Ethan and I sat down at our normal seats when my "parents" had company over. He was on the other side of me, in the middle of the table sitting.

My parents sat at either end of the table with Clarissa sitting next to my "father" and Mrs. Barren next to my mother.

The rest of Mrs. Barren's kids filled in around us with Drew on my left side and a kid that looked to be fifteen years on my right.

I reached underneath the table and pulled out a notebook that Ethan and I kept under the table to keep a record of how many times my parents insulted me in a sitting. I glanced at Ethan to see him nod his head, and I moved the book to a clean page.

The servers started to hand out the food, placing it in front of everyone.

I smiled at my server, and he nodded and offered me a small smile. I knew that most, if not all, hated the fact that my parents were back in town.

Most of the time, I would send them home if it was just me because I didn't need all of them. Yes, they still get paid, even though they did not have to do any work.

"So, what school do you go to?" Mrs. Barren asked, looking down at me. Interest filled her eyes, and I was surprised that she was interested in me.

"Frasier High," I replied, taking a bite of my food. I chewed my food and took a sip of water from my glass. "It's a public school which is about twenty minutes away from here by walking."

"Christina doesn't need a car because she needs to lose the weight that she packs on," my mother said, and I rolled my eyes and marked a tally in the book. "Clarissa, on the other hand, doesn't need to lose any weight. She is perfect the way she is."

"I see," Mrs. Barren said, smiling. The smile was clearly forced, but I didn't think my mother knew about the forced smile. "What do you like to do for fun?"

I shrugged my shoulder. "I like to pig out in front of the television and not do anything," I replied, telling her what my parents thought I did. I smirked when Ethan snorted but didn't say a word.

"She is lazy and will not be up to anything," Mom said. She took a sip of her wine. "Clarissa, on the other hand, is an excellent dancer, singer, piano player, and keeps her grades up. She is the star of the family."

"I see," Mrs. Barren said. She glanced at me, and I could tell that she knew I wasn't telling the truth.

I panicked a bit and turned to look at Ethan with wide eyes. I did not want to know what she thought I did.

Ethan took a sip of his drink, settling for water even though he hated the taste of it. He shuddered and cleared his throat, making a face at me. "Chris is good at video games, especially boxing."

Somebody dropped their fork, interrupting my mother. The fifteen-year-old looked at me in shock. "You're-"

"-a nerd," Ethan said, interrupting him. "I know, it is so weird that Chris is such a nerd without doing anything."

"How are you a nerd when you can't even give us a report card?" Mom asked. "Are you even trying in school?"

"More than you think," I muttered, taking a sip of my drink. I sent the kid a warning look, causing him to shrink back in his seat.

"Clarissa is the star student at her boarding school," my father said, speaking for the first time. He turned to look at me and smiled, even though it looked like a grimace. "I hope that you do not disappoint us, even though I know you already do."

I gave my father a smile, plotting different ways I could hurt him with food or something. "Of course," I said, leaning a bit back in my seat with a huff.

This was going to be a long night.

***

"My daughter doesn't even know how to cook because I say so," I said, mimicking my mother as I entered the kitchen. I gritted my teeth together, trying to curb the anger that I felt.

"You look like you need to bash some heads. When are you leaving?" our cook, Trisha, said. She tucked a strand of blonde hair and gave me a plate of fruit as well as my keys.

I grabbed a strawberry and cleared my throat. "Soon as Ethan gets in," I replied.

"You are Chris Prescott!" a male said from behind me. "Can I have your autograph?"

"She is a girl," I heard Drew say. "I do not think that she is Chris Prescott."

"She goes mainly by Chris, and her grandmother's last name is Prescott," Ethan said. "I got 235 compliments for Clarissa. How many insults?"

I looked at the notebook and cringed, not liking the fact that my mother and father had tried to make me look like an asshole to Mrs. Barren. "Almost three hundred," I replied. "It's 296."

"What do you do with the books?" Drew asked, looking at both of us. He frowned, and I could tell that he was confused about something.

"Chris's parents like to insult her as well as give Clarissa a lot of compliments when someone is having dinner with them," Trisha said. She smacked my hand when I reached for another piece of fruit. "I'll make sure that there is food for you. Go bash people's heads in."

I groaned but hopped off of the stool. "Fine," I muttered. I glanced at the four men before me. "I know Ethan is coming with me, but I want to know if you three are wanting to come as well."

"Yes!" the fifteen-year-old said. "Road trip."

"I don't think you can smash anyone's head in," Drew said. "I will come as well."

"I know you can, but I want to come too," Marcus said.

"All right. Let's go." I stole another piece of fruit and went outside. My body hummed, and I was ready to fight and get some of my anger out of me.

It had been a long night, indeed.