Page 118 of Grounded
I get to publicly dismiss him in front of his mom? This is too good.
"Yeah, do you mind? You need to work on invading people's privacy a little better."
"You're such a buzzkill." Theo waggles his brows at my flushed cheeks as he follows his mom out the door and closes it shut.
LeavingAmelia'sroomtoreturn to my own, my mom stops me in the hallway.
"You and Amelia are getting along okay?"
"Enough. Why do you ask?"
"Bruce wanted to make sure you two didn't leave on worse terms than ten years ago."
"Is Amelia leaving soon?" I suppress my unease.
"I imagine yes. She doesn't want to be here forever. I'm sure you don't either. Have you thought about what you want to do?"
I'd prefer not to have this discussion right outside Amelia's door on a Sunday evening, let alone in hushed tones. "Can we talk about this another night? I'm going back to my room."
"Sure. You'll be here Tuesday for the party?" she asks as she advances down the stairs.
"I don't have anywhere else to go."
A true statement if I ever heard one, with multiple connotations.
"Okay. Goodnight."
When I return to my room and shut the door, my phone is lit up on my nightstand.
Amelia has texted me.
Is this her idea of Netflix and chill? Even though I'm behind on a lot of American idioms, I am familiar with this one, and it sounds like an invitation into her panties.
I'm cocksure she won't say no to me when the day comes, but when? I'm not fucking her tonight, on the living room couch, with our parents down the hall.
I respond with a simple, "yes" and change out of my shirt and into—
"What the shit?" I exclaim as Amelia barges into my room. "Did you even knock?"
"No."
She's seen me shirtless a handful of times but her eyes trace over the lines on my stomach.
"Can we try this again?" I demand.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes. I always knock on your door. I'd appreciate the same courtesy."
She rolls her eyes and remains at the entrance.
"Are your eyeballs okay? They might have fallen into the back of your skull," I tease.
Amelia scoffs and closes my door when I refuse to say another word.
A moment later, a soft knock resounds on the opposite side.
"Who is it?" I ask like an asshole.
