Song: I'm only human-Christina Perri

When we get home, I don't bother listening to the two of them arguing over what to do about me. Instead I go on up to my room and text Zayden. I run over to my bed and flop down hard and frantically start typing. 

Coralie: Sorry about my dad

Zayden: Just being a dad

Coralie: If you say so

Zayden: Are you grounded?

Coralie: Not sure. They having it out right now.

Coralie: Can you believe...they have been tracking my every move. WTF.

Zayden: Figured so...that's how he knew you were here

Coralie: They will never trust me

There is a knock at my door. Then my father's calm but commanding voice, "Coralie....we would like to talk to you now...down stairs."

Coralie: Parents. GTG. Love ya

I delete the messages before opening the door. I toss the phone on my bed then go downstairs to find them waiting for my patiently in the living room. Both of them look really mad and of course my mom's eyes are all puffy from she had been crying.

I decide to talk before they get to. "I can explain..." I know they will let me talk first, why because my dad is a lawyer and he likes to hear what he is going up against before making a decision. So of course he doesn't mind one bit. I just have to have a firm convincing case.

"OK...explain your way out of this one." My dad says and he sits back down beside my mom. I hate the way he says it because it make me feel like I am already telling a lie.

"You both know I really like him. I know you don't trust him...but you don't even know him. Not the way that I do." I bring my hands to my chest as to embrace my wounded heart. If they could only see how much he means to me. 

"How did you even find him?" asks my mom. The way she says it, it bothers me. She doesn't even know him and she is judging him. 

I roll my eyes then debate to tell the truth or not. I might as well be honest. "He saw me the other day at the mall when I was with you. You didn't see him because you were trying on clothes. I met him over at the bookstore. I gave him my new number and he texted me his address."

"You lied the other day about the bookstore. Coralie I just don't know, this whole time you have been lying and then you just go to his place without telling anyone."

"I...I...Yes...I did...but I knew you would both say no." I wipe a stray tear away.

"Did he do this to you; did he hurt you?" This time mom asks the question about him hurting me. He already asked and I think they are trying to get me to say something different. He has never given them a reason to be mean to me, to hurt me so why would that even cross their minds. 

I look at my dad for a second and then back at her, slowly shaking my head no. "No...he would never hurt me."

"Really then what happened? You just don't get bruises like this out of the blue?" She gestures towards my face. 

My hand automatically traces over the bruised lip and cheek; he would never hurt me. I know I have to defend him not just for him but for the both of us. "I got to his place...he was not there. However someone else was and he said that he was his friend. He insisted that I wait for him inside. I know...don't say it...I was stupid. I should have known better. I made a mistake...a huge mistake. Apparently he slipped something into my drink. Before I realized it was almost too late. I got up to leave and he tried to make me stop. I hit him so he hit me back. I managed to get away and when I was heading down the stairs I fell and scraped my knees and my arm. Zayden showed up and helped me unlock my car but refused to let me drive because he knew that I would wreck and he didn't want me to get hurt. I passed out and he carried me back to his apartment and he bandaged me up." I pull up my jeans to show them the bandage on my knee.

They look at each other then back at me. Dad says, "Go on...we are listening."

"When I woke up he had already cleaned up my wounds and I swear he did not try anything with me. He is not like that...he really is a good guy. He really cares for me. He loves me and I care about him."

"Coralie...I just don't think you are ready for a relationship right now."

"But..." I start to protest. 

"It's my turn." He puts his finger on his lips to tell me that I need to be quite. "You want us to give you space and freedom to trust you and the first thing you do....is go straight to him. You have been lying this whole time."

"Trust...if you trusted me you wouldn't have a tracker on my phone...on the car," I smart off.

"Coralie...don't use that tone with us...we are all trying here."

I blurt out harshly, "If you were trying...you would give him a chance. You don't even know him and you accuse him of hurting me. You will never understand our love for each other."

"Honestly we are not ready for you to date anyone. We want you to get better before getting involved with anyone. This has nothing to do with him...it has to do with you lying."

"How in the hell am I supposed to get better? How...if I'm not with him...what's the point."

"This is exactly what we are talking about. You have to be able to be well for yourself. What's going to happen a few months from now down the road when you break up? You will be back in that facility starting all over again...is that what you want?"

I bite the shit out of my bottom lip bringing more tears to my eyes. They just don't get it...without him I'm nothing. I can't breathe. I can't sleep. I can't feel anything...I can't focus on anything and without him what's the point in living. He makes me happy, whole, complete, how do I explain that to them? "You just don't get it. Mom could you live without dad...ever?" I look at my dad. "Can you live without mom?"

They look at each other for a second as if thinking about what I said...thinking if they could or not. I know they think that I am just a young stupid teen with feelings for a boy and it will soon go away with time but my love for him will never fade away.

"We were in our twenties when we got married...you're just so young. We want to protect you from doing something stupid."

"You don't have to protect me. Whatever was done to me was done way before Zayden. You can't fix what was broken, no one can."

"Coralie..."

"No...just listen...for once...just listen." I practically beg them.

They both are super quite and believe me they are not happy about my outburst.

"I know you will never trust me. You will never believe in me; I broke that trust years ago. I know. I should have told you about Derrick...then maybe I wouldn't have done all the other stupid shit." I take another breath and wipe another tear away. "I am not using; I promise I am not taking anything. Yes I lied about him. I shouldn't have...I did but I knew you would both keep us away from each other."

"Coralie..."

My bottom lips starts to tremble and I can't hold back the tears. "No...don't...you tried to pay him off. I know all about it and guess what, he doesn't want your money. You can't keep us away from each other. Soon I will be old enough to do whatever the hell I want and you won't be able to stop me."

My dad raises his voice. "I'm sorry...I thought if he would just go away you would get better. And at the moment you are not eighteen and you still live under this roof therefore...we will protect you if that is what we have t do. We will track you when we want to and we know you really like him..."

"But..."

"At the moment...we are more upset with you lying to us. We can't trust you if you keep lying all the time about everything."

"You would have said no."

"Exactly," says my mom.

"That's not fair and you know it."

"Well life isn't fair all the time," he looks at my mom and sighs. She nods her head in some kind of agreement that I am not aware of.

"You're grounded for a month for lying to us."

"What...you can't be serious."

"We are."

"But!"

"One month...then we will talk about this boy...one month. You go to school, you come home, no going out, not even with Carter. No phone. No computer. No internet period."

"You got to be kidding me!" I yell louder than I planned to.

"One month or we could go for two if that's what you want."

"Whatever..." I get up and head to my room. 

My dad calls after me. "Bring your phone and IPAD back down."

I don't say anything as I slam the door behind me. I rush over to the bed and pick up the phone. I send him a quick text...ok maybe two or three I can't even count because all I can think about is not seeing him and the freaking tears fall effortlessly on the screen.

Coralie: Grounded for a month

Coralie: They are taking the phone away for now

Coralie: Sorry!

Coralie: I love you forever and ever

Coralie: Please wait for me. Bye

If they want me to pretend that I am someone else, I can fake the next few weeks. I can put on a smile and grin. I cam bite my tongue and never say another word to them. I can hold out as long as they want me to, but deep down they can't make me not love him because I will never ever give up that love.