Chapter 9

For the past four days, it’s been hell. 

The doors have been locked when Mark and I got home after we ate dinner on the pier. 

Mark and I have slept on the porch. 

I’ve been sneaking in at lunch time to get clean clothes. 

When I shower in the morning, the water is ice cold. 

Aunt Audrey is fighting a full on war with us. 

Mark and I are acting like we haven’t been retaliating, but when you’re stuck on the porch with someone for an entire night, plans are made. 

And today, on our twenty fifth day of being in this shit hole town, today we were fighting back. 

“Why do you look so cheerful?” Chris laughed as we were preparing to open up the smoothie shop. 

“Because today is the day.” I said happily. 

“Finally?” Chris raised his eyebrows. “So the war will officially be started?” 

“Uh no, the war was started when she turned off our alarm clocks.” I replied, shaking my head. “No we shot the first round, then she fired back, and now it’s our turn to shut this down for good.” 

“Or you could just call it a truce and not anger your family anymore?” Chris suggested. 

“And what fun is that?” I rolled my eyes, leaning over the counter to flip the sign to open. 

“Just tell me when you need to leave.” Chris told me. 

At ten o clock, it was like clockwork. Aunt Audrey had no idea what was coming today, and she started walking towards town just like always. 

As soon as she passed the restaurant, that was Mark’s cue to start coming down the beach. 

“Let’s go.” He said with a grin as he passed the shack. 

“I’ll be back.” I said to Chris with a grin. 

“Good luck.” He laughed as I followed Mark to the house. 

“I’ll get the locks, you take care of the sand.” I told Mark. 

“You got it.” Mark nodded, beginning to spread a very thin layer of sand across the wooden floors of the house. 

I started on the back door, disabling the locks. Aunt Audrey would think that they were locked, but in reality, Mark and I would be able to come and go as we pleased tonight. 

I did the front door as well, and the bay window in my room that Aunt Audrey had been locking as well. 

“Do the sink!” Mark called from outside where he was collecting more sand. 

I nodded, grabbing a wrench from my little tool box. 

I unscrewed the tap on the kitchen sink, a grin crossing my face. 

Sure, they were immature pranks.

But so was locking us out and turning off our alarms. 

We were just about to leave when the phone started ringing. 

Mark and I looked at each other, unsure if we should answer it. 

Mark slowly shook his head, carefully walking towards the door. 

I followed him. 

We dumped out the bucket of sand, leaving it on the porch where we’d gotten it. 

I took the tool box back to the smoothie shop, while Mark headed back to work. 

“Success?” Chris raised his eyebrows as I rejoined him behind the counter. 

“Complete success.” I nodded.

“You’re so going to be in trouble for this.” Chris sighed. 

“And what can she do to us?” I rolled my eyes. “She’s got no power.” 

~*~*~

“So the real question is, are we getting drunk tonight?” Chris asked happily. “Smoothie shack is closed tomorrow.” 

I raised my eyebrows. “But it’s a Thursday.” I frowned. 

“Doesn’t matter. Tomorrow is supposed to be really hot so not many people will be out.” Amanda told me before taking a bite of her hot dog. 

It had become a regular thing for all of us to eat together on the pier for dinner. 

“Sounds good to me.” Mark nodded. “We won’t get locked out tonight.” 

I grinned. 

“Definitely not.” I laughed. 

“Aunt Audrey is so pathetic, like what else is she gonna do?” Mark rolled his eyes. 

“She could call your father.” A voice behind me said. 

I gasped, dropping my hot dog onto the plate. 

Mark’s eyes widened, focusing on the person standing behind me. 

“Both of you. Up. Right now.” My dad said as I turned around to face him. 

“Dad what are you doing here?” I asked quickly. 

“Get back to the house. Right now.” My dad said harshly, giving me a harsh look. 

“But we’re eating dinner.” Mark mumbled. 

“Right now.” My dad said harshly, pointing down the beach. 

Mark and I nodded, both standing up from the table. 

“How the hell do you think I feel getting a call in the middle of my damn work day from my sister, telling me that my children are misbehaving!” My dad exclaimed when we’d only gotten like 5 feet away from the table. 

“I can not believe the two of you are still pulling this crap.” 

We were silent for the rest of the walk to the house. 

“Sit.” My dad said, pointing to the couch.

Mark and I slowly sat down, both of us nervous for what was going to happen. 

We didn’t think that dad would actually come down here…

“You know I was just beginning to rethink my decision to send you down here. It had just become an idea that maybe it was a bit too harsh, and that maybe I’d bring you guys back home for the rest of the summer. And then I get a phone call that you’ve been staying out all night, getting drunk, disregarding the point system all together… I thought you were better than this!” Dad exclaimed. “But this is the exact same shit you two pulled back at home!” 

Mark and I stayed silent. 

“For the remainder of this summer, you will do everything your aunt tells you to. You will make breakfast. You will make dinner. You will be home after work. You will not go out with friends. You will most definitely not get drunk. You will obey the point system. You will respect your aunt as if she is me. You will obey her consequences. You will not talk back. Understood?” My dad said harshly. “If I so much as get a hint that the two of you are still acting up, I swear to God that the two of you will regret every second you’ve misbehaved this year.” 

Mark and I looked at my dad in shock. He never used the Lord’s name in vain…

“I said, understood?” My dad repeated, looking angrier than I’d seen him in a while. 

Mark and I both nodded nervously. 

“Good. Now get me some water I’ve been driving all day.” My dad sighed, grabbing a glass from the cupboard. 

My eyes widened as he went to turn on the faucet. 

The top shot off, spraying water everywhere. 

I just groaned, resting my head forwards in my hands as my dad yelled my name.

~*~*~

I laid in bed, staring at the ceiling of the small room. 

Mark was asleep on the floor, considering our dad had taken the couch. 

Thankfully, Mark didn’t snore as bad as he used to and I could actually get some sleep.

Except right now, I couldn’t sleep. 

Because my mind was consumed with Logan. 

I’d thought he would enter my mind less and less as the summer went on, but it was the opposite. 

Especially right now. 

All I wanted was to have his arms around me as he told me everything would be okay. 

I wanted to know how he was doing. I wanted to know what he was up to. 

I wondered if his parents had stopped fighting. 

I wondered if he was still hanging out with Wesley. 

I wondered if he didn’t like to look at my empty bedroom. 

I wondered if he ever thought about me. 

I wondered if he missed me. 

I wondered if he had met someone knew…

I wondered if he still loved me.

~*~*~

46 days. 

That’s what I told myself as Mark and I initialed next to each chore we would do to work of the three thousand points we each had. 

46 days. 

That’s what I told myself while I cooked breakfast for my father and aunt. 

46 days. 

That’s what I told myself while Mark and I swept all of the sand out of the house. 

46 days. 

That’s all I had left of this hell. 

Mark and I didn’t say anything to each other as we started walking to work. 

A simple ‘bye’ was exchanged as I got to the smoothie shop. 

Nick was just dropping off the fresh fruit. 

“So how’d it go with Papa Ryder?” Chris teased as I walked into the shop. 

I silently started wiping down the counter, repeating the number 46 in my mind over and over. 

“Guess that means it didn’t go too well.” Nick laughed as the loaded the fruit into the fridge. 

I barely spoke all day. 

All I did was tell people how much their smoothie was and give them the change. 

Chris made up for my lack of talking though, by cheerfully giving everyone their smoothie and starting a small conversation. 

When my dad showed up to get a smoothie, half of me wanted to just turn around and not serve him. 

“What can I get for you?” I asked, trying to sound normal. 

“Uh…” My dad looked down at the menu. “Whatever Mark gets.” 

“Got it.” Chris said from behind me. 

“That will be 4.50.” I told my dad, looking down at the cash register. 

“Uh no, he’s family with Audrey Ryder. He gets it free of charge.” Chris said quickly, giving me a look. 

“Thank you.” My dad said to the boy behind me. 

“Are you staying again tonight?” I asked my dad, squeezing the edge of the counter. 

“Yea I miss this place, I’m staying one more night.” My dad nodded. 

“Mark and I saw the pictures of you and Jane here when she was pregnant with Alex.” I mumbled. 

A fond smile grew on my dad’s face. “Yea, we spent a summer down here right after high school.” My dad nodded. 

“Oh.” I said softly, not particularly wanting to have a conversation about my dad’s failed marriage. 

“Where’s your necklace? You never take that thing off.” My dad frowned, pointing to my neck. 

“It’s in my room.” I shrugged. 

“Have you talked to Logan?” My dad asked curiously. 

“I’m not about to discuss that with you.” I shook my head, knowing I was being rude. I didn’t care. 

“Marley, I’m just asking if you spoke to him. He hasn’t been around much lately and I’m just wondering how the boy is, he was basically part of this family.” My dad sighed. 

“Well no I haven't spoken to him since you forced me to come down here for the summer.” I replied. 

“That has nothing to do with that, Marley.” My dad said softly. “Thanks.” He added as Chris handed him his smoothie. 

“Goodbye.” I said simply to my father. 

“Give Logan a call, I’m sure he’d love to hear from you.” My dad said to me with a smile. 

I didn’t reply as my dad walked away from the smoothie shack. 

“You could be nicer to your father?” Chris suggested with a laugh. 

“You could mind your own damn business.” I snapped, crossing my arms.