A/N: Here's the second chapter for tonight. Hope you guys enjoy it! THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL THE FEEDBACK, MY LOVELIES. You're the best readers a girl could ever want!

Happy reading!

angellwings

CHAPTER TWELVE: Gimme Shelter

"The floods is threat'ning,

My very life today.

Gimme, gimme shelter,

Or I'm gonna fade away.

War, children, it's just a shot away.

It's just a shot away."

"Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones

"So," Carol asked when Noah dropped Lucy off at the end of the night. "How did it go?"

Her mother looked so hopeful and excited. Her mother never looked hopeful and excited at the idea of Lucy dating. She saw it as a distraction from her academic goals, which should always always come first. She knew why. Noah spent the entire evening, well maybe not the entire evening, trying to talk up Rittenhouse Academy. It was less a date and more of a recruitment stunt just as she and Wyatt predicted it would be.

"Fine," Lucy answered with a shrug. It was fine. Not great, but not awful. Though, the best part of the night was Wyatt trying to crash her date. She smiled wistfully at the image of him grinning into his phone across the crowded carnival walkway. He was obviously jealous and, while he had no right to be, she found herself more amused than angry.

"Just fine?" Carol asked with a secretive grin.

Lucy realized Carol must have spotted her smile and assumed it was because of Noah. If she only knew.

"Just fine," Lucy repeated. This time she elaborated to make sure her mother understood. "He was nice but there wasn't really a connection."

"Well, I suppose that can't be helped," her mother replied with a frown. "He's a nice boy but if you don't feel it then you don't. Did he at least talk to you about Rittenhouse? Did he tell you about their college preparedness program? They have more graduates accepted to Ivy League schools than any other private institution in the state."

How interesting that Noah used almost that exact same wording. Lucy forced a polite smile and nodded.

"Yes, he talked at length about R-H Academy, Mom. It was almost as if he was instructed to do so."

Carol sighed and shrugged. "Well, can you blame me? You won't talk to me about it at all anymore. If I bring it up you either stone wall me or change the subject. I thought, you could kill two birds with one stone. You would meet a nice boy and consider your academic options. It seemed logical."

"Rittenhouse sounds like a perfectly nice institution, Mom, but I like my school. Plus, my transcript is plenty impressive. I have worked myself ragged since eighth grade. If an Ivy League school doesn't accept me after all that then maybe I don't have to go to an Ivy League school," Lucy told her. She knew her voice sounded flippant but she was tired. Tired of the pressure. Tired of the expectations. Tired of hearing how what she was currently doing somehow wasn't good enough.

"Not go to—you have talked about going to an Ivy League school since you were a little girl."

"No, mother, you have talked about the idea of me going to an Ivy League school. I would be just as happy with Duke or Stanford or—"

"You mentioned Stanford because I teach there and you think that will distract from our main point," her mother interrupted with a huff.

Lucy's brow furrowed and her anger flared. "That's not true. I like Stanford. It has an excellent reputation. I'm not that underhanded. You're mistaking your strategy for mine."

"Excuse me? What did you say to me?" Carol asked sharply.

"I just find it hilarious that you're accusing me of being underhanded when you're the one who tricked me into going on a blind date for a Rittenhouse Academy sales pitch," Lucy said through a clenched jaw.

"Tricked you? Young lady, I did no such thing."

She laughed at that because what else was she supposed to do? How could her mother deny it? It was so obvious. Her mother's glare indicated that laughing was the wrong reaction. But for once, Lucy didn't care.

"Oh really? Because last we talked, I was keeping Noah busy so that you could wine and dine his parents. Yet here you are, home before me, in freaking jeans with no trace of make up. You expect me to believe that you actually went out tonight?"

A guilty expression crossed Carol Preston's face before it hardened in anger. "I do not know who you think you're talking to, Lucille Ruth, but you are not allowed to speak to me in that tone. I have been very patient with you and your attachment to public school but if you keep this up, you may no longer have a choice."

"What?" Lucy shouted. "You can't be serious! You would never make me—"

"Don't think I won't," Carol threatened. "You're still a minor and you live under my roof. You will do what I think is best."

"Dad would never have allowed you to send me there against my will!" Lucy yelled. "He said it was my choice!"

Lucy regretted the words the minute they left her mouth. It was a low blow and she knew it.

Carol's face reddened and she placed her hands on her hips. "Don't you dare bring him into this! None of us know what he would say because he's not here, is he? I'm the only parent you have left!"

Lucy sucked in a sharp breath. Those words stung like a slap. She felt tears in her eyes but refused to back down. "You told me going to Rittenhouse would be my choice! I will never choose R-H. You cannot make me go!"

"I know you help me out a lot around here, with Amy and with keeping up with the household, but I am still the parent and you are still the child. I can and if you keep up this attitude I will," Carol said with a loud huff. "You are more mature than this, Lucy. What is going on with you?"

"Oh, now I'm mature? I thought I was a child?" She asked with a scoff.

"When you act like a child, I will refer to you as one. This conversation is over. Go upstairs," Carol ordered. "It's time for bed, Lucy."

"It's nine at night on a Saturday-"

"Go to your room, Lucille."

Go to her room? She was sixteen! Not twelve! How did her mother always manage to make her feel like an overdramatic idiot? Her mother was the one in the wrong and yet somehow it was Lucy's attitude that was the issue? And then the statement about her dad…

She and her mother had never fought like that. She was always the good and dutiful daughter who loved making her mother happy, but where was it written that she was required to sacrifice her own happiness because her mother told her to? As she ran up the stairs to her bedroom the tears were streaming down her face. She hated disappointing her mother and, other than bringing up Henry, what had Lucy said that was wrong? Did her mother have to make her feel ashamed for wanting to go to school with her friends or for not wanting to spend all of her time studying? She felt so small and completely alone.

Being sixteen shouldn't mean her opinion didn't matter.

She slammed her door behind her and threw herself onto her bed. God, did this night ever suck. She could have spent tonight at that carnival with Wyatt if her mother hadn't manipulated her into a blind date. Being with Wyatt would have made the shouting match with her mother worth it.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket and Lucy sniffled as she checked it. Her eyes were still watering as she grinned at her screen. Of course it was Wyatt.

Please tell me you're home and not still out with that RHA douchebag?

She laughed softly and swiped at her wet cheeks before typing out a response.

At ease, soldier. Noah is gone.

She watched the dots at the bottom of the screen with eagerness as he formulated his reply. She wondered where he went after she sent him away from the carnival. Did he go home? Did he and Bam-Bam find something to do? Was he still hanging out with Bam-Bam?

Whatever it was, it was better than what she was doing. You know, wallowing in her mother's disappointment. That sort of thing. Why didn't she ditch Noah at that carnival and run off with Wyatt and Bam-Bam? She could have, and she would still be out having a great time instead of crying in her bedroom like a little girl throwing a tantrum.

Finally, Wyatt's reply came through.

So, you're at home? Any other plans tonight?

She bit her bottom lip as she pondered her reply. She could just answer that, yes she was at home and no she had no other plans. That was the obvious reply, but…

Dammit, she wanted out of this house. She wanted to have fun. Her mother seemed determine to kill any fun she might have. She didn't want to date Noah or any other Rittenhouse guy. She wanted…

She wanted-

Yeah, I'm home. No plan currently. Would you like to make one? I'm thinking that carnival might still be open. No one would have to hide behind any popcorn stand, I promise.

There. She did it. It was Saturday night and she wasn't going to be a prisoner in her room. Just like she refused to go to Rittenhouse. Nothing her mother said would change her mind. She would runaway or sue for emancipation before she would step through those stuffy private school doors.

Are you serious?

Deadly.

Yes. Can you pick me up? You should probably park around the corner so mom doesn't freak at the sight of your death trap.

More animated dots and then…

Not a death trap. You're just a wimp. Be there in fifteen.

Great, now how was she going to get out? She stalked toward her double glass doors that opened up on to her small balcony. There was a tree close enough to jump to but...she didn't trust herself with jumping and climbing. Especially not toward the ground. The only option was through her bedroom door.

The door she wasn't supposed to leave for the rest of the night.

There was a quiet knock and Lucy tensed. Please not her mother. She could not handle that right now.

"Lucy?" A small soft voice asked. She breathed a sigh of relief and then answered the door to find Amy looking at her with a worried furrowed brow. "I-I heard shouting. Are you okay?"

"Yes, yeah, fine," Lucy lied as she forced a smile. She was just the worst daughter to ever exist. "You're lucky you're in elementary school, kiddo. Enjoy it."

"Are you crying?" Amy asked as she grabbed Lucy's hand and squeezed tightly. "Don't cry over the Rittenhouse thing. She'll get over it. She always does."

"No, she's never over it. If I never go I will always be a disappointment to her. Everyone in our family has gone to that school for generations. I ruined our streak," Lucy said with a sullen huff.

"You always feel so guilty, Lucy," Amy said as she hugged her older sister around the waist. "You didn't do anything wrong. Especially not at school. You're so perfect it's annoying. All my teachers ask me why I'm not more like you. You know what I tell them?"

Lucy's hand fell onto the back of her sister's head and began combing through her hair. "What?" she asked.

"I tell them that you're already the best version of you there could ever be and there would be no point in my trying. I should just be the best version of me I can be instead," Amy told her as she pulled back from the hug. "Not even mom should be able to make you feel bad about that."

Lucy felt tears stinging her eyes again as she kissed the top of her little sister's head. "You're the best baby sister a girl could ask for. You know that, right?"

"It's easy to be a good baby sister when I've got you to look up to, Lucy."

"Love you. You should go back to bed. I promise it's fine, okay?"

Amy nodded but didn't let go. Lucy held her for another moment before her phone vibrated in her pocket.

Oh no, Wyatt.

"Oh god, he's early," Lucy said as she released Amy and worriedly glanced down the hall.

"Who's early?" Amy asked.

"No one, forget I said anything."

Amy smirked slowly at her before she spoke again. "Is it Wyatt? I bet it's Wyatt. Didn't mom send you to your-" Amy abruptly cut herself off and then gasped. "You're sneaking out!"

"Shh!" Lucy said as she placed a hand over Amy's mouth. "No, I'm not. I want to, but I don't think I can get out without being spotted. I am not climbing over my bannister and down a tree."

When she finished speaking, she removed her hand and pulled Amy into her room, shutting the door behind them. She couldn't risk her mother hearing her even planning this.

"Yeah," Amy said as she peered out the same double glass doors Lucy had examined earlier. "Definitely don't climb. We don't want you to die before you get to kiss Wyatt."

"Exactl-wait, what?" Lucy asked as she gave Amy a startled look.

"Lucy and Wyatt sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love-"

"You know I can put my hand over your mouth again. Or maybe I have some duct tape."

"No! No duct tape!" Amy yelled with a giggle. "I'll shut up. I could...I could distract mom?"

"No, Amy I couldn't ask you to do that," Lucy said with a shake of her head.

"I want to! He's your friend and after all the yelling you need a friend," Amy told her. "So I'll keep her busy and you sneak down the back stairs and out the fence! Easy peasy!"

Lucy blinked at her in surprise. "You thought of that too quickly. I feel sorry for mom when you start high school."

Amy smirked and shrugged. "Me too. Ready?"

Lucy typed a quick text to Wyatt to let him know she would be out shortly and then nodded at her little sister. "Ready."