pull me back | a drag me down spin off

【eleven】

A looming hangover throbs through my skull as I head into the kitchen to get some aspirin. The worst part of consuming a shit ton of alcohol is feeling like trash the next day.

Despite feeling like garbage, I still had a great time hanging out with Riker and his little squad. I danced my ass off, drank until I couldn't stand straight, and had one epic night out.

Cameron seemed to loosen up as the night went on, which made me feel better. I haven't hung out with a crowd like Riker since high school, so the nostalgic feeling of hitting up a bar came rushing back.

As I'm popping the medicine into my mouth, Mom and Dad enter the kitchen at the same time. I turn my head to look at them.

"Good afternoon." I let out a yawn.

"Hello sunshine, nice of you to finally get out of bed." Mom teases with her usual charismatic smile.

"Yeah, yesterday was a rough one." I mumble.

"You went out last night?" Dad raises a questionable eyebrow up. Oh no, I'm not ready for another randomly strict lecture.

"Yes, with Cameron. Don't worry, I was totally safe." I promise, flashing my father a low grin.

"Cameron actually went out?" He laughs, shaking his head back and forth.

"Yeah, can you believe it?" I lightly chuckle, knowing the information is shocking.

"Well, I'm glad you had a fun night. I know you've been swarmed with school work." Mom heads over to the sink and begins washing the dishes.

"I'm shocked you guys are cool with it. You've been playing bad cop and bad cop lately." I can't help but say.

"Well, if you were with Cameron then we know it was harmless fun. He's a good kid." Dad nods.

"Yeah, he would never get me into trouble." I say, knowing it's the truth.

"We don't mean to be strict with you, Grace. The robberies are just a sore subject for us. I was on the case back in the day, and some not so great memories resurfaced with the masked phantoms." Mom shocks me by saying. She's never been this open about them. This is the most information I've gotten in years.

"I just wish I knew more about what happened, so I could understand your frustration." I try to sympathize with her.

"I know, but it's all in the past. Uncle Duke is taking care of it." She dismisses any further questions.

"Is uncle Duke's apartment almost all renovated? They've been working on it for months." I take another sip from my water.

"Almost, but he'll probably stay here a little bit longer." Dad says while flipping through the newspaper on the table.

"So, where did you and Cameron go last night? Downtown LA?" Mom looks back at me with a cunning smile.

"Yeah, we went to Patrick's Roadhouse." I simply say.

"Huh, we haven't been there in ages." Dad mutters.

"You guys hung out there?" I furrow my eyebrows.

"Oh, yeah. That was the hangout spot back in the day." He laughs, almost like he's reminiscing on old memories.

"Duke and I worked there when I first moved to LA." Mom surprises me by saying.

"No way, really? You were a bartender?" This news isn't too surprising, my mom was a total babe when she was my age. I'm sure she had tips thrown at her left and right.

"The best and hottest one in the state of California." Dad winks at his wife.

"It was short lived, but fun." Mom chuckles.