Teach Me To Live (Teach Me - Book One) by Alannah Carbonneau

Austin. I was proud of him. I was proud of my relationship with him. The only reason I hadn’t brought him home to meet my parent’s was because I was ashamed of how I knew they would treat him. He was covered in tattoos and he rode a bike. My father would instantly lump him in with all the juvenile bad boys he saw in his court.
    I cared for Austin. There were some things I didn’t want to subject him to. Meeting my father was just one of those things.
    “No Dad, I’m not ashamed of him,” I sighed. “I’m ashamed of the way I see you treating him.”
    My father flinched. “I treat everyone fairly, Madison, you know that.”
    “You don’t treat fairly, Dad.”
    “How is that?”
    “You refuse to listen to me when I tell you how I feel about the life you want me to live. How is that fair?”
    “We’re not talking about you, Madison. We’re talking about the boy you’ve been gallivanting around town with.”
    I nodded. “We were talking about that. Now, I’m talking about me.”
    He sighed. “How am I not listening to you? I’ve heard everything you’ve been saying, Madison. Funny thing is that all these changes in you have come about right around the time you met this boy. Excuse me for blaming this new change in my daughter on the only change in her life.”
    Fisting my hands at my sides, I groaned. Frustration was blooming inside of me as I stared incredulously at my father.
    “See? You’re not listening! ” I felt my voice begin to shake. “I’ve been telling you for a week that I have been feeling caged for a really long time! I’ve been telling you that I don’t want to go to University for Law. I want to study the arts!”
    Dad scoffed. “Arts?” He shook his head. “You’ve never even painted a picture, Madison.”
    “I don’t want to paint, Dad. I want to be a writer.”
    There. The truth was out. He knew I was interested in writing. But now he knew it was what I wanted for my life.
    “You’ll never make a career out of writing, Madison. The only feasible career you’ll find with writing is journalism and that’s too dangerous. Do you know how many journalists are the victims of violence and terrorist activities? They stick their nose in places they have no business being.”
    “And lawyers don’t?”
    He sighed. “Lawyers are educated, Madison.”
    I laughed. “You’re too thick in the skull for this conversation,” I shook my head at his angry expression. “I’m getting nowhere with you.”
    “Madison Avery, don’t you walk away from me!”
    I didn’t bother respecting his command. If he couldn’t respect my life choices, I wouldn’t be respecting his requests. Dad had always said that respect wasn’t just given, it was earned. He had yet to earn my respect.

     
    I cracked a beer and sat back against the couch on a heavy sigh, taking a long swig. I didn’t get more than thirty-five seconds of peace before Kaiden opened his bedroom door. I watched as he closed the door behind him, moving across the floor to the kitchen. He wore nothing but a pair of jeans and he looked like an ass.
    “You take Madison home?” He asked, settling beside me with his own beer.
    I nodded. “Kind of had to with the way you and Sasha were going at it.”
    “Yeah, I’ve got to get that in while I can.” He shrugged, half-apologetic.
    “Why is that?”
    “Raina’s coming to stay with us for the summer. She’s finished with her courses in Calgary, and you know how she cock-blocks me.”
    I smirked. Raina was Kaiden’s best friend. We’ve known each other for years. It was hell for Kaiden when she left for University in Calgary. If it weren’t for me, I have no doubt he would have followed her. It’s always been my suspicion that Kaiden was in love with Raina, but it would be a cold day in Hell when he admitted it to anyone, much less himself.
    “When will she be here?”
    “Early next week,” Kaiden leaned back into the couch. “She’ll love Madison.”
    “Yeah,” I