"Phoebe Ella-Grace Grey!" My mom yelled and I sighed as I finished brushing my brunette locks back into a ponytail.
"How may I be of assistance this morning?" I sassed as I walked out of my bedroom and into the hallway where my mom was standing with my brother Blake on her hip and my other brother Ryan by her side holding her free hand.
"Breakfast now, and your dad is not going to wait much longer." My mom said as Teddy came out of his room and gave her a quick kiss and then headed down the stairs.
"How come I am the only one who is scolded? I mean Teddy wasn't ready either." I said as I followed her downstairs to the dining room table.
"Maybe because I ate all my dinner unlike someone and I don't take forever to get dressed." Teddy teased as he took a seat at the table and I glared at him as I walked over and sat down across from him.
"I don't want to hear fighting this morning Ted." Dad said as he walked out of his office and over to my mom and gave her a kiss as he took Blake from her arms. "But he is right Feebs, you didn't eat a lot for dinner and you need to eat your breakfast before you go to school."
"And if I don't?" I remarked and my father just gave me a look.
"You really want to see what will happen?" He asked as he placed Blake in his chair and I relented.
"No sir." I said and he nodded.
"Good girl, now lets eat. Teddy you are driving yourself and Phoebe to school and then to Uncle Elliot's after school..."
"I have soccer practice after school, I can't take Phoebe, can't you or mom take her?" Teddy asked as our breakfast was brought out to the table.
"I totally forgot that you had practice, I'll somehow manage to pick her up." Mom said and I sighed.
"You know if you two would have let me get my license two weeks ago like I was suppose to we wouldn't be having this conversation right now." I said as I pushed my eggs around my plate, not really wanting to eat.
"And if you didn't miss your curfew you could have gotten your license." Mom said as she took a sip of her tea.
"Ana don't worry about getting her, I only have a meeting this morning and I can get her this afternoon." Dad said eyeing me as I moved my food around my plate.
"Are you sure? I mean I could just move around a few appointments..."
"Ana you have to work, I will get Phoebe, end of story." Dad said ending the conversation.
"Phoebe if you don't start eating that yourself I am sure that your father or I would be more than happy to feed your breakfast to you." Mom said causing Teddy to give me an evil grin as I started to eat the meal that was staring to get cold on my plate.
"So when can I get my license?" I asked and my mom sighed.
"Eventually." My mom said and I just starred at her.
"It's been two weeks, isn't that punishment enough?" I asked.
"Phoebe drop it. Your mother and I are not sure when we are going to let you get your license but if you keep this attitude up I can guarantee it won't be anytime soon." Dad said and I just sat back in my chair and put my fork down.
"I'm done eating, can I go finish getting ready for school?" I asked and I could see my dad about to protest but one look from my mom and he just nodded releasing me from the table.
I quickly walked back up the stairs and into my room. It was ridiculous that I was being punished this long. I missed my curfew one time because Ava's car wouldn't start and somehow it was all my fault. I mean I already had to give up getting my car on my birthday but then they took away me being able to get my license, it was infuriating.
I quickly took my phone off my bedside table and sent a text to Ava to let her know that my parents were being insufferable. For being cousins, Ava was my best friend. She was only a few months older that I was but we have been inseparable since I was born. It was almost as if we were meant to be born that close together and it was nice being able to talk to someone who understood the life you came from.
Ava didn't respond right away so I just put my phone in my pocket and went to finish putting on my makeup so I would be ready to leave when Teddy got done eating his breakfast.
"Hey munchkin, you ready to go?" Teddy asked a few minutes later and I turned to face him.
"Munchkin? I'm almost as tall as you are, don't you think that you should give that nickname a rest?" I asked and Teddy just grinned.
"It doesn't matter how tall you get you will always be munchkin to me." He countered and I rolled my eyes.
"Has dad left?" I asked and Teddy shook his head.
"No, him and mom started arguing after you left the table and they took their conversation into dad's office after a few minutes so they didn't fight in front of Blake and Ryan."
"Why is it that they are either overly loving or fighting?" I asked and Teddy laughed.
"Who knows, so are you ready? I am hoping that if we time it right we will be able to get out before their fight is done." Teddy said and I nodded as I walked out into my bedroom and grabbed my uniform jacket and then we walked downstairs where Ryan and Blake were playing with Taylor.
"Morning Taylor." I said and he smiled up at me.
"Good morning Miss Grey." He replied as he continued to play with my brothers.
"Tell our parents that we left will you? We don't want to be late." I said and Teddy nodded in agreement as we made our way towards the door.
"Leaving me to get in trouble huh?" He joked and we both just smirked as we made our way out to Teddy's car.
As soon as we made it out to the car Teddy and I hustled to get out of the driveway. We knew from experience that when our parents fought, Teddy and I were usually the two victims of their fight. Either mom or dad would fly off the handle and if either of us were around anything we had done mildly wrong would be brought up and our punishment would be ten times worse than it should be.
"All we have to do is clear the gate and we are home free." Teddy said as he picked up speed trying to make it out of the still open gate.
"You know if mom sees you driving like this she is going to have your head." I said and he laughed.
"Mom doesn't scare me." He replied as his phone started to ring and I smirked.
"How do you feel about dad?" I asked as I looked at the caller id and he groaned as he pressed a button on the steering wheel.
"Dad?" Teddy called into the car.
"Theodore Raymond Grey, I have warned you about your reckless driving and now you have my daughter in the car. Pull over, I will be taking both of you." Dad barked and I gave a look to Teddy as he started to slow down.
"Daddy we are going to be late if we have to wait much longer. Can Teddy just take us and then you can take us the rest of the week?" I asked hoping that I had just enough pull as daddy's little girl to make this work.
"I'll be monitoring your speed Teddy and don't think I won't. Be safe." Dad said after a short break and I sighed as I relaxed into the leather seat as Teddy slowly pulled onto the road and we headed towards school.
Eastwood Private school, breeding ground for the richest, laziest, most stuck up youth this side of the Mississippi. I cringe at the thought of the amount of money that is poured into this school that we never see returned in the education. I mean for the tuition that my parents pay you would think that we were at a four year college or something, not some private high school. I was just glad that in two years I would be leaving this place, although it wasn't fair that my brother was graduating this year.
Teddy parked in his assigned spot and then he went off to hang out with his friends while I went in search of Ava. I didn't even make it out of the parking lot before I was nearly tackled by her.
"You're still grounded? What in the world is wrong with your parents? I mean my dad explained everything that happened." Ava said and I sighed.
"Yeah and they said that I should have called them when everything happened. It's stupid." I said and Ava nodded.
"Yeah it is. If my parents were half as protective of me as your parents are of you, I would lose my mind."
"Well you have two little sisters, I'm the only girl. How are the accidents by the way?" I asked and Ava laughed.
"Good, annoying the crap out of everyone but good. How are your brothers?" Ava asked and I groaned.
"Don't even get me started. Ryan broke a lamp last night and nothing happened, he didn't even get scolded let alone in trouble, yet I miss curfew once because of a battery problem and you would think that the world had ended. Oh and on top of that, my dad is taking me to your house after school."
"Why isn't Teddy?" Ava asked.
"Because he has soccer practice and my parents don't want me riding in your car. This sucks, like seriously sucks. All I want is one day free of my parents and their rules, free of body guards and background checks and personal drivers. All I needed was my license and that would provide just a little freedom for me. You know I was on my best behavior for a month leading up to my birthday. I came home at least an hour early, I didn't fight when my dad made Taylor or someone go with me where ever, they were just looking for a reason to keep my from getting my license, and now I am never going to get it."
"Can you get your birth certificate and all the stuff you need?" Ava asked and I nodded.
"Yeah, I've had that stuff ready to go for weeks now."
"Then why don't you just make Teddy take you to get your license? I mean doesn't he kind of owe you being as you kept his secret about him and Dana?" Ava asked and I thought about it.
"My parents would kill me."
"You've done worse." Ava said as we walked into our first class and I bit my bottom lip, something that my dad hates me doing.
"He does owe me."
"They can't really punish you more than you already are." Ava said and I nodded.
"It's true, I already can't drive as it is."
"But your dad would flip out, and no one likes it when your dad flips out."
"So we wait for the license?" I asked and Ava nodded.
"That seems like the best plan. Who's the new kid?" I asked pointing to the boy who severely looked out of place as he walked into the room clutching his books in his hands, trying to find a place to sit.
"You should help him out, god knows no one else will and Mr. Dudley is an ass." Ava muttered as she checked her phone for a new text message.
"Give my seat to Tyler and I will make you cry tonight in our kickboxing class." I said as I got up and walked over to the kid knowing how hard it was to not fit in around here.
"The name's Phoebe, where are you from?" I asked and the kid looked stunned that I was even talking to him.
"Me?" He asked and I nodded.
"Yeah you." I stated with a smile.
"Adam, Adam Smith." He said and I nodded.
"Alright, the slip they gave you from the office, place it on the teacher's desk. Once you do that come take a seat next to me, trust me you want to take me up on this offer."
"Okay." He said and I swiftly turned and walked back over to Ava who was texting someone.
"So he is hot."
"His name is Adam Smith, he has potential..."
"But would he pass the Christian Grey background check?" Ava asked and I rolled my eyes.
"No one would pass that stupid test. I promise you he has that stupid thing rigged, him and my mother. Now shut it he is coming over here."
"Oh yes the blonde hair green eyed beauty might be scared away from the only person who has talked to him since he got here." Ava said and I shoved her lightly.
"Seems like you two get a long." Adam said as he took a seat next to me and I blushed.
"We're cousins if that makes a difference." I said and Ava reached over me.
"Ava Grey and this is Phoebe Grey, our dads are brothers." She said in her Ava way.
"Adam Smith, adopted by Elena Lincoln about a month ago and she is now insisting that I attend private school and soon my last name will be changed. The woman is controlling."
"Then it seems like you and Phoebe have a lot in common, I mean you now both have controlling parents..."
"And that's it." I snarled at Ava who just shrugged as her boyfriend Tyler walked into the classroom.
"I'm sorry about that, Ava is well, Ava."
"It's okay. So why does your name sound so familiar?" Adam asked and I sighed.
"My father is Christian Grey, you've probably heard about me in some article about him."
"Holy hell."
"Yeah tell me about it."
"That's cool and all but I still feel bad for you. I mean I thought that my new mom was controlling but at least she isn't like super rich and famous on top of it."
"Why adoption? Aren't you like sixteen anyway?" I asked trying to get the topic off of me and onto him.
"Yeah, I don't know really. I had a really messed up childhood, my mom was a prostitute and my dad was just a client gone wrong. My mom ended up leaving me at a fire station in Seattle when I was seven and I have been in the system ever since, well until Elena came along, but my relationship with her is complicated."
"How so?" I asked as our teacher walked in and Adam looked relieved that he didn't have to answer that question.
After class I offered to take Adam to his next class but her politely declined. I spent the rest of the day trying to find him but he wasn't in any of my other classes and we didn't have the same lunch. Had this of been any other day I would have been able to look for him after school but no I had to go straight out to my dad's car. I seriously felt like the only teenager who still had to be carted around by their parents.
I quickly made my way into the black SUV that my dad had waiting for me and I got in. Taylor was driving and my dad was in the back seat checking his email on his phone as I got in.
"Have a good day?" He asked without looking up and I sighed.
"I was having a good day up until now." I said bitterly as I put my seatbelt on and my dad just looked at me and smiled.
"So dramatic." He sad as he slipped his phone into the pocket of his jacket.
We didn't talk for the rest of the ride to uncle Elliot's house. My dad was clearly unaware that I was still mad at him because he insisted on walking me into the house when we got there and then he actually wanted me to hug him when he was about to leave.
He wrapped his arms around me and I just stood there not returning the hug. We stayed like that for a few seconds before he just kissed the top of my head and then pulled away.
"I love you Phoebe, always." He said and I rolled my eyes and walked over to Ava who was sitting in the kitchen with aunt Kate while my dad and Elliot exchanged a few words before he left.
"Still mad at your dad?" Aunt Kate asked and I nodded.
"Yes, they are just being unreasonable." I stated as I picked at a loose thread on my shirt.
"They are only that way because they love you." She said and I sighed.
"I know that they love me, I just wish sometimes they loved me a little less."
"You don't really mean that." Uncle Elliot said as he joined us in the kitchen and I nodded.
"I really do mean that."
"No you just want more freedom, it's not that you want to be loved any less. Anyway enough about this whole thing between you and your dad, go change we need to leave to get you girls to kick boxing." Uncle Elliot said and I nodded as Ava and I ran out of the room towards the stairs so we could go change.
Kick boxing was something that Ava and I got interested in when my dad made it mandatory that Teddy and I get involved in sports. I mean luckily we got our coordination from our dad rather than our mom but still it was a little ridiculous that we were forced to be involved in a sport. Dad said it was something about focusing our energy into a positive thing rather than getting into fights at school or something like that, I wasn't really paying attention to that lecture.
Anyway I signed up for a kick boxing class a few years back and my dad agreed that as long as Ava did it with me and uncle Elliot took us it would be a security free event. Since that promise Ava and I had been avid kick boxers, plus it comes in handy when Teddy and I fight from time to time.
I quickly changed out of my school uniform and into my workout clothes that I kept over here. When that was done I grabbed my pink boxing gloves out of the closet and ran down into the living room and slipped on my shoes.
"You got dressed quickly." Aunt Kate said as she sat down on the couch next to me.
"I usually do. What did uncle Elliot ask you to talk to me about?" I asked as I quickly tied my shoes.
"You are really good at picking up on things." Aunt Kate said and I rolled my eyes.
"What is it?" I asked again and she sighed.
"Well your uncle disagrees with me on this, but I think that you need to lighten up on your parents. They were worried when you didn't come home on time, and yes you were safe but you could have easily of been hurt..."
"I know and I get being grounded but it's been long enough aunt Kate. They already took away my car and me getting away my license and now they are slowly taking away my freedom." I said and aunt Kate just smiled.
"A little over dramatic aren't we?" She asked and I smiled.
"Mom says I get it from you." I stated and she nodded.
"That you do." She said as she rolled her eyes.
"So uncle Elliot doesn't think that I should lighten up on my parents?" I asked and aunt Kate shook her head.
"No, he likes that you are giving his brother a run for his money..."
"Plus I want to see him get gray hair before me." Uncle Elliot said as he walked into the room and handed aunt Kate the phone. "My mom wants to talk to you about when you are picking up Lauren and Sarah." He said and aunt Kate took the phone with a smile.
"So Ava isn't going to be able to go to class today." Uncle Elliot said and I gave him a look.
"Why not? She always goes to class with me, what's different about today?" I asked and my dad came out of the main hallway.
"Well I thought that today you would enjoy throwing a few punches at me for a change." My dad said and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face.
"Really?" I asked and he nodded.
"Why would I lie to you?" He asked and I shrugged.
"It's not like it would be the first time." I mumbled.
"What was that?" He asked and I shook my head.
"I said lets get going."
My dad drove me to the place where I took my kick boxing classes. It was a small gym just out of town, it was one of many gyms that my dad toured before he deemed it was safe enough for Ava and I to take lessons there. Honestly when I first suggested kick boxing I meant it as a joke. I mean for a man who didn't want me to get hurt I didn't think he would go for a sport like kick boxing, but once again my dad surprised me.
When we got to the gym Kyle, my instructor, wrapped my hands and then helped me get my gloves on while my dad picked up the pads so he would be protected from my assault.
"You ready?" I asked and he nodded.
"Yes I am ready."
I started out easy on my dad just to see if he was really serious about this whole thing. When he seemed to be fine with what I was doing I gradually started to kick and punch harder until I was going full out and he was just absorbing the blows.
"You know when you first wanted to do kick boxing I was dead set against it," My dad said as he blocked another punch. "But then I thought about your particular anger issues and well I thought that this would be a great way to work some of your frustrations out and it seemed to be working up until your birthday." He said and I rolled my eyes.
"That was because you and mom are being unreasonable." I said as I stopped for a moment and my dad shook his head.
"You haven't vented all your anger, keep going." He said and I sighed as I started back up again. "Now why do you think we are being unreasonable?" He asked.
"Ava's car battery died and that was the reason I was late. Uncle Elliot even verified my story but that didn't matter to you and mom, you were just looking for a reason for me to not get my license." I stated and my dad just started laughing.
"You think your mom and I like punishing you? Phoebe that was the last thing we wanted to do. It crushed us to see you so unhappy but you knew the rules..."
"And the only reason I wasn't home on time was because the car stopped working!" I yelled.
"You should have called."
"I messed up dad. Kids do that from time to time. I don't get it, I don't get why I can't mess up but everyone else can. Teddy can, Ryan can, jeeze even Blake can mess up, but not me. Why am I the only one who is punished when I mess up? Why dad?" I asked as I stopped again and this time broke down in tears.
"Phoebe." My dad cooed as he pulled me into his arms and kissed the top of my head.
"Why?" I asked in tears and my dad just stroked my hair lightly and continued to kiss my hair.
"Because I'm scared of what you will be willing to do if I don't protect you, you always told me that you wanted to marry someone like me when you grew up..."
"And I still do." I said softly into his chest and I could feel him shake his head above me.
"No you don't baby, I'm just fifty shades Feebs, and none of them are what you want."
