Lissa followed Amber and April up the stone path to the front door of the upper middle class home. She could hear the music pounding from inside, though a human probably wouldn't find it nearly as loud as she did, if they heard it at all. The neighbors certainly didn't seem to be bothered by the noise, although to be fair, the Ryland house was nearly as secluded as the Cullen house.

Her first instinct would be to knock, so Lissa was surprised when April merely opened the front door and strolled in like she lived there. Amber didn't seem to think this was unusual, following promptly behind April, so Lissa followed suit.

The foyer and rooms Lissa could see from the foyer were nearly packed with teenagers. Some were standing around, drinks in their hands, talking and laughing. From what Lissa could smell, most of the drinks had to be alcoholic. Other kids were dancing to the club music that seemed to come from every room in the house. It was evident that some of Lissa's schoolmates were already at varying stages of inebriation.

The abundance of alcohol made Lissa a bit uncomfortable, but at least it appeared she'd dressed appropriately for the occasion. She'd selected a denim miniskirt she could have never worn to school and a long-sleeve striped t-shirt that hugged her curves paired with a simple pair of flats. She'd pulled her hair up into a ponytail. Her makeup was simple – other than foundation, Lissa had opted for a neutral shade of lip gloss and just a hint of blush to make her appear more human – but she'd played up her eyes with liner, coppery shadow, and mascara, and the effect was everything she'd hoped for. Jasper and Emmett would have had a fit had they seen the makeup (even though she'd grown accustomed to wearing it to school).

As far as her family was concerned, however, Lissa was out bowling with Amber. Carlisle had given her permission to be out until 11, and Lissa had arranged to go straight to Amber's house after school. It helped to avoid her brothers questioning Amber or April (their chauffer) about their plans, and it prevented the others from having to keep up pretenses around humans. Lissa had worked hard to avoid 'deciding' to go to the party instead, so Alice was none the wiser, and she hadn't dared let herself think about her plans in Edward's presence.

So far, things were working in Lissa's favor. Even better, as Lissa took a few steps further into the foyer, she caught a familiar, unpleasant scent mingled with human sweat and perfume/cologne: wet dog. With glee, Lissa realized that at least one of the younger wolves must be around somewhere. Both Jacob and Sam's packs were aware of Lissa's presence in Forks, thanks to Carlisle, and knew she wasn't a threat. There wouldn't be any conflict between herself and whichever Quilleute happened to be in attendance. However, she knew that a wolf's unpredictability screwed with Alice's ability to see the future.

Having one or more wolves at the party had ensured that Alice wouldn't be able to predict what Lissa was up to.

Confident that she had a couple of hours to relax before she had to be home, Lissa allowed herself to mingle a little bit. Amber and April had both disappeared into the crowd; Lissa could only guess that this was normal party behavior. A guy she didn't recognize handed her a drink while simultaneously using the worst pickup line Lissa had ever heard. She smiled politely and made up an excuse about her friend waiting for her in the other room. Watching the guy saunter off, most likely to find another girl to hit on, Lissa decided to take a look around the house.

Cup in hand, Lissa strolled through the large kitchen to what appeared to be a sun room; three of the four walls were made entirely of glass, and on the far end, a door led out to the patio and backyard. The view was breathtaking, even in the dark, though Lissa could see it as clearly as if it had been noon on a cloudless day. She appreciated the more muted lighting in this room, compared to the rest of the house. No one else was there at the moment, but if anyone did come, her features would seem less striking in the soft glow of the lights strung around the otherwise dark room.

Settling onto one of the plush chairs, Lissa set her drink down on a nearby table and let herself just appreciate the serenity. She hadn't really held any interest in coming to the party. Being around humans at school or out in public was one thing, but it was quite another when at least half of the humans around her were under the influence of alcohol and their own raging teenage hormones. If she hadn't already felt frustrated, both with her family and with Josh, she probably would have found an excuse not to attend. However, the knowledge that her family wouldn't approve left her feeling compelled to be there, if for no other reason than defiance. It was such a teenage behavior, she mused, but she didn't care. Everyone wanted to treat her like she was fourteen, so she might as well act the part.

"You made it…"

She'd picked up on his scent seconds earlier, but humans couldn't do that, so she'd waited for him to say something before acknowledging him. Lissa offered him a smile. "Hi Spencer."

He rewarded her with a smile of his own, his cheeks flushing lightly. So cute, Lissa thought. "Amber wasn't sure whether or not you would."

If she could, Lissa suspected she might have blushed at his admission. "You asked Amber about me?"

"Yeah." His blush deepened. Lissa found it downright endearing. "I mean, she's your best friend, right?"

"She is," Lissa agreed. Good grief, Spencer was adorable. Not in the best guy friend way, or the cute little kid way, but 'cute' didn't seem to adequately describe him. Maybe it was the fact that he looked at her like she was the most stunning thing he'd ever seen, but she was finding him more and more appealing every time she saw him. He was on the tall side, leaner than many of the school's beefed up football players but still clearly athletic. His dark hair was tousled, looking like he'd just combed his fingers through it and walked out the door, but Lissa could smell the products involved in achieving that hairstyle. His eyes, darker than chocolate, seemed to almost twinkle when he smiled.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Go ahead."

Spencer sat in a nearby chair, a plastic cup of his own in his hand. He moved to set the cup on the table near Lissa's. "So, why are you out here alone? There's definitely more going on inside."

"Exactly," Lissa said with a hint of amusement. "I'm really not a partier."

"Please don't take this the wrong way, because I'm glad you're here."

This time, Lissa laughed openly. The sound seemed to enthrall Spencer. "Why did I come if I'm not a partier?"

Spencer chuckled. "Yeah."

She gave a small shrug. "Amber thought it would be fun. I've been feeling a bit cooped up lately anyway." Lissa paused, thinking. "Is this the first time you've been to one of Kole's parties?"

"No, he had a Halloween party back in October. It was huge. Let's just say, alcohol wasn't the only illicit substance going around at that party."

Given Kole Ryland's reputation, Lissa wasn't surprised. "I'm a little amazed that the police haven't busted one of his parties," she admitted.

"Everyone's really good at keeping things on the down low."

Lissa had noticed that no one brought up the party if a teacher or another adult might overhear. "I suppose it helps that his house is practically in the middle of nowhere."

Spencer nodded. "His parents are also never home, so…"

Blinking, Lissa realized her tinted contacts were beginning to dissolve. Rising to her feet, she said, "I think there's something in my eye. I'll be right back."

"Sure," Spencer said, clearly caught off guard by Lissa's sudden announcement.

Walking at a brisk human pace, Lissa found the first floor bathroom and locked the door behind her to ensure her privacy. She reached into her small purse, pulling out a fresh pack of contacts. A few blinks later, her vision cleared completely as the contacts dissolved in her venom. Lissa had become a pro at putting in the contacts, and in a matter of seconds her eyes were once again a vivid green. Her hand reached for the doorknob, but new voices from the foyer made her freeze. Chief Swan and several deputies, from what she could hear.

Damn.

There was no way to sneak out and use her vampire speed to get away from the house. The bathroom door was visible from the foyer. They'd see her the moment she stepped out. She couldn't escape through a window, either – there weren't any. As far as Chief Swan was concerned, Lissa was a high school freshman. She wouldn't be able to talk her way out of the situation. Best case scenario, he'd call Carlisle or Esme, and there was nothing remotely positive about that outcome.

Lissa was screwed.

An hour later, Lissa had claimed a chair in the Forks police station as she waited for someone to pick her up. She hadn't seen Spencer, so she guessed he'd managed to slip away without the police seeing him. Amber and April had been picked up by their mother just minutes earlier, and while she hadn't seemed happy about having to pick up her daughters, Mrs. Monroe also hadn't seemed all that upset that they'd been caught at one of Kole Ryland's parties, or that both girls had been drinking (April more so than Amber). Lissa was one of the last ones waiting for a parent, and the waiting sucked.

The anticipation was becoming nearly unbearable when the door opened and Carlisle walked into the station wearing an expression Lissa had never seen on him before, not even after Emmett had antagonized her into using her gift.

Carlisle headed for Chief Swan. Lissa debated whether to call attention to herself, but her mouth opened before she could stop herself. "Carlisle?"

He turned to truly look at her, and she very much felt like a naughty fourteen-year-old under his stern gaze. He didn't raise his voice – he seldom needed to – but his tone conveyed his feelings quite well and made it clear that he wasn't in the mood for any arguments. "Not one word, Elizabeth."

If she could have shrunk further in her chair, she would have. It was the first time Carlisle had used her full first name and not just her nickname, and she decided right then and there it was ten times worse than when Jasper called her Elizabeth (or even Elizabeth Frances). She really wished she could pretend she was elsewhere, but she couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Carlisle and Chief Swan.

"Sorry to have to call you down here, Carlisle," she heard Chief Swan say in a low tone. It was low enough that the other kids probably wouldn't hear, but her vampire ears picked up their conversation perfectly. "None of your kids have ever been in trouble before, and Lissa doesn't appear to have been drinking like the others, but she was still at a party where alcohol was being served. Since she's underage…"

"No apologies necessary, Charlie," Carlisle assured him. "She had no business being at that party, and should have called for a ride the moment she saw that others were drinking. I assure you that Esme and I will speak with Lissa. You will not see a repeat of this behavior from her."

Lissa watched the two men shake hands before the police chief headed off to greet another parent. Carlisle was standing before her at once. "Let's go."

Wordlessly she followed Carlisle out of the police station and over to his car. She started for the rear passenger side door, but Carlisle's voice halted her.

"Front seat, please."

She wanted to argue, but a little voice inside her head reminded her that doing so would only get her in more trouble. Moving humanly slow, she slid into the front passenger seat, buckling her seatbelt as Carlisle claimed the driver's seat. Lissa purposely turned to stare out the window, not wanting to have to see Carlisle's unhappy expression. She didn't want to ask how much trouble she was in, or what Carlisle was going to do about all of it. Lissa had a pretty good idea already, and it wasn't something she wanted to think about.

Silence filled the car as Carlisle pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road. It remained until they'd reached the highway and all Lissa saw were trees and brush passing by. "What were you thinking?"

Lissa snuck a glance at Carlisle, instantly regretting the decision. The disappointment in his eyes churned her stomach. Looking away quickly, she shrugged her shoulders.

The car shifted to the right and jerked to a stop. Lissa's head whipped back around to stare at Carlisle in shock. His voice remained low and calm, but his eyes bore into her. "My patience is limited tonight," he confessed. "If you continue to shrug your shoulders instead of answering my questions, Elizabeth Frances, I won't wait until we get home to take you across my knee. Am I making myself clear?"

She swallowed down the lump of venom that had accumulated in her throat. "Yes, sir."

Carlisle nodded in approval and pressed slowly on the gas pedal, pulling back out onto the dark, deserted highway. "Let's try this again. What were you thinking tonight?"

Instead of staring out the window, Lissa chose to study her lap. If she didn't have to look at Carlisle right then, she wasn't going to do so voluntarily. "Amber said a few other people from school were having a party. It sounded like a normal high school thing to do, so I agreed to go."

"You didn't say you'd be attending a party when you asked if you could go out with Amber tonight," he pointed out. "You said the two of you were going to go bowling."

Ouch. This wasn't going to go over well. "I, uh, didn't think you'd say yes if I told you we were going to a party," she admitted slowly.

"I see. So instead of being honest and taking the chance that Esme and I might not let you attend this party, you lied to us."

Lissa desperately racked her brain for any way to spin it where it didn't sound like outright lying, but she couldn't. "Yes, sir…"

"Did you know that there would be alcohol at this party?"

Considering Kole's reputation, she'd suspected there would be, even if no one had come out and announced it. "Amber didn't say anything beforehand, but I wasn't surprised. What does it matter, though? It isn't as if I can drink the stuff."

"You don't see a problem with a fourteen-year-old attending a party where alcohol is being served?"

A drop of the frustration she'd been feeling lately bubbled up. "Should I have called you to pick me up from the party?" she asked, her tone slightly less respectful than before. "I didn't exactly want to make a scene. Wouldn't that attract too much attention?"

Carlise raised an eyebrow. "Oh, and being escorted to the police station to wait for a parent to come pick you up didn't attract attention?"

She resumed her watch of the passing greenery. They weren't far from home now. "I screwed up," she muttered.

"Yes, you did," agreed Carlisle. "We're going to talk about it more at home. When we get there, I want you to go straight to your room and wait for me."

Carlisle grew silent. Lissa leaned her head on the cool window glass and closed her eyes, wondering how she'd ever gotten into this mess. She hadn't been the type to become rebellious and defiant as a human. She'd allowed her feelings towards Josh to screw with her common sense and reasoning. Worst of all, she'd known all along what consequences she'd face if caught, and despite having managed to circumvent Alice and Edward's gifts, she should have expected something to go horribly wrong.

The trip home seemed to fly by after that, and before she knew it they were parked in the garage. Carlisle didn't have to repeat his directions, as Lissa flew out of the car, worried that Carlisle might become more upset with her if she dawdled. Upon reaching her room, she took a seat on the bed and folded her legs, trying (and failing miserably) not to fret.

She hadn't heard anyone else in the house. Esme was probably somewhere, but the others would likely be out on a hunt or any other task that kept them away. It was tradition when one of them ended up in this kind of trouble. Lissa had mixed feelings about it. On one hand, she was grateful that she wasn't going to have an audience. On the other, it would almost be comforting knowing that one of her brothers or sisters was around, if for nothing more than moral support.

It wasn't long until there was a knock on the bedroom door. For a split second Lissa contemplated ignoring the knock, or even telling Carlisle to go away, but that would just be ridiculous of her and she knew it. She sighed. "Come in."

Carlisle entered, closing the door with care behind him. He pulled out her computer chair and set it a few feet from the bed, taking a seat and clasping his hands, elbows resting on his thighs. "All right. I know that you know that what happened tonight was completely unacceptable for a number of reasons. I don't think we need to spend a lot of time hashing out why it was unacceptable. What I'm more interested in discussing is why you made the choices you did. This kind of behavior is not typical for you, Lissa. You aren't one to outright lie to Esme or me, nor are you one to do something you know we wouldn't approve of. What's going on?"

If she were honest with herself, Lissa would have to admit that she didn't know how to deal with what had happened with Josh. It wasn't rational – she hadn't been in love with him or anything, but getting dumped had hurt, and she'd been pissed that Jasper's interference had been a huge factor. She couldn't bring herself to actually admit that to Carlisle though. He might decide that attending school was too much stress for her, and Lissa didn't want to be confined to the house all day, every day. She doubted he'd like her answer, but it was the truth, for better or worse. "I wanted to go to the party."

"Then why didn't you just ask us? Esme and I have been pretty lenient with regards to your social life with the humans."

Her answer was the same as it had been in the car. "I didn't think you'd let me go."

"Why didn't you think we'd let you go to this party, Lissa?"

Uh oh. How could she possibly answer that question without making things worse? "I don't know," she evaded, her shoulders giving the slightest of shrugs.

"Elizabeth Frances, I know you don't expect me to believe that," Carlisle scolded mildly. He watched her eyes drop to her lap from what he suspected to be a combination of apprehension and guilt. It always amazed him at the results he could produce simply by calling one of his children by their first and middle name. It appeared Lissa was no different. "Let's try the truth this time, please."

Lissa frowned, but knew she couldn't avoid giving Carlisle an answer. "I knew you wouldn't approve of who was throwing the party."

"You mean Kole Ryland?" he asked in a casual tone, not at all surprised when Lissa's head jerked up in shock. "You're right about that. Esme and I absolutely would not have agreed to your attending a party with seniors and college kids."

"How did you…?"

"Come now, Lissa. Charlie might know that there's something different about our family, but as far as he's concerned you are a high school freshman who was caught at a party with much older kids. Did you think he wouldn't share with me what he knew about the party and the people involved?"

She shifted her gaze, not quite willing to look Carlisle in the eye as she grumbled, "Normal human teenagers go to parties, even if their parents don't approve."

More than used to dealing with temperamental teenagers, what with Edward and Rosalie's never ending mood swings, Carlisle didn't get riled up by Lissa's slight attitude. "Fourteen-year-olds who go to parties behind their parents' backs typically find themselves in hot water with those parents. Your current predicament should come as no surprise." He waited a moment, giving Lissa a chance to respond. When she didn't, Carlisle continued. "So, you went to a party you knew we wouldn't approve of, after lying about the fact that you were attending this party. On some level, you'd anticipated there would be alcohol there. At some point after arriving at the party, you saw other kids drinking. Instead of calling one of us to pick you up or making an excuse to leave, you stayed, where you were eventually picked up by the Forks police for being at a party where alcohol was being served to minors. Being picked up by the local police drew unnecessary and negative attention to our family, which could be a safety issue for us if someone were to realize that we aren't human. Attracting that kind of attention, raising questions among the humans, can give the Volturi just cause to come investigate. Did I forget anything?"

It sounded pretty bad when he put it that way. "No."

"All right. Let's talk consequences, then. For starters, you can consider yourself grounded for the next month. Other than hunting and school, you will not leave the house. No electronics privileges for the first week."

Lissa's jaw dropped. An entire week without technology was going to suck, but being cut off from civilization for a month? She couldn't even fathom it! "But there's a dance in two weeks…"

Carlisle gave a slight shake of his head. "You won't be attending that dance, Lissa."

She'd been looking forward to the dance, if only to get out of the house for another few hours. Also, Lissa had begun to wonder whether Spencer might ask her. He was a welcome distraction. "Carlisle, that's not fair!"

"I'd hold off on the arguing," he suggested. "In addition to being grounded, you've earned yourself a spanking. Lying, sneaking around, and putting this family's secret at risk are not in any way acceptable behaviors. Do you have anything else to say about tonight's events or their consequences?"

The second consequence came as no surprise to Lissa. She didn't like it, but she'd expected as much. She shook her head no in response to Carlisle's question, not trusting herself to respond verbally without giving attitude over her grounding.

"Let's get this over with, then," Carlisle said, resolved. "Come here."

Reluctantly, Lissa scooted off of the bed and moved to stand in front of Carlisle. She wasn't sure of what to expect, though if her recent experience with Jasper was any indication, it was going to suck. She didn't fight Carlisle as he guided her across his lap. It was an uncomfortable position, hanging over someone's knees, and though her hands could just reach the floor, it felt awkward. Lissa grabbed hold of one of the chair legs to help support herself.

She felt a bit self-conscious with the skirt she was wearing. It was rather form-fitting and shorter than what she could've worn to school. Bent over, it just barely covered her butt. Her embarrassment increased ten-fold when she felt her skirt being peeled back so that all that covered her rear was her underwear. Reaching back with one hand, she tried to pull it back down, but a hand gently grasped hers and moved it away.

"Carlisle…!" she whined, drumming her toes on the floor in protest.

His response was to plant a sharp swat on her upturned behind. Lissa yelped. "This isn't the outfit you left the house in this morning," he observed casually, his hand connecting once more with its target. "I have no doubt that Alice bought it, but I'm fairly certain she would have cautioned you not to wear the skirt, at least, around Forks." A few more swats, each one eliciting a louder yelp than the one before. "Needless to say, I don't want to see you wearing an outfit like this in public again, not where people think you're a high school student. It draws just as much attention as did your behavior tonight."

"Okay!" Lissa agreed quickly, hoping to convince Carlisle she'd had enough. His hand was much harder than Jasper's had been. Her butt was already stinging something fierce. "I'm sorry I lied and snuck around behind your backs. I won't do it again, I promise."

"I'm glad to hear that. However, you and I are not finished here." His hand continued to connect with her bottom. He mentally noted that her yelps were becoming a bit more frantic. Carlisle chose not to lecture Lissa endlessly. They'd already discussed her behavior, both in the car and here in Lissa's room. Continuing to scold her while spanking her seemed excessive in his mind. Of course, since he wasn't talking, he had nothing else to distract him from the sounds of distress coming from his youngest daughter. She'd just begun to cry.

Carlisle wasted little time in finishing up, the final dozen swats harder than the others. Relieved that the unpleasantness was over, he returned Lissa's skirt to its original position and rubbed her back softly. "It's over," he murmured, all traces of sternness gone from his voice. "You're all right."

Lissa took a moment to collect herself before pushing herself to her feet. There were no tears to dry, but she felt emotionally drained, and her butt felt like someone had lit it on fire. "Ow," she whined softly as she tried to rub away some of the sting, hoping to elicit pity from Carlisle. Maybe she could guilt him into reducing her sentence. "I'm not going to be able to sit for weeks…"

A hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, Carlisle rose from his chair and reached out to envelop Lissa in a hug. "You won't feel a thing in an hour," he insisted.

"Do I really have to be grounded for a whole month? I'll die of boredom…"

Carlisle chuckled at the teenage theatrics as he let go of Lissa. "You'll survive. In the meantime, you're going hunting tonight."

Lissa sighed a bit more dramatically than was necessary. "I just went hunting last night." She didn't object to the opportunity to feed, exactly, but was still a little agitated over being told what to do and when to do it.

"I know. You're going again tonight. It will help you feel better. You can choose who you want to accompany you. I'd be happy to join you, but I'm sure all of your siblings are ready to commiserate with you about how horribly unfair I am."

Somehow, Lissa doubted that was true. "Right," she said, letting out a soft snort. "Jasper and Alice will be poised to lecture me, and Edward will be annoyed that I kept something from him."

Carlisle draped an arm across Lissa's shoulders, pulling her to him in a side hug. "No one will lecture you. Trust me."