Scandalous

Chapter Ten

“Are you crying?” Mom asks.

“No.”

“What are you wearing?” Dad asks.

“Clothes.”

“Since when do you dress like that?

“Well.”

“What is going on with you?” he yells.

“It was just once. I’ve had a lot of stress lately from school; with finals and all. I’m sorry; it won’t happen again.”

“You are grounded!” my dad explodes.

“Charles, honey. Let me talk to her,” Mom says. He storms into the kitchen, so she walks over and pulls me down on the sofa. She gives a small smile. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing, mom! I was just stressed out, so I left. I didn’t do anything; just drove around to clear my head.”

“Well, you are eighteen, but you still live under our roof so I’m going to agree with your father.”

“I’m grounded?” I shout. “Are you kidding? I am the perfect kid; I do everything you two say. I do well in school; this is bullshit!” I jump up as my rage takes over.

“Stella, sit down right now!”

I huff, but plop down anyway. I have never yelled at either of them before and I especially haven’t cussed, but my emotions are all over the place tonight.

“Your curfew is seven for the next week.”

“Oh.” I let out a small laugh. “That’s not bad at all.”

“I didn’t think so. Get some sleep; you have school.”

I nod and walk up to my room. An early curfew for the next week? I can deal with that. The thing I can’t deal with is Ashton at school tomorrow. Why did I tell him what he told me that night? Now everything is weird, but the thing I can’t figure out is why didn’t he say anything about it? He could have at least denied it, but he didn’t say anything at all.

It doesn’t matter. I’m moving on. I’m done with feeling this way constantly and trying to figure out where me and Ashton stand because obviously it’s nowhere.

Regardless of the mess I am at the moment, I don’t take off his shirt. In fact I curl up in my bed and sleep in it, because it smells like him. Even though he’s complicated and confusing, a part of me is still clinging to that hope that maybe we actually do have something. And the other part of me knows that’s complete bullshit. But it doesn’t matter. I’m getting out of this town in less than three weeks anyway and then goodbye Ashton Michaels.

Dad doesn’t speak much that morning; just occasional grunts and lingering stares, but when I meet his eyes he looks away. I guess he’s mad, but trying to hide it. Either way, mom is cheerful, so I settle with what I can get. Everything is okay with my parents, or sort of. So now all I have to do is get through school and Ashton.

He’s nowhere in sight, so I make a run for the front door of the school. People lurk around outside, talking, texting, making out. My plan is to get in my first period and stare at my desk until class is over for the next three weeks of school.

“Stella!”

I spin around to see Justin. Is this some kind of joke the universe is playing on me? “Hey, Justin,” I sigh.

“So, we haven’t spoken again about that date?”

“Actually, Justin.” My eyes wander over to Ashton, hovering over a brunette with a smirk on his lips. The flirty smirk that means he’s trying to hookup with her. My stomach drops and for a second I think I’m going to throw up.