Chloe and I were heading over to where David and Aunt Joyce were waiting by his car. I mean, don't they realize I can drive myself? As we walked, Chloe asked, "So you ditched with Rachel, grabbed some wine, found a junkyard, and started a forest fire?"
"Yeah, pretty much," I replied, rubbing my neck. Chloe gasped a bit and said, "Oh Jesus." I added, "It would have been crazier if you had come with us," just as I spotted Eliot.
He mostly focused on Chloe, and honestly, I wasn't a fan of him; he gave me the creeps. "Hey, Chloe! What are you doing at school on a Saturday? I bet it's nothing good," he said to her.
Chloe informed him that she and Aiden were expelled, which left him in shock. He laughed in disbelief and exclaimed, "Wow, really? Holy shit!" Chloe replied that it was surprising it didn't happen sooner. He then offered her a hug, spreading his arms slightly.
Feeling protective of my cousin, I stepped in front of her and said, "If she needs a hug, I can give her one." Eliot glanced at me with annoyance and then asked if Rachel Amber was part of it.
Chloe confirmed that Rachel was involved, and Eliot was worried about the potential fallout for her. Chloe pointed out that Rachel was with Aiden, not her, but mentioned that Rachel had tried to take the blame for her actions.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" Chloe asked. "I thought I'd come early to grab tickets," Eliot replied, sounding a bit anxious. "Tickets for what?" I raised an eyebrow.
"For the Tempest? Chloe and I were planning to see it together," Eliot said. "Sorry to break it to you, but Chloe won't be going. We just got expelled, so why would we come back?" I explained. "Oh, right," Eliot said, clearly not pleased with that response.
Chloe looked at him and asked, "I'm sure you're okay with this, right?" She was really hoping he wouldn't get more upset. "Yeah, I'm fine with it," he replied, but that was a total lie; he was definitely not fine with it. I wasn't comfortable with the whole situation either.
After that, we left Eliot by his car. "Thanks for handling that, Aiden," Chloe whispered to me. "No problem, but I really can't stand him, Chloe. Why would he show up on a Saturday just to grab tickets? Something feels off," I said while giving her back a reassuring rub. "I know, right?" Chloe replied, smiling up at me.
As we approached David and Joyce, I immediately noticed the annoyed expression on David's face. "It's about time you guys showed up," he said, sounding pretty stern. "David, come on," Aunt Joyce interjected, clearly annoyed with him too.
David began, "Chloe, your mom and I have been discussing some things," but it was clear Chloe wasn't in the mood for this conversation. I totally get why she feels that way.
Chloe, feeling overwhelmed, said, "Can we talk about this later? I really can't deal with another argument right now, especially with Sergeant Shithead around. I just need some time to myself." It was clear she was stressed.
David yelled back, "Don't talk to your mother like that!" I stepped in front of Chloe to defend her. "Hey, back the fuck off! What the hell is your problem?!" I yelled at him. He shot back, "My problem is that you two troublemakers can't even manage to stay in school. If you'd just listen instead of always fighting, you might actually learn something."
His words were really getting on my nerves, and I wasn't going to let him get away with it. "Oh, like what? How to live without a fucking job while having a roof over your head? Or how to be a soldier?" I snapped, glaring at him.
"Soldiers care more about their families and future than anything else. Getting expelled from school is for losers," he shot back. I really wish I could just punch him in the face right now.
"You both had scholarships. Do you really want to end up working at the diner for the rest of your lives?" Aunt Joyce questioned. "There's nothing wrong with working at the diner, Mom!" Chloe interjected, stepping in front of me.
"I'm proud to serve tables because it means you can pursue your dreams. So, what do you want to be, Chloe?" Aunt Joyce asked. "I-I'm not sure yet," Chloe answered.
Aunt Joyce's voice was firmer than usual as she said, "You've had enough time to sort this out. Right now, I need the three of you to get along." David added, "From now on, I'll be helping Joyce with some things, like making sure you two aren't using drugs or alcohol."
I really felt for Chloe; it was so unfair. "Mom?" Chloe began, her face showing her distress. David continued, "I want you all to empty your pockets and put everything on the car trunk. Aiden, when we get home, I'll check your car."
That made me really uncomfortable. I never let anyone go through my car, not even Chloe most of the time. "You've got to be fucking kidding me! Aunt Joyce?" I shouted, glancing at her in disbelief.
"If we want to begin fresh, we need to be sure that neither of you is using drugs. You should be ready to prove it to us," David explained. We really didn't want to, but we had no other option.
"Okay, whatever. But you're going to feel goddamn stupid when you find out what we actually have," I replied as Chloe and I placed our things on the car's trunk. It wasn't anything serious—just some packs of cigarettes, our phones, Chloe's house keys, my car keys, and a few pens.
We folded our arms and glared at him. "Look who's the fool now," I said to them. Aunt Joyce suddenly changed her attitude and approached us. "I'm really sorry, guys. Can you forgive me?" she asked. I wasn't interested in her apology; I just wanted to leave this fucking place.
"I can't deal with this right now. Let's go, Chloe," I said, starting to walk away. "I'm right behind you," Chloe answered, following me. "Wait a minute. David has something to say to you two," Aunt Joyce interrupted, making us stop.
"Joyce and I think it's best for me to move in with you," David announced, which really annoyed both Chloe and me. He's actually going to live with us? This is hella bullshit.
"Alright, we're out of here. I need some space," I said, throwing my hands up and giving him the finger. Chloe did the same, and we headed to my car without looking back. We got in and drove out of the school parking lot.