"Young Lady, what on earth did you think you were doing?!" Luke Langley said, raising his voice as he spoke.
The two of them had gone straight home and were in the kitchen. Tara sitting at the counter on a stool, and her father pacing in front of her. She knew there was a lecture coming on the minute she'd heard his voice in the park.
"You know that you aren't to associate with that family." He continued angrily. "And you know why. How many times do I have to tell you what that boy's father did?"
"No dad. I know. You've told me a million times." Tara said, rolling her eyes and wanting so badly to yell at how wrong he was.
"If you understand why, then why is this the second time you've been seen with him?" Luke responded, staring intently at his daughter trying to read what she was thinking. Unfortunately, as it had been since she'd turned five, he found nothing. Luke suspected it had to do with her having his power. He never could tell whether his little princess was lying, so he had to do it the old fashioned way by looking at her expressions. Tara's expression, however, showed no answers.
"Twice, what are you talking about daddy? That was the only time!" she exclaimed.
"No Tara, don't lie to me. I know you saw him last week." Her father replied in the same angry tone he'd been speaking in.
'Demitri! I knew he'd tell!' she thought. "Dad, I swear I didn't do anything wrong!" Tara said defensively.
"I don't want to hear it Tara Christine." Her father said, again using her middle name to show how serious he was. "I don't know why you're lying to me, but what I do know is that I am your father. And as your father, I'm punishing you."
"But-" Tara started.
"No buts. You're grounded for the next two weeks." he interjected sternly.
"Dad! Homecoming is next week! I was supposed to go with Mariette and Cassidy!" Tara said, sounding upset.
"For the next two weeks, you are to go to school and come home." He continued, ignoring her exclamation. "Your brother will be keeping a close eye on you to make sure that's all you do, so don't try to weasel out of this."
"That's not fair!" she yelled as her hands began to smoke.
"Tara Christine Langley, do not tell me what is and isn't fair." He said sternly. "You will do as you're told. Now go upstairs."
Tara glared at her dad, headed up the stairs, and slammed the door when she reached her room. Once in her room, she proceeded to her window and sat down, laying her head on her knees.
She was about ready to scream her head off because of how frustrated she was. Grounded for two weeks for just talking to Warren? How much sense did that make? Why was her father being so restrictive on her? She wasn't really a spoiled child, but her father had never gotten so uptight about something this small. A broken window or something she'd understand, but talking to someone just didn't make sense to her.
As she sorted through her thoughts, Tara began to hear music. The music was calming, at least to her. It helped her to slow her thoughts to the point of being mildly fumed, rather than completely furious with her father's decision. That, and now her hands weren't smoking. After a moment of thought, Tara decided to find out where the music was coming from and why it sounded so familiar.
She knew it was close because, obviously, she could hear it clearly. But it was a bit drowned out by the window she was beside. Tara opened her window and looked around. She saw a light on next door at Warren's house and, by the open window, she saw him playing a guitar very intensely. She climbed onto her roof and sat there listening to the boy play, mesmerized by the melody. After about five minutes, the song was over and Warren looked out his window.
Tara smirked at him as he laid the instrument down and climbed out onto his own rooftop.
"You play well." Tara said, making sure to not be loud enough for her father to hear.
"Thanks." he responded. "But not as well as you Langley."
"Where'd you get that song from?" She asked. "It sounded familiar."
"Actually, most of it was that song you were playing last week." he replied. "I heard it and it just stuck in my head. The rest I just added to it."
"It was great." Tara said smiling. "You did my song justice."
"So your dad lectured you?" Warren said, changing the subject as soon as he felt a blush trying to show.
Tara sighed. "Yeah. Said I know better than to associate with you, blah, blah, blah. That and I am now grounded for two weeks."
"Grounded? For talking to me?" Warren said shocked. "Pretty harsh of your old man huh?"
"That's what I thought." she replied. "But it gets better. He put Demitri on babysitting duty for me. To make sure that I'm being a good girl and doing as dear daddy says."
"Damn." he said. "Sucks for you."
"Don't remind me." she said. "Its bad enough he went off on me for talking to you. He's never gone off the deep end like this."
"Miss Daddy's Little Princess finally getting in trouble you mean?" Warren said sarcastically, immediately regretting what he'd said when he saw her angry expression.
"I'm not spoiled Peace." she said irritably. "I've gotten in trouble, just never over something this ridiculous."
"It is a pretty crazy reason to be grounded." Warren agreed.
"Yeah. He banned me from Homecoming too." Tara said, looking up at the stars. "I was gonna go with my friends."
"I don't do dances." Warren responded casually. "They're pointless."
"Fun though, if you've ever been to one." she responded. "We used to go at my regular school."
"Meh." He said in a bored tone. "They just aren't for me."
"To each their own I guess." Tara said in response.
"Agree with you there." Warren said.
Suddenly there were footsteps coming up the stairs of Tara's house. She turned around to hear how close they were, and stood up to go back in her window.
"See you in class Monday Warren." She whispered as she slid back in her window.