Undercover Star

♪ Twenty-Five ♪

Rich woke me up brutally early the next day. I sat up angrily and looked him over. He was dressed in his bird watching outfit. He must have gotten up a half hour before, at seven, in order to be ready now.

"Rich," I growled. "It is not even eight in the AM. What do you want?"

"I decided on your punishment," he said, shrugging.

"Waking me up at seven thirty?" I asked, laying back down. "You're still getting used to this whole punishment thing."

He pulled my blanket off me. Now I was really angry. Before I could yell, though, he began speaking.

"You're coming bird watching with me."

"Nope. No way," I said. I laid back down again, even without my blanket. That was how dedicated I was to sleep. The sun shouldn't even come up until a reasonable time. Like eleven.

"There's a competition between our group," he explained as if I had asked. My answer had been completely final.

"Cool," I said plainly. "Ask one of your friends to go."

"I can't. I'm competing with them."

"Go alone," I said impatiently.

"Logan, this is your punishment for disobeying me and everything after that," he said sternly. "And also, I need someone to hold the camera..."

I glared at him, only opening one eye. "So, now you decide to be a good parent? Just take away my phone or something. It's on my nightstand."

"You don't get to decide your punishments. You're coming with me."

"Sorry, but I politely decline."

"Let's go, Logan," he said, growing irritated. "There will be worse consequences if you decide not to come."

I knew I wasn't going to get any more sleep anyway with him pestering me. I groaned for a good five minutes before sitting up. I made sure to scowl at Rich as I got ready. I continued to glare at him the whole walk to the woods.

"Your face is going to get stuck like that," he told me as we set up.

"Good," I said. "I don't want to stop glaring at you anyway."

"It's in no way intimidating," he told me. "It's just disturbing."

"That's what I'm going for."

"Here's what we're going to do," he said, ignoring my look. "I'll handle everything, but you have to take pictures."

"Can't wait," I said flatly.

"Don't worry," Rich replied, sitting in one of the chairs. We'll be back in time for you to help Summer."

I rolled my eyes, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "We're setting up for a party, not going on a date."

He shrugged in reply. "So, have you talked to your mom lately?"

I scoffed, looking at the ground. "No."

"Why not? Don't you think she's worried--"

"Please don't start this again," I interrupted. "She obviously isn't worried if she hasn't called in a while."

I never understood why Rich tried so hard to get me to think my parents were the greatest people on Earth. It wasn't like they were paying him to get me to love them any more. He was my manager, not our social worker.

Rich shook his head. "You don't give her enough credit. Yeah, she's busy. But she also loves you."

"Sure," I said sarcastically. "Because when moms love their kids they send them away with someone."