club can know what really goes on. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. But I was one of the good ones. I’m one of the girls a parent doesn’t need to wonder about. Still, this tiny glimpse into my secret world had rattled her.
“Come. Sit,” she said ushering me into the living room, gesturing towards the sofa as if I was a stranger. I sat.
She paced back and forth as she laid out the new rules, never quite looking me in the eye. The rules were simple. For the rest of the week I was to stay in the house all day, like a prisoner. Contact with Guy, of course, was forbidden. No boyfriends, not until I turned sixteen in June. I was certain when I was finally allowed to have a boyfriend, Guy would not be on the list.
I was to get someone to email me my assignments from school. I’d work on them during the day. When she got home in the evening, she’d check my work.
“You mean like how you used to do when I was in grade school?” There was a hint of annoyance in my voice.
“If that’s how you want to look at it, yes. I prefer to see it as you are being treated like someone who cannot be trusted.”
Ouch!
“For your information, I’ve already asked Maudrina to collect my AP assignments. You may not realize it, but I like school.”I knew my tone was snarky and I didn’t care.
Her expression hardened. “When?”
“She called little while ago, while I was upstairs waiting for you. I asked her to get my assignments.”
Her hand darted out in demanding fashion. “I’m going to need your phone.”
I stared at her.
“You’re going to be in the house all day. You won’t need it. Until this is over, no phone!”
“Fine!” I groused. “It’s upstairs. Want me to get it now?”
“In a minute.” She took a deep breath. “Before you go to bed, you will sit down and make a list of everyone you know who attended the ditch party.” For the first time she looked me in the eye. Hers were dead serious.
“Are you asking me to be a snitch?”
“What choice do I have? We cannot afford private school, Megan. I cannot afford for you to get expelled!” Her voice rose with emotion.
“I’m not going to get expelled!”
“Oh? Did Principal Lockhart call while you were upstairs as well?”
“Mom, I’m sorry you don’t trust me. I’m sorry I’m not your little girl anymore. But part of growing up is doing things your parents may not agree with—which is why you don’t tell them!”
“Are you suggesting your sneaking around behind my back is justified ?”
I took a moment to gather my thoughts. “I’m not going to write the list. That would be social suicide, and I’d still like to have a social life after this is over.” I rose from the sofa and lowered my voice. “I’m also not going to get expelled. You’re just going to have to trust me on this. Give me a few days and I will fix it,” I added, my eyes appealing.
She began wagging her head back and forth as if I was the sorriest person on the face of the earth. “I’ve spoiled you. I see that now. Well, those days are over.” She stared at me another few moments, as if she was trying to accept that the person standing in front of her was actually her daughter. “You can bring me the phone now.” She folded her arms across her chest. The meeting was over.
As I climbed the stairs I realized my relationship with my mother would never be the same. Even when this was over, she would always look at me with questioning eyes,always weigh every word I said.
That’s the problem with deceit , I thought. You can only get away with it for so long. Sooner or later you get snared in its web .
At that moment, I thought of Guy.
When I walked into my room a flash of red caught my eye. The Ibwa was seated on the edge of my bed. He jumped to his feet as soon as he saw me.
“Where are you keeping the book?” he demanded with urgency. He began bouncing back and forth from one foot to the other, like a little boy who has to go to the bathroom.
“Come. Sit,” she said ushering me into the living room, gesturing towards the sofa as if I was a stranger. I sat.
She paced back and forth as she laid out the new rules, never quite looking me in the eye. The rules were simple. For the rest of the week I was to stay in the house all day, like a prisoner. Contact with Guy, of course, was forbidden. No boyfriends, not until I turned sixteen in June. I was certain when I was finally allowed to have a boyfriend, Guy would not be on the list.
I was to get someone to email me my assignments from school. I’d work on them during the day. When she got home in the evening, she’d check my work.
“You mean like how you used to do when I was in grade school?” There was a hint of annoyance in my voice.
“If that’s how you want to look at it, yes. I prefer to see it as you are being treated like someone who cannot be trusted.”
Ouch!
“For your information, I’ve already asked Maudrina to collect my AP assignments. You may not realize it, but I like school.”I knew my tone was snarky and I didn’t care.
Her expression hardened. “When?”
“She called little while ago, while I was upstairs waiting for you. I asked her to get my assignments.”
Her hand darted out in demanding fashion. “I’m going to need your phone.”
I stared at her.
“You’re going to be in the house all day. You won’t need it. Until this is over, no phone!”
“Fine!” I groused. “It’s upstairs. Want me to get it now?”
“In a minute.” She took a deep breath. “Before you go to bed, you will sit down and make a list of everyone you know who attended the ditch party.” For the first time she looked me in the eye. Hers were dead serious.
“Are you asking me to be a snitch?”
“What choice do I have? We cannot afford private school, Megan. I cannot afford for you to get expelled!” Her voice rose with emotion.
“I’m not going to get expelled!”
“Oh? Did Principal Lockhart call while you were upstairs as well?”
“Mom, I’m sorry you don’t trust me. I’m sorry I’m not your little girl anymore. But part of growing up is doing things your parents may not agree with—which is why you don’t tell them!”
“Are you suggesting your sneaking around behind my back is justified ?”
I took a moment to gather my thoughts. “I’m not going to write the list. That would be social suicide, and I’d still like to have a social life after this is over.” I rose from the sofa and lowered my voice. “I’m also not going to get expelled. You’re just going to have to trust me on this. Give me a few days and I will fix it,” I added, my eyes appealing.
She began wagging her head back and forth as if I was the sorriest person on the face of the earth. “I’ve spoiled you. I see that now. Well, those days are over.” She stared at me another few moments, as if she was trying to accept that the person standing in front of her was actually her daughter. “You can bring me the phone now.” She folded her arms across her chest. The meeting was over.
As I climbed the stairs I realized my relationship with my mother would never be the same. Even when this was over, she would always look at me with questioning eyes,always weigh every word I said.
That’s the problem with deceit , I thought. You can only get away with it for so long. Sooner or later you get snared in its web .
At that moment, I thought of Guy.
When I walked into my room a flash of red caught my eye. The Ibwa was seated on the edge of my bed. He jumped to his feet as soon as he saw me.
“Where are you keeping the book?” he demanded with urgency. He began bouncing back and forth from one foot to the other, like a little boy who has to go to the bathroom.
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