She's Not Afraid ▹ hes

Chapter 1

Chapter 1: "I'm what?!"

I stumbled through my house door hoping not to wake my parents. Thank god I brought my key, or else I would've had to spend the night outside.

I couldn't stop giggling as I tried to go up the stairs but failed about 5 times falling to the floor.

"Shut up Aspen!!", I'd say in my head but I didn't seem to listen to myself.

Finally making my way up the stairs successfully I tiptoed to my room, once I opened the door and got in, I shut the door behind me, happy with my accomplishment of not waking my parents.

"Where have you been Aspen Lynn?"

Shit, I knew it was too good to be true.

I turned around to face my mother who was sitting on my bed.

"Calm down mom, I was at a friends house" I said trying to act as sober as possible.

She walked up to me so we were face to face. She examined my eyes, "Aspen, have you been drinking?!"

"Yes" I hear myself flatly say. Shit, shit, shit.

"You know how me and your father feel about you drinking Aspen! This is the second time this week"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry mom, I promise it won't happen again. Can I please go to sleep now?" I practically beg.

"No Aspen. We need to talk about this. Your father and I stayed up all night waiting for you, no phone call, no message. Your father gave up waiting for you and went to sleep"

"Mom. I'm sorry, okay? I don't know what else to-" before I can finish my sentence I find myself running to the restroom, hovering over the toilet.

After about 15 minutes of sobering up my mom helped me change and get to bed.

"We're talking about this first thing tomorrow morning Aspen"

"Okay" I groan signaling it was her cue to leave me alone.

* Next Morning *

The faint light seeping through my curtains woke me up, I grabbed my head in pain, damn I hate hangovers.

I stayed in bed a while for the pain to go away before I got up to get changed,

Slipping on a grey tank-top and some black shorts, with my white converse and putting my hair into a messy bun, I walked downstairs.

Out of everything that happened last night I only seem to remember the fight with my mom, and how she said we were going to talk about it in the morning.

I wasn't prepared at all.

But it's the first day if summer vacation, they can't ground me.

I walk into the kitchen and sit down across from my dad at the table.

"So Aspen. Did you have a fun night?" He asked.

"Actually, yes I did. I had a great time, till I came home" I said taking a sip of the orange juice my mom gave me, not breaking eye contact with my dad.

"Well. Maybe you shouldn't of come home"

"Derek" my mom warns him.

"No mom. It's fine. I mean, I wouldn't want to be here anyway" I yell.

Lets just say I never really had the best relationship with my dad. We were always arguing for everything, even for the smallest stupidest things. He's always telling me I'm just wasting my life and soon, I'm going to regret everything.

"Aspen this has to stop. The bad girl attitude, the going out every night, the drinking, the smoking. Everything. You aren't the same little innocent girl I held in my arms 2 years ago!" He yells back.

"Well sorry dad, but people change, I changed. I'm sorry I'm not the perfect daughter you want me to be!"

"Both of you stop!!" My mom interrupts. "Both of you need to calm down and stop yelling. We are a family"

All of us are silent as we eat.

"So what's my punishment huh? Grounded for 2 weeks? Phone taken away? What is it?" I say breaking the silence.

"Well, I came up with a good punishment that won't stop you from having fun during the summer-" my mom is interrupted by my dad, "We're sending you with your Uncle Paul for the summer"

My jaw drops and I drop my fork as well.

"What?!" I yell.

"Aspen, don't say it like that. It will be fun" she tries to calm me.

"It will also be a good thing to get away from all you little friends and drinking and everything" my dad says.

"You guys can't be serious?! This isn't fair!" This can't be happening, they can't be sending me away with my uncle.

"Don't worry, you won't be stuck in the same place. You'll be traveling"

"What do you mean mom?"

"You'll be traveling with him since he's the body guard for a cute boyband named One Direction" she says with a big smile.

Oh no. Not those losers. I've heard of them before and no. There's no way I'm traveling with 5 boys that I don't know.

"He'll be coming for you tomorrow so get packing" my dad says breaking me away from my thoughts.

I look at him, then at my mom.

I throw my dishes in the sink, obviously pissed off, and walk upstairs to my room.

This can't be happening. This can't.

I start packing some of my clothes, thinking of what the future has planned for me.

I can't believe it.

I'm going to spend the summer with my uncle Paul and 5 boys who I don't even know.