoping if it sounded like a normal thing for me, then maybe Dad wouldn't think too much of it.

Dad sighed and looked at me "Baylee, you know the rules, after 9:00 pm you must be home. It's already 8:00, when are you planning to be home by."

It's been like this for as long as I could remember.

Rules dictated my life, isolating me from the world and the people who inhabit it. All my parents wanted it seemed was for me to stay home forever and by using rules they're succeeding. I realize it's because they love me and don't want anything bad to happen but bad things happen, it's apart of living. Doesn't mean I shouldn't try and make the best of things.

In a quiet voice I mumbled something indecipherable and avoided looking at my father, instead I chose to play with an extremely interesting strand of hair.

"Pardon, I didn't quite catch what you said." Dad pressed giving me a parental stare across the table. I felt the heat of his gaze on me, I didn't like being stared at and he knew it.

I let out a long breath, determined to win this battle I meant my Dad's eyes and spoke loud and clearly "I was hoping to be home by 12:00, I turned 19 a few weeks ago and think it's time for me to live a little."

My words caught Dad off guard, all he did was lean back into his chair with a baffled look on his face. I felt a little bad about breaking his heart like this, I mean it must be hard to watch your youngest child grow up, but I was ready for new boundaries. Turning 19 felt like a stepping stone, I was old enough to drive, to drink, to vote, to live on my own, I was pretty sure I could go to a club.