Night in the Ruts

Lightweight Gone Wrong I - Charlie

A/N: Okay guys. So as I mentioned, I don't particularly like these next few chapters (there's three of 'em to be exact). I feel they're kinda boring at parts and mostly are fillers... Except really the beginning of this one. Anyway, I apologize for multiple things in advance (you'll see...) and... Hope you enjoy. -M

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I officially had one month of school left as a senior. In all honesty, I hadn't given college any thought. And now I was feeling kind of guilty about it because, well, I want a good job and I need scholarships. It's not like I'm Jen Mathers and marrying my boyfriend the minute I get out of school.

That would be crazy, right?

Anyway, I was working my way through a particularly difficult calculus problem when my mom called me down the stairs. "What?" I yelled back. That's typically all we did, was yell at each other any more. Every since the fight we had over her stupid boyfriend Arthur.

"Someone's here for you!" she called. With a groan, I threw down my pencil. Maybe I just need to walk away from it for a minute. After all, I've got fifteen problems left.

I made my way down the stairs, expecting one of two people: Nicky, or Steven.

I haven't been seeing much of Steven lately. I haven't talked to him in forever (okay, like, four days...). I was starting to get worried, but what with the fact that I'm graduating soon and all that has kept me kind of preoccupied. Still, I miss him.

Sure enough though, standing in the doorway at the bottom of the stairs, rocking back and forth on his toes with his hands shoved deep in his pockets was no other than my boyfriend. Ladies and gentlemen, Steven Tyler.

He kind of smiled when I saw him. I grinned back, more than ecstatic.

My mom was still standing there next to him. Steven looked kind of uncomfortable. What if Arthur gives him the 'dad talk'? I swear, I'd fucking kill that douche. He isn't my dad and he never will be. No matter if he stays over on the weekends. He's not my dad, okay? My not-dad was currently sitting at the kitchen table. Seriously. He brought his frickin' bills to his girlfriend's house. I mean, come on, really?

I go right up to Steven and kiss him. Yep. I kiss him right there in front of my mother. And oh man her face was priceless!

I could tell that I took him by surprise, and usually when I do that he kisses me back. But this time he put his hands on my waist and took a step back. I guess my confusion was plain on my face, but he didn't seem to notice. Is he really that high?

I shook it off and said, "What're you doing here?" He kind of smiled again. Then I realized how stupid I sounded. "I mean, like, why're you here? Oh, no. Um, uh, hi." I take a mental note to kick myself in the ass later for that one.

Steven laughs, but then he shakes his head, shutting his eyes for a second as if to regain the zen of his mind or something. I don't know. I think I've been hanging with Nicky too much. "Hi," he says.

I look at my mom expectantly, urging her to go into the kitchen so I can get a proper hello. My mom, after a minute of awkward silence, says, "So are you guys gonna go somewhere or did you just show up for dinner, or what?" She adds a laugh at the end, though it sounds more like a strangled plea for help.

Steven shrugs, staring at the stairs. "I... Whichever. I just didn't wanna talk to her on the phone, you know?" He chuckles. "I kinda prefer the whole in-person thing."