Friends Don't

Chapter Nine

My eyes widened and I tossed the bag on my bed and raced out the door. The moment I made it out the doors of my dorm building I instantly regretted my clothing choice, but I tried to ignore the shaking of my body as I headed back to parent night.

I walked through the doors. Everyone was still in the same place as when I left, except now my parents were standing there with them.

"Mom, dad, what are you guys doing here?" I asked them.

Everyone turned at the sound of my voice. I could sense them looking me over, but they didn't seem to mind how I looked, just surprised because I was dressed up earlier and now not so much. My mother was the only one to care saying, "why are you dressed like that? And your hair." She ran her hand over my hair and I swatted her away.

"What are you doing here?" I asked them again.

"It's parent night. Why wouldn't we be here?" She gave her obnoxious wide grin. "And we met your boyfriend, Grayson."

I looked over at Grayson. It was like he was studying me to see what I would say, but he looked nervous and almost sorry for me. "Right," I said.

"I think we should have a talk," she told me.

"Not really," I said to which everyone looked at me almost in disbelief that I would talk to my own mother like that. Except Ellie and her parents, but the rest didn't know them.

"Eleanor," she said sternly.

"Fine," I said and then the three of us began to walk off. "You said you would never come here," I whispered to them.

"It's been ages since we've seen you, dear," my father said, speaking for the first time. "Besides we've put a lot of money into this school."

"Yeah, and that's why you're here. Not for me," I said blankly.

"I think we need to talk about that boyfriend of yours," she said to me. She didn't look happy and frankly I didn't care.

"What about him?"

"What about Jared," she said.

"I don't give a shit about Jared."

"Watch your mouth," my father said.

"Honey, you two are perfect together. You belong together," she said.

I scoffed at her words. "Jared can eat shit for all I care."

"Eleanor Marie Knight!" my mother almost yelled. "You do not talk about him like that."

"If you like him so much then you date him," I told her and turned to walk away, catching the eyes of Lana, Grayson, and Derek standing in the doorway.

"Eleanor, that boy, Grayson, is a delinquent," she said. I wasn't sure if she was trying to be quiet as to not cause a scene but she really needed to practice her whispering skills.

I stopped in my tracks and turned around beyond shocked. "What the hell are you talking about?" I was less than quiet but still trying not to draw too many eyes our way.

"That tattoo he has." At least her voice lowered a little more than before.

Mine? Not so much. "Are you serious?" I laughed, taken back by her statement. "Then I guess I'm a delinquent, too."

Her eyes came together in her shocked and confused state, so much so I thought they might cross right over each other. "You have a tattoo? Where?"

"Not anywhere I'd want you to see," I told her, shaking my head as a small chuckle escaped my lips. "Goodbye, mother." I took a few steps backwards watching her stare at me still dumbfounded, then I turned and walked off.

As I walked home I wondered how much of that conversation they overheard. Hopefully it wasn't much because I wasn't in the mood to answer any questions. Lana was my best friend and even she didn't know much about it.

Just as I had walked into my room and slammed the door shut it flew right back open. I spun around to see the three of them standing at my door.

"We came to make sure you're alright," Lana spoke softly as Derek and Grayson stood behind her looking unsure of what to do or say.

"I'm fine.''

"We may have heard your conversation with your parents," she said, slowly, as if she was scared to inform me of this information.

"Awesome." I tried to remain calm though inside I was almost to the point of fuming.

"I thought you and Jared ended on good terms?" she questioned.

"Yeah," I said and turned around and walked to my bed. "I lied." I got into bed and pulled the sheets up just under my chin. "If you guys are staying here then turn out the light and be quiet. If not then see you tomorrow."

* * *

The next morning I woke just around nine. Apparently the three of them decided to stay. Lana and Derek slept on her bed and Grayson was sprawled out on the couch.

I grabbed my phone and saw two missed calls from my mother, one from my father, and a text message from my mother. I ignored them.

I grabbed some clothes and slipped into the bathroom to change, then made my way out of the room as quietly as I could to not wake them.

I pulled my coat tightly around me. The temperature seemed to drop as each day passed and normally I would avoid it as much as I could, but I needed to get some air.

I couldn't believe my parents had shown up to parent night, as funny as that sounds. I came to college to get away and they told me they wouldn't step foot on the campus, but I guess when you're pouring money into the school you feel you have the right to show up where you're not wanted.

Not only that, but my mother honestly had the nerve to bring up Jared. She didn't even ask how I was or anything, she jumped right into the whole Jared thing. Grayson wasn't even my real boyfriend and a part of me felt bad for him because she made it obvious right in front of him that she didn't approve. 'Because he wasn't Jared'.

After about fifteen minutes of walking around the campus I found myself crossing the street, up the few steps to the porch, and knocking on the door.

It wasn't long before the door opened and Tyler stood there looking down at me confused but a smile crept onto his face. "What are you doing here?"

"Honestly, I have no idea," I admitted.

He moved to the side and let me come in. I sat down on the couch and stared straight ahead to the wall in front of me. The couch sunk in a bit as he sat down beside me. "Is something wrong?" he asked me.

Was it that obvious? "I'm just annoyed."

"Why?"

I wasn't looking at him but I could feel his eyes on me. "Because my parents showed up last night," I paused, "and I really don't want to talk about it."

His arm wrapped around my shoulders and he pulled my into him. "Then we don't have to talk about it."

We sat in silence for a long time before I asked, "so how are things with you and Stacie?"

His body shook and I could feel the laughter in his chest as he let it out. "I'm not sure, actually." He ran his hand down my arm and back up to my shoulder. "She knows we slept together and she's not happy about that, so."

I pulled away from him and looked at him. "Then she, probably, wouldn't be happy that I'm here right now, either."

He shrugged. "You're my friend and you're upset." He pulled my into him, again. "If she gets mad then that's her problem, not mine."

***

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