I pushed a strand of auburn hair behind my ear, scowling. I wanted to have my hair in a braid or something, but my "mother" loved for me to have it down. If I didn't, then she would've cut off my money for a month. Even though, it wouldn't have affected me that much.

"I fucking don't want to go," Ethan said, fixing his hair in my vanity mirror. He turned to look at me. "Want to skip and go get food?" he asked, probably hoping I would say 'yes.'

"We'll stay out all day tomorrow," I promised, "even if I get grounded."

Ethan huffed and nodded his head. "Fine," he mumbled, sitting on my bed. "Do you have a text from Shannon yet?"

I grabbed my phone and looked at it to see that Shannon had just texted me to tell me that the Barren's were here. "Ya, she just did," I said, handing my phone over to Ethan for him to put it in his pocket. "Remind me to make a fancy dress with pockets that are cheap and will fit different types of girls," I muttered, causing Ethan to snicker.

"Come on, let's get this shit over with," Ethan grumbled, walking out of my room. He had stuffed my phone in one of his pockets and fiddled with the tie. "I fucking hate the tie." He glared at me, and I knew that he was playing. "You owe me."

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "No, this is payback from this summer," I shot back. "Remember how you left Eevie and I in the middle of fucking nowhere to answer a booty call from my cousin?"

Ethan's face paled tremendously, and he moved his collar a bit. "Um...." he started, but stopped when I held up my hand.

"And, let's not forget that both of us and to hitchhike and were picked up by someone that could've taken us hostage or something like that."

"I-"

"Let's be grateful now that I, thankfully, knew the person and was able to get back home." I huffed and moved a hand through my hair. "Fucking screw it," I muttered, getting annoyed with it. I grabbed two chopsticks that were used as decoration in the hallway, for some odd reason, and put them in my hair.

"Are you done?" Ethan asked, trying to raise an eyebrow. He scowled but backed up when I gave him a venomous look. "Ok, I guess you are still pissed at that. I'll not bring it up again."

I huffed and nodded my head. I knew that Ethan meant he wouldn't bring up how much he "hated" going to this dinner with my parents. We both knew that he hated it, and we both knew that I hated it as well. However, we, also, both knew that we were going to have to bear through it.

So, when we stood in front of the living room door, we both just looked at each other and grimaced. "Let's just get this shit over with," I said, pushing the double doors open.

***

"You are late," my mother said from her place on the couch. She glanced over and sneered when she saw our shoes. "I do not... approve of your shoewear," she said, sipping tea.

"What is with women and their tea?" Ethan asked, just loud enough for me to hear. He bit back a snort when I just shrugged my shoulder.

"It's all right, Danielle," someone said, and I glanced toward the voice. The lady was beautiful in her business suit. Her black hair was pulled into a high bun, and I was sort of jealous as to how she got it to stay. A smile was on her lips while she drank some water from her glass. "I am sure that she is comfortable." Her gray eyes beamed with an unknown light, making me feel slightly unnerved.

I gave her a forced smile, not really knowing why she was standing up to me. The people that my "parents" had hosted before never once stood up for me. This had left me feeling wary of all people that came through my family's doors.

"Sit, Christina," my mother said, gesturing to one of the almost empty seats. "Trisha said that it will take longer."

I followed my mother's gaze to see that the only couch that was available was the one that Drew sat on. A small smirk appeared on my lips when I caught his eyes, causing him to scowl.

"Drew, sit up," his mother said, and the lying male to just look at her.

"No, no, it's all right," I said, waving dismissively. "I don't mind sitting on his legs." I had a bony butt from what Ethan had told me. And, speaking of Ethan, he took the chopsticks out of my hair, and I turned and scowled while my hair fell to my shoulders.

He gave me a look and didn't say a word while he walked over to the couch. Ethan didn't even try to move the male that was lying down, he just perched himself on the armrest.

I rolled my eyes at him before going to the couch. I didn't even give Drew a chance to sit up. I just sat on his legs and pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. I think it's time to get it cut, I thought scowling, then again, it would be harder to hi- My eyes widened in shock and I turned to a smug looking Ethan.

"Now, why is that you are fine with sitting on my son's legs?" the female asked, raising an eyebrow, causing me to look over at her. "Are you one of his fangirls?" Disgust filled her voice, and I could tell that he had had his share of fangirls at his house.

I squished my face together and ignored Ethan looking like a dying seal as he tried to hold in his laughter. "No, Ma'am," I said, honestly. "I didn't even know his name until today."

"She just wants to be a pain in the butt," Ethan said, grimacing and rubbing his legs. "She has a bony butt."

I raised an eyebrow and opened my mouth to retort but got stopped by a clearing of a throat. I turned to see Wally staring at me with a raised eyebrow. I gave him a small signal that said I would tell him later, and he subtly nodded his head and turned his gaze to my mother.

"The dinner is served," he said. "Trisha wants to apologize for the wait. She couldn't decide on what to cook."

More like mother dearest couldn't decide what she wanted to eat, I thought, getting off of Drew's legs. I was a bit surprised that Drew didn't say anything about me sitting on his legs, then again... I stuck my hand behind my back and gave him a finger, knowing that he was looking at my ass.

"Oh, it is all right," my mother said, trying to act as if she wasn't Satan in disguise. "If it was Christina, she would've kept us waiting all night."

And... let the counting games begin.