Page 8 of Chasing Chase London: Part 4-Play-Offs

For a second, I don’t know where I am. Finally I remember the party, the fight, the couch, and the shower curtain. Todd is snoring so loud it’s amazing that I was actually asleep. I struggle to heave his arm off me and sit up. My mouth is bone dry and filled with a terrible taste. I startle when someone clears her throat.

As I look up, a feeling of doom settles over me. The next second, I see my mother and Elaine standing in the doorway. Elaine tilts her chin, watching through heavy lidded eyes with what can only be described as smug self-satisfaction.

I slowly meet my mother’s eyes, dread forming a tight knot in my chest. Her arms are crossed over her chest, her face as red as mine gets when I’m embarrassed. Somehow, I don’t think embarrassment is causing it. Her lips are pressed so tightly together that they form a thin white line in her otherwise red face.

I struggle out from under the shower curtain, push Todd’s arm off me, and follow Mom out the door. Neither of us says a word until we turn into our driveway. There, Mom slams out of the car and storms into the house.

I follow, dragging my feet, wondering how to put off the inevitable. Mom slams around the kitchen, muttering words like inexcusable, irresponsible, and unbelievable. Finally, she bangs her coffee cup down on the table and faces me.

“What do you have to say for yourself?”

I have nothing to say for myself. I don’t even bother to argue.

“You cannot even begin to imagine my disappointment in you,” Mom says. “I went to Lindsey’s to pick you up this morning thinking you’d overslept and you’d be late for work.” She shakes her head and glares at me. “Mrs. Darling said Lindsey was at Elaine’s, and I just assumed you were there too, even though I hadn’t heard anything about you staying with her. To think, I was angry that you changed plans without telling me.”

I stand there and take the heat. What else can I do?

“Then I got to Elaine’s house, only to hear that you were staying at Chase’s house,” Mom says. “A boy’s house.”

She says “boy” like it’s the most despicable thing she can imagine. Apparently Elaine was helpful enough to show her over and let her in. Right. Because Elaine was being so nice when she did that.

I’m sure she wouldn’t have missed it for the world. I’m sure she loved the fact that I was going to be humiliated and my mother along with me. Who wouldn’t want to see that?

“And then to get there and find you sleeping with some boy, not even in a bed like a decent person, but on a couch like some—some—”

Mom breaks off, like she can’t bring herself to even say the word.

“Some what, Mom?” I ask. “Some slut? Is that what you think I am now?”

She glares at me. “I didn’t say that. But what am I supposed to think, Sky? I know teenagers do those kinds of things, but you’re fifteen. I just didn’t think I had to worry about you being sexually active so soon. And in all that filth! You went to a party without telling me, you stayed overnight with a boy…”

“It wasn’t like that,” I interject.

She sighs. “What’s next? Do I have to worry about you coming home pregnant? How many times has this happened? Do I even have to ask if you were drinking?”

I don’t have a defense. Anyone can see I’m in the wrong.

“And where was Lindsey in all this? Was she even there? I don’t see a sweet girl like her behaving this way.”

I want to laugh. At least I was just sleeping with a boy. Maybe my mom wouldn’t care if I was with Chase, the golden boy. Lindsey’s mom probably doesn’t care. But I’m not about to rat her out and risk our friendship in case I’m wrong. I’m already nervous after her brother’s threats last night.

“You’re grounded for a month,” Mom says. “You will hand in your phone when you walk in the door. You are not to talk to or see any of your so-called friends. And you’re not to see that boy again.”

“Ever?” I ask incredulously.

I’ve never even had a boyfriend before, and now after one night I have to break up with him.

But I can’t really complain. I’m surprised I’m not grounded for life.

“Ever,” she says firmly. “Now go get ready for work. You’re already late.”

In my room, I throw on my hideous orange shirt and hideous orange visor. I wonder absently why we don’t wear green visors for the stem of the orange, but I’m too tired to care. I brush my teeth and throw my hair in a ponytail and leave. Lily is standing on the stairs wearing her princess dress from Halloween.

“Are you in trouble?” she asks, reminding me of how mean I was last time I got grounded. “Because I can make you not in trouble. I have magic.” She waves a plastic sparkly wand at me.

“I am in trouble. But I don’t think your magic works against Mom,” I whisper. “She has superpowers. Besides, princesses don’t have magic, do they?”

“I do.”

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