The Rebellion Project [Published]

Chapter 3: Proceed with caution

After my small experience the other day from skipping my homework, I came to realize that not following the rules all the time wouldn't lead directly to punishment every time. While I knew that I could only harm myself from not studying and doing the work, the break had allowed me to relax for the first time on a weekday since middle school. I had spent the entire night watching television, listening to music, and texting Parker instead of being stuck downstairs for hours on end trying to focus on homework until I finished. While it had been a freeing experience, I should have known that when I told Parker what I did she would try to push me to do more.

"So why were you able to text all night?"

I knew I should have known to wait until when I usually finished my homework. Normally I wasn't allowed to have my phone until after my homework was done, and I had messaged her only a few minutes after she walked out the door. I was actually surprised she hadn't asked me last night, and I soon figured out why. 

"I would have asked last night, but since I know you won't lie to me you're going to say you didn't spend last night doing homework, did you?" She smiled, already knowing my answer. So I decided to get it over with now rather than wait until later. Though after I told her that I went up stairs without doing my homework, leaving out that it wasn't due until next week and I could finish it later, she immediately invited herself over after school so that we could continue to "explore the world of rebellion" as she called it.

I tried to tell her that I was supposed to go to the library after school to do research for my English paper. My father had taken the computer into his office lately, so I had to use the ones in the library if I wanted to finish the paper early. All Parker said to that was, "that's what makes it exciting. The chance of getting caught."

So here we were, standing outside my front door about to get myself in trouble. Suddenly I wished that I didn't have Parker as a friend. I'm going to get in so much trouble, I thought as I slowly opened the front door. I silently prayed that it wouldn't make a sound as I tried to sneak into my own house, but soon as the door loudly squeaked when I opened the door, causing me to freeze. I knew this had been a bad idea, I should have found a way out of this, but I wanted to prove to her that I could do it. My parents weren't supposed to be home, so this was a good way to show her I could break the rules, but I had seen my father's car outside which meant having to lie to him later or get caught now.

I wasn't allowed to have anyone over when they weren't home or without their knowledge, but he must have heard me coming in so I couldn't lie and say that I hadn't come home. The only choice I had was to get caught, but when we walked in it seemed as if no one was home. The downstairs was deserted, not even my father's briefcase was in it's usual spot, but his car is here so he had to be home.

"Parker, maybe you should leave," I said, trying to slow my rapid heartbeat. "I don't want to get caught. He wasn't supposed to be home."

"That's no reason to give up, Lauren. It just means that you have to learn to sneak around without him noticing," she stated as if it was common knowledge. "Don't worry I will teach you." She pushed the door open and let us slip through. Once we were in Parker shut the door and held up a finger to tell me to wait.

I stood still, scared of whatever had made her stop only to notice there was no sound to indicate someone was home. There would normally be music or the sound of the television playing to hint at someones presence, but I couldn't hear anything except the house settling. Could Dad even be home?

"Wait here," Parker whispered before walking into the kitchen.

"Why?" I asked, but she couldn't hear me. She had already rounded the corner and I didn't want to call too loudly. Knowing her she wanted to go into the kitchen for a snack, but this didn't seem like the time for it.