Magnolia

Seeing Presley in Yasmin's bedroom was weird, for a second. I quickly realized why he was there, though. To see me. I only got to say a few words before I heard my dad yelling at me, so I closed the window. But I needed Presley to know I wasn't backing down this time. I scribbled a note for him and held it up to the window.

   See you Friday, 8PM

   Somehow or another I'd be there. If I had to kick and scream and run, I'd be there. I hoped Presley believed me, this time.

   When I'd gotten home from school that day, after I got out Presley car and walked down the block, something felt off. My dad's car was in the driveway, which it should not have been. He was working afternoons that week. He almost always worked afternoons. My mom's car was not there.

   I went into the house, as usual. I dropped my bag from school and grabbed an apple from the kitchen, then I went to my bedroom. Maybe I was over thinking this. Maybe things were fine.

   But within an hour, I knew things were not fine. I heard my parents yelling. I heard 'She was in a car, with a boy!" and also, "She doesn't respect our rules, she can't be trusted!" It was all from my dad, but mom was yelling, too. She seemed to be, maybe, defending me. She wanted to give me the benefit of the doubt. But my dad was not having it.

  I sat up there in my bedroom for another hour. I called and texted Presley, but he wasn't picking up. I listened to music and I prayed that this would blow over. But then it blew up, instead.

   My dad was in my doorway, just standing there staring. He said he saw me in a car with a boy. He didn't ask, he just yelled. He told me that I was ungrateful of disrespectful. He said they had given me too many chances. I just sat there listening, nodding. I didn't say a word back.

   My mom came up an hour later. She quietly told me that I was grounded again - but really was I ever not grounded? She said that my dad made her call the school to confirm that I was actually at the dance, last week. Then she looked me carefully in the eyes and asked me where I was, that night.

  She knew I had lied. She knew I was keeping secrets. I didn't answer, even though I wanted to tell her about Presley. I just shrugged and told her that I couldn't believe she didn't trust me. She was my mom, she should trust me.

   That evening, my dad was installing security cameras facing the front of the house and in the back yard. I felt like I couldn't breathe, because none of this felt real. I hadn't done anything bad, or wrong. But my dad wanted me to be a prisoner. That was when I decided that I'd still go meet Presley. My parents couldn't control my every move anymore. I was seventeen and by Friday, my college applications would be sent in. That's what they really wanted, wasn't it?

   Before I went to bed that night, I went down to the kitchen for a drink of water. I hadn't eaten dinner but I didn't want to risk seeing my parents if I didn't have to. I'd already been yelled at enough. I'd already had to see the look on my mom's face when she knew I'd lied to her.

   She was sitting at the table, sipping a coffee. I didn't know why she wasn't at work. My dad seemed to gone. She looked up as I came into the room but stayed quiet. The air was thick with tension and I was crossing my fingers she would let me go without bringing it all up again.

   I wasn't that lucky.

   "Where were you, Maggie?" she asked, quietly. "When you were supposed to be at your homecoming dance?'

   I stopped walking and turned to face her, even though I just wanted to get out of the room. Squeezing my glass of water tightly, I avoided her eyes.

   "If I tell you now, it everything will be worse."

   "If you tell me now, maybe we can talk about it. Whatever it is," she said, almost too calmly.

   "You won't like it," I told her, shaking my head. "Just drop it."

  "I can't. Don't you understand that? You know how we feel about you doing things outside of school. Your dad is very serious about this. Why would you do anything to go against that?"

   "Because I'm seventeen!" I finally yelled. She looked shocked, but didn't say anything. "I'm one of the only kids at my school applying to Stanford and likely the only one who has my early applications ready for this Friday. I've spent three years only worrying about school and college and doing exactly what you guys want me to do. But I'm sick of it!"

   "Maggie..."

   "No. Don't Maggie me. I am telling you this because you need to hear it. I'm done with all the rules and what feels like a prison sentence. I deserve to enjoy my last year of high school." I was just standing there in the doorway, looking at her like I'd never looked at her before.

   Instead of answering, or saying anything about what I blurted out, she looked down at her coffee for a minute. She took a sip, while I waited. She was being passive aggressive, like always, but I needed her to say something. She needed to acknowledge this.

   "Where were you, the night you were supposed to be at homecoming?"

   She sounded like a broken record. I couldn't believe she was asking this again, rather than trying to talk about how I was feeling. I put it all out there and told her that I was hurting, and wanted more, but she just went back to this.

   "I have a boyfriend," I told her, staring right into her eyes.

   The silence that hit the room was deafening. I tried not to breathe because it felt wrong. I shouldn't have said that, but she pushed me. Now I might have ruined everything.

   "You do not." The words of denial came just a moment later, but it felt like hours.

   "I do. He drove me home from school today. That's who dad saw me with," I said, matter of factly. At this point, what did it matter?

   She was just staring at me, trying to figure out what to say. I knew she wanted to yell and scream and tell me that I wasn't allowed to have a boyfriend. I also knew she wouldn't, because there had been enough yelling that day. Even though her and I had never been close, I knew her. She didn't like yelling and she avoided confrontation - especially with my dad - whenever possible.

   "I'm going to bed," I finally said, turning on my heels to go back towards the stairs.

   She didn't even call after me.

   Holy shit, I told my mom about Presley, I texted Yasmin right away.

   Tossing my bed onto my phone, I slipped out of my clothes and into pajamas, then crawled into bed. Pulling up my blanket to my neck, my phone buzzed.

   OMG. What happened?

   Me: Tonight was brutal, Yas. My dad installed cameras and my parents were fighting so much. Then he left. But I just went to get a drink and mom confronted me about. She found out I wasn't at our homecoming, and asked where I was. I told her that I have a boyfriend.

   Yasmin: Jesus. I'm sorry you had such a rough night.

   Me: Thanks. For letting Presley in your room, too.

   Yasmin: Of course. So, what's going to happen now with your parents?

   Me: No idea. My mom was too stunned I think. I know I'll hear about tomorrow from my dad.

   Yasmin: But at least its not a secret anymore?

   Me: Yeah. I hated that he was a secret.

   Yasmin: He loves you, Lia. He told me.

   Me: I love him. That's why I'm not going to let my parents ruin the rest of this year for us.

   Yasmin: Go girl! I'm here if you need me.

   Me: Thanks. Luv ya

   Yasmin: Luv you too

   I let out a big sigh and stare at my phone for awhile. I'm not tired now, even though it's pretty late. I have school in the morning and I need to sleep, but my mind is racing. I stood up to my mother. I didn't know if it would do any good, but I still did it. Presley was important enough to me that he deserved to not be a secret anymore. Thinking of him, I smiled. And then sent him a quick text before closing my eyes.

   I told my mom about you. I told her I have a boyfriend and I want to be able to enjoy the rest of the school year with you. I don't know what will happen tomorrow, but I know that I love you.

   The three dots appeared almost right away. I didn't look away from the screen at all as I waited for the words to pop up.

   I love you, too. I'm proud of you.

   I read the words over and over until I was finally able to fall asleep.