Evangeline

53- "I can do that you know."

"Ava!" Liam yells. "Ava, open the door right now! I'll ground you. I can do that you know."
I stomp over to the door and swing it open to reveal a frustrated Liam. He walks in and I shut the door behind him.
"Dad! I just met her! I can't spend the entire day with someone I just met!"
"What about Ashton?"
"That's completely different."
"Yeah? How so?"
"We talked a lot on the plane and texted each other a lot before then."
"So I just need you and your grandmother to go on a plane together and exchange numbers?"
"Ha-ha, very funny. Sarcasm intended."
"Ava, come on. She's my mum, if you trust me you can trust her."
"Fine, I'll go. But only if Lizzie comes too."
"I'll see what I can do." Liam nods and stands up to walk out the door but I push him back.
"Did you tell them? About, well, me?"
"No. And I won't. You can do that on your own time."
"Did you tell Lizzie?"
"Again, you can do that on your own time."

I nod at him and glance at the door to tell him to leave. I don't want or need him in my temporary room right now. I'm so sick of this place. It's ridiculous, nothing like California at all! I like Palm Springs so much better! It's so yuck here. It's like when you step outside everyone seems to know each other. Like, the neighbors actually get along. Our neighbors hate us! And I'm perfectly fine with it that way.

My phone begins to buzz in my pocket and I pull it out to see that Corey is calling me. After debating for what felt like seven years I answer it.
"Hey." I sigh into the phone.
"Ava, hi." I can hear his grin through the phone.
"What's up?"
"Just want to know what you're doing tonight. I'm having some people over, my parents are out of town."
"Oh, um, I'm, um, out of town too."
"What? Where are you?"
"I'm in England."
"You are?"
"Yes, visiting my grandparents."
"Oh, um, well I'll see you when you get back then?"
"Um, yeah, Corey. Bye." Before he can say anything back I hang up and groan into the nearest pillow.

*Some time later*

"Are you ready?" Karen asks as I walk into the living room where she is sitting on the couch.
"As ready as I'll ever be." I smile. "Where's Lizzie?"
"Oh she'll meet us in the car. She has to grab something from her room."
I nod and walk out the front door and to the car.
Getting in the passenger seat gave me anxiety. Literally. I can't do this! What if she asks too many questions?!
Before I could rethink going the back seat door opens and in slides Lizzie with a smile on her face and a bag in her hand.

"Alright! Where to first?" She asks grinning.