The Moment

Chapter Thirty-Four

Waking up the next morning, I wasn't even excited. I could have stayed in bed all day; anything to avoid the conversation. Reaching over to my bedside table, I felt around the surface but immediately stopped when I remembered my dad had taken my phone last night. I wonder how many times Noah had called...or if he had called at all.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I turned the tap on, beginning to wipe water along my face. I took my time. My morning routine doesn't involve much but today, it involved every product I could get my hands on. I've been nervous for a lot of things in my life but I've never been so nervous that I couldn't even bring myself to walk down the stairs. But as I stood before them, I knew it was either I go to my parents...or they come to me.

"And so I said to him 'no sir, it's your problem'." The laugh filled the kitchen as I entered and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. "Oh Regs, why didn't you tell me your parents were back in town?"

"Morning sweetie," My mom said, beginning to fill a mug with coffee. "Casey said you two had plans to help Tayler with a video today."

"That's right." I lied, watching as Casey smiled.

"I took it back before your father left for his meeting this morning." Accepting my phone back, I smiled at my mom before sitting down next to Casey.

"What are you doing here?" I whispered as my mom left the kitchen.

"Well after Noah stopped by last night, I figured I'd check up on you." She said, laughing.

"Noah went to the party?"

"Yeah, and it's a good thing he did; that boy needed a drink or two."

"Noah doesn't drink." I stated, hoping he hadn't.

"Yeah well he probably should now that your parents are back in town." Jumping off the bar stool, she grabbed her purse and began making her way towards the front door. "It was lovely seeing you again, Mrs. Cross! It'll be so nice to have you around again." Grabbing my keys, I followed Casey out of the house and towards her car. "They better not be staying long."

Of course they aren't. They never do. It's always the same whenever they come home. They arrive back for meetings, pretend to be worried that I'm all alone and try to convince me they won't go on another trip for awhile but within a couple of days, I see suitcases by the door. They make me put my life on hold for a few days while they lie to themselves and say they're good parents.

"i just can't get the image of Noah meeting your dad, shirtless, out of my head."

"It's not funny." I said, rolling my eyes.

"It's hilarious, Regan."

---

"So have they said anything to you?" Tayler asked, after I had finished explaining everything to the boys.

Shaking my head, I thought about the conversation. What would I even say? Sure, I could throw my age in their faces, claim I'm more of an adult than they'll ever be but at the end of the day, they're my parents, it's their house and I have no leg to stand on.

"Have you at least talked to Noah?" Griffin asked. My response was yet another head shake.

"I called him on my way here but he didn't pick up. I just need him to know that I didn't know they were coming back last night. I wouldn't have let him stay if I had."

"You wouldn't have had him naked in your tub...is what you meant to say."

"Mature, Bryce." I replied, rolling my eyes. "And the worst part is," I continued, remembering the conversation from last night. "they know everything. All the partying I've done, all the misinformation about who I'm dating...and even the videos. They know it all."

"So what do you think's going to happen?" Looking over at Tayler, I knew he was worried. At the end of the day, they're my parents and what they say goes. I just have the strangest feeling that whatever they decide...it'll affect my friendships and my relationship.

"I don't know, Tayler. The only thing I do know is that I'm the most fucked I've ever been in my life."