Hooked (13 page)

     “Damn Millie, I’m not really good at---
”

     B
efore he could finish, I burst into a fit of laughter.  I couldn’t help it, his face was so panicked.  It was as if I asked him to marry me or something.  “Calm down, ‘sweetheart’…I was joking.  I only said it to mess with you.” 

    
He grabs me again and picks me up.  “That was very evil
,
Millie, and I liked it a lot
,
”
h
e says and kisses me one more time before he sets me back on the ground.

     I walk out to my car and notice that he is going to his car.  He opens the door and takes out a
cigarette
and lights it.  I crinkle my nose. 

    
“What?”
He shrugs.

     “That’s not good for you
,
” I said trying not to sound to
o
bossy.

     “When I work on my car, I smoke.  It soothes me, sorry if you don’t like it.”

     “Well, you aren’t working on it now.”

     “I’m about to.  Look, I’ve already told you I would work on my cussing.  I would think you could be happy about that and not complain about the other bad habits I have.”

     “You
’re
right, I don’t want to change you.  Do whatever you want
, just know that when I don’t want to kiss you because you stink, you decided it was worth it
,
” I say as I get into my car.  I smile as he looks at me like he can’t believe I said it.  When I drive off, I know in my heart, smoker or not, I’m going to be
kissing him every chance I get.

    
As I drove home
,
I thought about how much I trusted him.  I mean, I trust Cara and Jess and my parents
,
of course, but I had a gut feeling everything, I mean everything he was saying t
o me was true.  It was so incredible the way he made me feel safe and I knew that what he was saying to me he believed it too.

CHAPTER 7

    When I pulled into my drive on cloud nine, I lost my
whimsical
feeling fast as I realized I had to go face my dad.  I knew it wasn’t going to be pretty because I messed up and now I have to take the punishment.  Better I face it now and get it over with, plus I wanted to make sure my dad knew Cash was just trying to stand up for me.

     I looked around and noticed my dad’s police car wasn’t home.  Good, I think to myself.  Obviously
,
my little pep talk to myself
in the driveway
didn’t do as much good as I thought
,
because it only lasted about a minute.  I walk in
through the
garage.  Mom was putting the groceries away. 

    
“Hey
,
mom you need any help?”

     “I’m about done now
,
but had you been home ten minutes ago
,
like I know you should have
been,
you could have helped.”  I look away
shamelessly
knowing what was coming next.
 
“
In case you’re
wondering, yes that will be added to your punishment.”
I know she’s ticked
because she has that look on her face that is telling me how dumb I am without actually having to say anything.
 

    
I had a thought and usually I keep those to myself
,
but for some reason, today I decided to be an even bigger idiot and voice it.  “Technically
,
you never told me not to go anywhere
,
” I say knowing I‘m grasping for straws.

     “
You’re
seriously going to sit here and play dumb you
ng
lady?” 

     “Mom,
I
—
”

     “Y
ou know what your dad and I tolerate.  You knew when you left it was wrong,
didn’t
you?  Don’t you dare stand there and act like you didn’t
.
”

    
“Umm, okay your right, I’m sorry.  I’ll just be in my room,”
I say and slowly make my way up the stairs. 

    
An hour later,
there’s
a knock at my door.  I brace myself for my dad and Eli walks in.  He comes and sits on the end of my bed and says
, “
H
ey,
want to
tell me
what’s
going on?”

    
“Where do I start?”

    
“The beginning.”

    
“Eli, I don’t really know.  It all started, I was going to Cameron’s party with Jess and Cara.  Well, when I got there I may have had a few drinks.”

    
“Dang
,
Mil,
” he said shaking his head.  “Y
ou know you can’t do stuff like that
,
especially with dad out on patrol.”

    
“I wasn’t really thinking about that.  Anyway, after a couple of drinks, I lost track of Cara and Jessica.  I was on the back of a tailgate and Cameron kept handing me drinks, so I kept drinking them.  Before I knew it, I was pretty much drunk and he leaned over me and kissed me.  I didn’t really want him to
,
but I was having trouble deciding what to do.  Then, all of the sudden Cash slams him to the ground and some yelled cops and everyone was
scurrying
around and I look over at Cash and Cam…Eli
,
he
w
as beating him up bad.
”
 

    
“Good!” 
H
e said scowling.

    
“It scared me
,
” I admit.  “Then
,
dad threw Cash off and before I knew it
,
he had him in handcuffs and in the back of his car.  Dad wouldn’t even let me explain.  He yelled at me and made Taylor bring me h
ome.  I haven’t seen dad since.”

    
“Okay, where did you go this morning?”

    
“I went to see Cash to make sure he was ok
ay
and to tell him thank you
,
” I said truthfully.

    
“So, are you guys together or something? 

    
“We are now.”

    
“Boy, I bet dad
i
s
gonna
have a ton of crap to say about this one.”

    
“What do you mean? 
W
hen I tell dad what really happened
,
he will understand.  Cash is a good guy
,
Eli.”

    
“I didn’t say he wasn’t
,
Mi
l
.  I’m just telling you that I know dad and he is not going to be ok
ay
with you dating the dude he arrested last night.”

    
“Well, when you put it that way,” I said biting my bottom lip
.  “I’m just going to tell dad the truth.  I really think he will understand
,
” I say knowing I’m right.

    
“
Y
eah
,
good luck with that
,
Millie
.  L
et me know how it turns out
,
”
h
e says as he strolls out of my room.

    
“Shut my door!”  I yell because I don’t want to get up yet.

    
“
Butt pie floor? 
Sorry, I can’t hear you!” 
He
yells back.

    
“Jerk!” I yell at the door.  I can still hear him laughing when I shut it.  I decide to text Jess while
I’m
waiting for my dad.

*Hey,
whatcha
doin
?

*Not much how did everything turn out?

*not so good


*what did your dad say?

*haven’t talked to him yet he
’
ll be back in a
few

*man, that
freakin
sucks

*yep

*
ill
try to holler at
ya
later n fill u n

*ill b praying for
ya

*yeah, hope
its
only for a couple of weeks

*k good luck


*thx


     I lay back and put my
iPod
in.  My mind goes back and forth from my classes at school, to Jess and Jake, me and
my dad
, to just everything that has happened in the last couple of days.  I haven’t a clue how all this is going to turn out
,
but the one thing I’m not worrying about is Cash.  I don’t know why
,
but I don’t have any doubts.  Cash just seems so confident and sure
.
It’s
weird how he makes me feel that to
o
.  I
can’t wait to talk to him tonight.  Just then
,
my door opened and my dad cam
e
in my room.  I pulled my
iPod
out of my ears and sat up on my bed and braced myself for what was about to come.

     My dad enters my room by himself.  It kind of surprises me because I was expecting a tag team bringing down the hammer of my punishment.  “Hey,” I say as I
rise
up.  I sit with my legs folded
one under the other
waiting for him to speak.

     “Millie, I can’t even begin to explain how angry I was and still am at you.  What were you thinking?  Did Cash talk you into going to that party and drinking?”

     “Wait, what?  No
,
dad Cash had nothing to do with it.  He had just shown up right before you did.  I chose to go to the party myself.  I know this is not a good excuse, but I had never
drank
alcohol before and I guess
…
I was just curious.”  I put my head down because it embarrassed me to admit that.

     “Millie, I understand curiosity.  What I don’t understand is you breaking the law and hanging around people like that.”

    “Dad, I’m sorry I made a mistake…wait, what do you mean han
ging out with people like that?
  Who?”

     “Millie, that boy is no good for you.  He’s been in trouble before and obviously doesn’t care about his future.”

     “Dad, you don’t know him.  He’s very caring and loyal.  He was fighting with Cameron because of me.”

     “Just stop it!  You live in my house and you will follow my rules.  I’m a police officer Millie
.
H
ow am I supposed to be out there arresting people when my own
daughter is drinking underage?
  You have two parents that love you and you can get mad and not talk to me,
whatever
you want, but I love you and it’s my jo
b
to protect you and keep you safe.  I do that by having rules and you WILL follow them.  I don’t expect you to like every decision I make
,
but you will respect it and obey me.  I want you to have a great future and I’m not going to stand by and watch you ruin it for alcohol or a boy.
”