Page 64 of Life of the Party

“Mackenzie?”

“What?” I came back to the present then, good and justifiably angry, just how I wanted to be. Mom could give me that damn sorry look all night. All I had to do was imagine that safety-pinned plaid skirt for the heat to start flowing.

“Did you hear me? I said we’re willing to be flexible if you cooperate. We can workon a compromise and come up with some reasonable rules.”

“I don’t need rules, Mom. Haven’t you been listening to me at all?”

“No, Mackenzie. We’ve been too lax for too long.” Dad decided firmly. “Mom will switch her shifts if she has to, and I’m going to rearrange my schedule. From now on, one of us will always be here with you.”

I groaned loudly and slumped back against the couch cushions.

“Complain all you want, but this is how it’s going to be.”

I had to shut my eyes. I hated, hated the way he was talking to me, so smug and casually matter-of-fact. I’d show him. Suddenly it was all I could do not to pick up the crystal vase on the coffee table and smash it on the floor. I imagined the delicious shattering noise it would make and clenched my fists again to keep from actually doing it. A deep breath helped calm me.

“No, Dad, it’s not.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said no, Dad, it’s not. Look, you go ahead and make all the damn rules you want.” I chuckled, mirthlessly. “I’m not going to follow them. I haven’t had a curfew since I was like, twelve, and there’s no way I’m going to start now.”

“Mackenzie, don’t be so difficult.” Mom frowned. She was trying to be the rational one among us. “We can come up with a living situation that works for all of us.”

“You know what? I’ve got one.” Dad had lost his careful control, his face hard and angry now. He pointed harshly toward me, stabbing the air with his finger.

“She moves out.”

His icy words hung suspended for a moment, totally unexpected.

“Mitch.” Mom was aghast.

“What? There are rules here. If she doesn’t like them, she can leave.” He motioned to the front door. “We don’t have to put up with this.”

It took me a minute to fully comprehend his words. My dad wanted me to move out. It stung a little at first—but the more I thought about it, the more I realized…it was exactly what I wanted. What I’d always wanted. If I were on my own, I could do my own thing without having to put up with my parents anymore. There’d be no one to try and tell me what to do. No one to fight with and argue with. I could stay out all night, every night. I could be with Grey as much as I wanted to.

Never had my father had a better idea in his whole life.

I couldn’t let on how excited I was by this unexpected turn of events, so I sat quietly on the sofa, acting every part the wounded party.

Mom was more upset with Dad than I was.

“Mitch, you’re overreacting. Let’s just sleep on it. We’ll talk again tomorrow once we’ve cleared our heads. There’s no need to do anything rash.”

“No.” I stood up then, hugging myself bravely. “No. If he wants me to go, I can go.”

They started to argue then, and I slipped away, unnoticed, up the stairs to my room.

The first thing I did was call Charlie. I sat on my mattress and scanned the room idly as the phone rang in my ear, picking out the things I’d take with me when I left.

“Oh, hey baby! How’s it going?”

I could barely hear her with all the noise in the background—loud voices and wild, angry music. “What’s going on over there?”

“The guys are over.”

“Oh, yeah?” I listened harder, frowning. I hated not being there with them, I hated missing out on anything. “That’s cool.”

“Can you come over?”

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