The next day I don't even acknowledge my father or Candice in the kitchen. I'm tired of their bull shit. It's time I take matters into my own hands. I get in my car and drive to school and walk straight into the counselor's office.

I smack my hands on her desk and smile at her.

"Miss Sinclair," she looks up startled. I smile politely and sit down in one of the chairs. "What can I do for you?" She said closing her notebook.

"I'd like to know my options for college."

"Your options...well there are plenty of options. Ava, what are you interested in?" She asked me.

"Interested in?"

"What do you like to do?" She clarified. I stare at her for a minute.

"Dance." I conclude. She blinks.

"Dance. Okay, that's a great choice. How long have you been dancing?"

"Ever since I can remember," I said. She nodded and opened some drawers in her desk.

"Well, I have a few school that you can apply to. They all have great dance programs. There are also scholarship applications included." She said handing me a few packets of information.

"Thank you," I said. She nodded.

"You can turn the applications in to me when you complete them," she said as I stood up. I thanked her again and left her office.

The halls were bustling with students and I was  looking through the packets when someone hit my shoulder and I got compacted on the wall. I stop and see a neon pink paper taped to the wall. I pull the paper down and examine it. It's a flier for Pricilla's party on Friday. This time it's not invite only.

"Hey," I look up and see Brandon in front of me.

"Hey," I say.

"I see you saw the fliers," he said motioning to the paper in my hand. I nod and we start walking down the hallway.

"At least it's not invite only," I say smiling. He smiled back.

"Yeah, are you going?" He asked.

"Don't think I have much of a choice," I say turning down the hallway.

"So, how's you and your dad?"

"Not so great considering he exchanged my college tuition for a car," I sat rolling my eyes.

"What are you gonna do?"

"Try and get a scholarship?" I shrug.

"Do you want to go to college?" I nod. "For dance?" I nod again.

"I went to the counselors and got some applications," I said,

"That's great," he said. I smiled.

"Yeah, it is," I say. "Hey," I stop him. "Wanna skip class?"

"Sure, but where are we going?" He asked.

"Foot ball field," I smile and start walking. "Are you coming?" I turn around. He smiles and catches up with me.

The football field is empty when we get there. The bell has already rung and Brandon and I were walking on the field. I set down my things on the grass and put my hands on my hips. Brandon lays down on on the grass in the sun.

"Isn't this way better than pretending to listen a lecture in Chemistry?" I smile. Brandon laughs.

"Hell yes," he said. I sigh and lay down next to him on the ground. I don't say anything for a few minutes and Brandon notices.

"What are you thinking about?" He asks.

"I don't know what I should do about my dad," I said staring at the sky.

"Kick him out," he said. I sit up and look at him.

"Kick him out of the house?" I stand up and he sits up.

"Yeah, screw him. He can't just take your money and replace your mom," he said. I nodded.

"You're right, I'm going to throw him out. I don't need him!" I said smiling. Brandon claps his hands and yells with me.

The rest of the time we ran around the field and talked for a while until the bell for the end of first period rang and we parted ways and went to second period. After second period I went to lunch. I sit down next to Pricilla and Melody and Jessica sit down across from us.

"Where were you this morning?" Pricilla asked me. I mentally cursed of course she was going to ask me.

"I skipped," I said honestly.

"With who?" I look up at Jessica who is eyeing me.

"No one. How was chemistry though? Did I miss a lot?" I ask changing the subject. She purses her lips and shook her head. I glance around the lunchroom and see Brandon waking with Andrew. He winks at me and I smile. Jessica kicks my foot and I look at her. She gives me a little shake of her head. I understand the message and continue to eat my lunch.

After school I head to my car and drive home. When I get home the Lamborghini is still sitting in the driveway. I turn the car off and look at my house. I can do this. This is the best choice. Once he's gone I can start getting my life together.

With that I get out of my car and head to the front door. The house seems abnormally quiet when I walk inside.

"Dad?" I call. I hear muffled voices coming from the kitchen so I head that direction. Candice and my dad are sitting at the kitchen counter looking at something. My dad sees me and smiles.

"Ava, you're home. Good, come and look that this," He said motioning over to the counter. I stand next to him and look a the large paper on the surface. It's a blue print.

"What is this?" I ask.

"It's a blue print for Candice's office and closet," he said. I examine the paper and then I realize something.

"Is this my studio?!" I yell.

"Ava, you don't use it. Candice needs this space," he said.

"No, she doesn't need it! She isn't even apart of this family!" I scream. I snatch the paper off the table and crumble it up.

"Ava!" My dad yells. I open the trash can and throw the blueprint inside.

"By the way, I use that studio everyday! But you wouldn't know that because you are never here! You left me! Mom died and you left me!" I scream with tears filling my eyes. "Then you bring this woman home and pretend that she's part of the family and that everything is okay?! It's not okay! I'm not okay!"

"Ava-" He starts.

"No, I don't want to hear it! I want you to leave! Right now dad! I want you and your girlfriend to pack up and leave this house. I don't care where you go I just want you out!" I give my father one last look and storm away up the stairs.

When I get to my room I slam my door and collapse on my bed and cry.

I didn't know it but I feel asleep for a few hours and I woke up to the sound of my dad knocking on the door.

"Ava? Candice and I are leaving. I'm sorry, Ava, for everything. Take care of yourself." He said behind the door. I don't say anything but I listen to his footsteps as he walks away. I bite back my tears and rest my head on my pillow again. I pick up my phone and turn it on.

Brandon: Did you do it?

Ava: Yeah. They're gone.

I shut my phone off, get up out of my bed, and go downstairs. I grab a bottle of vodka out of the cabinet and sit on the couch in the living room. I take a swig and stare at the wall. A few minutes pass and the doorbell rings. I set the bottle down and walk over to the door. Brandon is standing there.

"Wanna talk?" He asked seeing my distressed state. I nod and let him inside. He goes into the living room and picks up the bottle.

"Nice. Drinking your problems away? That's a great idea," he said. I roll my eyes and reach for the bottle. He puts it behind his back and I narrow my eyes at him.

"Brandon, give me the bottle back," I said holding my hand out.

"Nope," he shook his head. I try and reach behind his back but he smacks my hand away. "Come on, I'll make you some food." He said.

"What kind of food?" I challenged.

"Whatever you want," He said.

"Pancakes," I smiled.

"Pancakes it is." He puts the bottle away in the cabinet and walks into the kitchen and drags me with him. I sit at the counter as he gets out a pan and some of the ingredients.

"So, what happened?" He asked. I rest my head on my hand and sigh.

"I came home and he was planning to make my studio into Candice's office and closet." His eyes widened when I said this. "So, I threw the blueprint away and yelled at him."

"Do you feel better?"

"I don't know. Sort of, but I also feel bad." I said.

"Ava, don't feel bad for him he's the one who was making everything difficult for you and he needed to know that." I nod and agree with him.

"I guess it's just me now," I sigh.

"You don't have to stay in this bug house alone, Ava. You could stay with one of your friends or get an apartment." I laugh and rub my eyes. "I would ask you to stay with me but... I don't want to bring you into my mess at home with my dad."

"Brandon, it's okay, really. I'll be fine." I reassured him. He nodded and gave me a plate with steaming pancakes on it. My mouth watered and I started to eat.

"Better than vodka right?" He asked. I moaned and nodded my head.

After we have pancakes for dinner we watch a movie and later Brandon goes home. The house is lonely and quiet again and it scares a part of me. When I turn the kitchen light off downstairs I quickly run upstairs and lock my bedroom door behind me.

I'm being paranoid. I know. I change into my pjs and attempt to fall asleep but I end up staring at the ceiling for a good hour before slowly falling into a deep sleep.