Jay

I’m in my forties now and things aren’t too bad. I’ve been active all of my life and so far don’t feel my age. Tess doesn’t seem to be aging at all, her skin is just as smooth and flawless as it was when I met her in her late twenties. She’s still all about the firm but because she’s senior partner she is able to be at home early and have some days off so that we can have our family time. She is also much better at discipline than I can ever be. As soon as I see my own little eyes looking back at me I melt instantly. I never knew I would have a weakness for anyone other than Tess. I can’t say no to her, which is evidenced by all of the electronic items that she has in her room. The laptop computer, the tablet, the cell phone, the mp3 player, the other mp3 player with the screen and internet access, that was all me, and when I brought it all home one by one I can remember Tess shaking her head.

 

For her birthday one year I had my guys come out and build her a tree house, except this tree house has electricity, plumbing and air conditioning and heat, it’s like a little self contained studio apartment. It even has a staircase instead of a ladder because I didn’t want her to get hurt.  I know I have a problem and often Tess is the one who has to contain me; but she’s my little girl, my only little girl. It wasn’t funny at the time but it is definitely funny when I look back on when Tess left to go on a business trip and came back and saw the tree house. I remember her words and volume: “Have you lost your goddamn mind!!!”

 

We moved out of my house in the city when it was time for Chloe to start school.      We rent that out too, which is nice because it has allowed us to create a small trust for Chloe. We moved into the same neighborhood as Jasmine and Malik so we see them often and more importantly our only child has someone to grow up with. Tess and I didn’t have luck having more children, but we are happy with Chloe. Due to me being able to set my own hours I have spent most of my time during the day with Chloe and Tess coming home around early evening from work. So in essence I’ve been a stay at home dad, and I’ve love every minute of it.

 

However lately, I see that it has been a profound act of Karma perpetrated by God for me to have a daughter. For the first decade of her life she was a cute little ball of energy, spunk and remarkability. We did everything together, I did her school shopping, we got ice cream together, and I took her to amusement parks on days when she was supposed to be in school. Tess and I raised her to be extraordinary she skipped kindergarten because she learned to read at home with us. Chloe was also a natural with numbers like her mother; Tess says that she is even better than she was. Today is the first day of school, and the child that came downstairs is not my little girl anymore. At thirteen all I see is a little woman who had her mother’s fierce nature. She grew up to be absolutely beautiful and it made me want to buy an assault rifle and walk the halls in school with her.

 

It started this summer, the boys of the neighborhood noticed her like someone had blown a dog whistle. Just about everyday I would pick her up from hanging out at the mall with Khalia and Maia, there would always be an entourage of young teenage boys trying to put their filthy hands on the girls. One day when I came to pick the girls up I saw one of those boys, who looked way older than his age, but Chloe assures me he was only 13, trying to hug her. I hopped out of my car and gave him a death stare, daring him to come any closer to my little girl. He backed away from Chloe quicker than I had ever seen anyone move; he knew his life was in danger.

 

            Today, however, is the day that I really saw that puberty had taken hold of my sweet child. She walked downstairs, in a pair of skintight leggings with some sort of weird print that left nothing to the imagination; my eye began to twitch.

 

            “Chloe what is that you’re wearing as pants?”

 

            She smiled at me and said as if it were obvious, “Dad they’re leggings, what’s wrong they’re not see-through?”

 

            “But they might as well be,” I said frowning, “Tess!!!” I called to her mother as Chloe rolled her eyes; maybe Tess will back me up on this.

 

            “Yes my beloved husband,” Tess said jokingly, coming downstairs smiling, and taking Chloe into her arms and giving her a quick hug and kiss on the forehead, “Good morning Chloe.”

           

“Good morning mom,” Chloe said smiling at Tess.

            “Look what she has on, you can see all of her, tell our beautiful amazing smart little girl to go change and put on some loose, maybe even baggy jeans.”

 

            “Jay, you’re over reacting, she looks cute today and she is completely covered. You were with her when she bought the outfit actually,” Tess laughed walking into the kitchen.

           

All I could do was pout and eat my toast, Tess had overruled me and usually she was the disciplinarian. I cannot handle this; somebody’s teenage boy is going to die before the year is up. I used to think that I had experienced anger and irritation when men would look at Tess. What I didn’t understand was the experience of utter fear and rage when I saw boys and sometimes grown men looking at my little girl. And furthermore, this little girl better stop rolling her eyes at me.

           

“Ok, whatever if your mom thinks it’s fine. Chloe are you ready to go?” I said rising and grabbing my keys.

           

“Yes dad, let’s go!” She scooped up her backpack and we made our way to the car. Despite her growing up against my will, she’s a good kid and I should probably contain myself, I don’t want her to hate me. I just know what kind of teenage boy I was and there is no way I want her to come into contact with anyone like me or worse be anything like me.

 

We were now driving to school to her first day of high school, we picked up Maia to go as well because both of them have been just about inseparable and would be devastated if they couldn’t go together.

 

“So do you think you’ll see Courtney today?” I heard Maia suddenly speak up.

 

“Umm…I don’t know,” Chloe said, her voice short almost like she didn’t want to talk about it.

 

“Oh come on you’ve been talking about him all summer,” Maia said exasperated by my daughter’s tone, and then it hit me.

 

“Him…?” I said making eye contact with Chloe through the rearview mirror.

 

“Yeah…” Chloe said with dread.

 

“Who is Courtney? You mean the little scrawny kid?” I asked as I pulled to the front of the school.

 

Chloe and Maia laughed nervously, and then Maia spoke, “Never mind it’s not important, come on Chloe we’ll be late,” Maia said quickly, pulling my daughter out of the car. They slammed the door shut to my car and ran up to the school building where a large group of kids were waiting around for school to start.

 

“Ugh…why did I think having a daughter would be easier,” I watched them for a few more seconds and then drove off. She’s her own person now, and I guess I’m going to have to deal.

 

************************************************************************************

 

Chloe

            As I walked with Maia to the school building, I wished that she hadn’t said anything about Courtney near my dad. I knew he wasn’t happy about it. He’s usually really cool, but lately he’s just someone I can’t talk to anymore. He freaks out about everything; it’s like he thinks every boy is just out to rape me or something. They are all just friends, there is only one person I am in absolute love with and that is Courtney Bailey. He and I have been friends since elementary and middle school, but he’s always been a little nerdy, skinny, and short. But during the summer it’s like I woke up one day and he had grown a foot and had suddenly began taking in the correct amount of protein. He was taller, muscular, and even had a little bit of facial hair, which was cute too.

           

“Hey earth to Chloe! Maia said waving her hand in front of my face.

           

“Oh, sorry, what?”

           

“Look I’m sorry about the whole letting the cat out of the bag in front of your dad, I didn’t think it was such a big deal, you two seem really close I’m surprised you haven’t said anything.”

           

“I don’t know things have changed, he’s like the angry king of the castle, he complains about what I wear, he’s going around giving guys that are just my friends the angry face and scaring them, my mom has become the easier one to talk to, and she’s always been Mrs. Business.”

           

“Yea, she’s always been executioner at your house,” Maia laughed, “But my mom says that your mom is just trying to help you become someone different than what she was when she was younger. She says that all mothers want their daughters to become better women than they were.”

           

“Yea and dads want to lock us away in our rooms when we hit puberty and only let us out to have arranged marriages to gay men.” I said rolling my eyes.

           

Maia let out a loud cackle, “Ain’t that the truth,” Maia said repeating a phrase that her mom and sister always said. And then her face changed dramatically as she looked behind me, “Chloe don’t panic ok, but he’s coming.”

           

“Who?”

           

“Courtney,” She whispered then plastered on a fake smile.

           

“Hey Chloe,” I heard Courtney newly deepened voice behind me, and my body instantly freaked out. My heart is thumping, my stomach is churning and I had to shove my shaking hands into the pocket of my hoodie, when I turned around.

           

“Oh hey Courtney,” I said trying to stifle the shake in my voice. He was so cute, and he smelled amazing too. I’m going to die right now, that’s it, my heart is going to give out right here, and I’m going to die.

           

“How was your summer, I didn’t see you a lot, it’s like you dropped off the face of the earth,” Courtney said smiling, which unleashed the butterflies.

           

“Oh umm…I don’t know I guess we just didn’t…you know cross paths.” What am I talking about?

           

“Oh ok, I was worried you were avoiding me. We should hang out soon, I just got a new game for my computer and want you to come over and play it with me.”

           

“That...that sounds cool, I would like that.” The thought of sitting in a room alone with him, right next to him, smelling his cologne, and seeing his perfect smile as he played his game sounded absolutely perfect.

           

“Great! I’ll call you later ok,” He said smiling even wider before turning to walk away, and my stomach flipped again threatening to do away with my breakfast.

           

“Oh my God Chloe, this is going to happen. I told you he likes you,” Maia squealed as we walked into our first class.

           

“Yea but this is stuff we do all the time, it’s not like a date, and we always hang out and play video games.”        

           

“Yea, but not when he was so cute.”

           

I peaked my eyebrow; she has a point, “True.”

           

           

Chloe

The joy of talking to Courtney today before school and then having lunch with him at school carried me all the way through to the end of the day. As I walked home from school I couldn’t help but smile. I don’t even know what has come over me. Courtney was absolutely repulsive to me before now it’s like there is a light shining around him whenever I see him. I’m walking with Maia, and she’s going on about how much homework she has, but I don’t think I could pay attention to what she has to say if I wanted to. I walked and just pictured Courtney’s smile in my mind, trying to give Maia the occasional, “Yea” and “Uh Huh.”

 

“And then I was talking to the school janitor and he said that he saw you in the bathroom and thought you were really cute and said that your dad said it was ok for him to marry you.”

 

            “Uh huh, yea…wait what!” I said as I realized what Maia had said.

 

            “I knew you weren’t listening to me,” Maia laughed, “God Courtney has you absolutely lost in Lalaland.”

 

            “Whatever, I’m still firmly planted on earth.”

 

            “Yea ok, keep telling yourself that. Anyway I’m home so I got to go,” Maia said walking up to her driveway.

 

            “Ok talk to you later.”

 

            “Ok!” Maia said walking into her house.

 

            As I started to walk the block or so back to my house I began to think about Courtney again. He also lives in the neighborhood with Maia and I, but he has an electric scooter and gets home way before we do. As much as I like him now, I wish I didn’t, we’ve been friends since elementary school. He was one of the first friends other than Maia and Khalia that I made when I moved here. When I started the first grade Courtney was the first one to play with me on the playground and we were fast friends ever since. I really don’t want to throw away my friendship with him.

 

            “Chloe!!” I heard Courtney’s voice far behind me, and I turned to see him running down the sidewalk toward me as I stopped a few steps away from my driveway.

 

            “Hey,” I said smiling involuntarily, my heart rate beginning to quicken again.

 

            “I saw you walking from my window and I thought I would catch up with you.”

 

            “Your window?” I said giggling.

 

            “Umm…Yea…” Courtney said looking down at his shoes.

 

            “Sorry I wasn’t making fun of you, it’s cute that you caught up with me.”

 

            Courtney made eye contact with me again and smiled, and then butterflies exploded in my stomach, and my smile widened into a grin.

 

            “So how about you come over for dinner at my house and then we can play that game. I think you’d be really good at it, probably even better than me.”

 

            “Umm…I’ll have to do my homework, and then ask my parents, I’ll text you, ok?”

 

            “Ok, bye Chloe, I’ll be looking forward to that text,” Courtney walked away, and while it was probably the right moment for me to turn away and walk into my house, I stood and watched him down the sidewalk. I didn’t know what was happening but I really liked it and I liked him. Just as I was about to turn to go into the house, I saw him turn and look back. He smiled at me again, and then turned away.

 

Tess

I watched my daughter from my office window. She was absolutely gone over that boy. Though if she were going to have a crush on any boy it’s good that it is Courtney. Courtney is a nice boy, but he is still a teenage boy, and is very capable of impregnating my daughter. Oh god, I haven’t had a real sex talk with her yet. What if she’s already had sex!? What am I going to do if she has? Ok Tess don’t freak out, just think this through, she needs you to be smart and rational. As I sat in my chair I heard her come up to her room and close the door. I took a very deep breath in and then out and proceeded on to my daughters room to give her the ‘birds and the bees.’ As I walked across the hall I wondered when I became so scared to talk about sex. I guess that’s that happens when you have children. I knocked on the door.

 

            “Yes?” I heard my daughter’s voice with more attitude than I would like.

 

            “It’s your mother dearest and I’d like to talk to you,” I said chuckling. The door slowly opened and she looked at me with suspicion.

 

            “What did I do?”

 

            “Nothing I just want to talk,” I said walking in and sitting on her chair, no matter how much attitude she gives me she does keep a clean room.

 

            “Ok,” Chloe said sitting down on her bed, still looking worried.

 

            “Look, I was in my office I couldn’t help but see you and Courtney outside in the yard.”

 

            “Ok so…you were spying on me,” Chloe said coping an attitude.

 

            “No, and first of all we are having a normal conversation so you need to chill out. Second of all when the window is open I can hear conversation from my office.”

 

            Her face softened just a bit, “Ok…”

 

            “Anyway, I saw you with Courtney and he’s grown up to be a very handsome boy. I just thought that we should touch bases on things. It seems like you and your dad aren’t as close right now, so I thought that you might need someone to talk to, you know someone who has been a teenage girl once.”

 

            “Yea…Dad is kinda getting a little hard to deal with lately,” Chloe said smiling, finally making eye contact with me.

 

            “Chloe it’s just hard for him to see you grow up, especially when it comes to boys, and….sex. Is that something on your mind lately?”

 

            A bewildered look fell upon Chloe’s face, “No not at all, ew… I mean Mom, I like boys, but I don’t want to get into all that. I’m just thirteen.”

 

            “That’s what I like to hear but I want to make sure, and if you are thinking about it please come and talk to me. I can’t stop you from having sex if that is something you decide but I want to make sure you are safe. That we go and make sure you have the right protection for you, ok?”

 

            “Yea,” Chloe said looking a little embarrassed.

 

            “And you don’t have to be embarrassed these are just things you have think about as you grow into a young woman. Also Chloe, among other things, protect your heart, and have respect for yourself, because that goes a long way and will save you from a world of heartache. Trust me, I know, not all of it I’ll tell you now because you just aren’t old enough to know but trust me it all matters and counts.”

 

            “Ok, I will. Mom I do really like Courtney, and I don’t really know what’s happening to me, I just can’t function or think when he’s around. It’s like all I can do is smile.”

 

            “Chloe you just have a really big crush, this is the first time you’ve really liked someone in a serious way. Just take it slow, and know your boundaries because they can quickly melt away when you are alone with the person you have these feelings for. Just like I said, respect yourself, and protect your heart. Because it may feel like when you are young that this is going to be the love of your life, and ultimately it may not be. Just think I didn’t find your dad until I was in my late twenties.”

 

            “Wow…Ok.”

 

            “I’m glad we could have this talk, and come to me with any questions you may have, no matter what, I know I’ve been a little bit hard on you, but I just wanted to make sure you had a good head on your shoulders, and that now that you are older you can make good decisions. I love you and will always be there for you, always, you are my little miracle girl.”

 

            Chloe smiled and rose up from the bed and came over to my chair, she sat down in my lap and I hugged her tightly, even though she was almost as big as I am now.

 

            “I love you mom, I’m glad we could talk too,” Chloe said putting her head on my shoulder.

 

            “Hey I have some time before I need to start working again, let’s go to the nail salon and get the whole treatment.”

 

            “Ok but can I go over to Courtney’s house for dinner, and he has this new game that he says is really cool!”

 

            “Ok sounds good as long as his parents are home the whole time,” I smiled as we both walked downstairs.

           

“They should be, but I’ll ask,” Chloe said grabbing her jacket.

           

I felt much better after our conversation. As much as I love my mama, she did not talk to me about men, sex, or relationships. That is something that I will be doing with my daughter because I made some ridiculous mistakes. And if I had known more I would have been able to avoid a lot of them.

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chloe

“So Chloe how is your first week of high school going,” Courtney’s mother asked as I sat at the dinner table.

           

“It’s going pretty well, I like all of my teachers so far.”

 

            “That’s good, but I’m sure any teacher would love to have you in their class you’ve always been a really smart girl,” Courtney’s dad said as he put a forkful of food into his mouth.

 

            “Thanks,” I looked down at my plate. Compliments like that have always made me uncomfortable, unless they are from my parents.

 

            “How is your mom doing, I’ve been so busy I haven’t gotten a chance to call her, and see how she’s been,” Courtney’s mom asked changing the subject.

 

            “Oh she’s good. Ever since I started school she’s been at home more with me so that’s been cool.”

 

            “Well that’s good,” Courtney looked around the table, “Well it looks like everyone is done, I’ll clear off the plates, and you and Courtney can go off and play that game for a little while before you have to start home Chloe.”

 

            “Thanks mom,” Courtney said smiling and rising from his seat. I got up with him and we walked upstairs together.

 

            Usually walking upstairs with him was normal for me, it was something we did all the time. But this time it just seemed different, weird even. I guess it was because I liked him so much and it was a different kind of feeling then the type of feelings I experienced with other boys. We walked into Courtney’s room and I sat down in a chair. The cool thing about Courtney’s room was that he had a very large flat screen hanging on his wall. It was about 50 inches and he had his computer hooked up to it as well for a monitor because he played a lot of games on his computer. Courtney is a bit of a computer nerd; he built his own gaming computer little by little. I remember when he first started in eighth grade, he would always call me over to see the latest part he had bought so he could tell me all about it. I may be a math nerd, but up until last year all I knew was how to use a computer and not necessarily what went into building one. However it’s something I know now being around Courtney.  Courtney’s dad is an executive in some software company so all that Courtney knows his dad taught him. I watched Courtney as he set up the game on his computer; god he is cute. I could stare at him forever.

 

            “So I got a new graphics card and-” Courtney turned and caught me staring at him, I jumped and abruptly looked away. What is wrong with me?

 

            “Chloe?”

 

            “Yea…”

 

            “You were staring at me,” Courtney said with a huge grin on his face.

 

            “No, I was looking at the poster on the wall above your head.”

 

            “I don’t think you were,” Courtney stood and walked over to my chair, “In fact, I want to tell you something that I have wanted to say for a really long time,” Courtney knelt down in front of my chair so that he was face to face with me.

 

My heart began to flutter like all the other times I had been close to him. The smell of his cologne, and a scent I could only describe as ‘him’ filled my nose, and my stomach flipped, “Yea,” I said, my voice had taken on a dreamy tone that I had no idea existed within me.

 

“I like you a lot, and I think you like me too,” Courtney said getting closer, invading my personal space.

 

Everything happened in slow motion, yet I felt powerless to react. Courtney slowly brought his lips to mine as if he was afraid I might stop him. But when he finally kissed me, it was like a slice of heaven.  His lips were warm and soft, and he kissed me gently. I knew my first kiss would be something special but I never thought it would be so amazing. I kissed him back, and before I knew it, I felt a hand creep up my shirt. I didn’t know how I felt about it; I kind of wanted him to stop but I kind of didn’t. It all felt so good but way too fast.

 

“Courtney!!!” I heard Courtney’s mom’s voice, and Courtney jumped back almost losing his balance and I nearly jumped out of my chair.

 

“Oh my god, mom!” Courtney said looking absolutely embarrassed.

           

“I knew it was too quiet up here, Chloe it’s time for you to go, and I will be calling your mom about this.”

 

            “Yes ma’am,” I said my face, burning with embarrassment. I jumped up from my chair grabbing my bag and racing down the stairs and out of the door. I can’t believe I did that, it was so not right, but I couldn’t stop myself. This isn’t going to go over well at home especially with my dad; I hope my mom gets the call and not my dad.

 

Tess

            “Oh yes, Jay,” I moaned as Jay kissed my neck.

           

“It’s good Chloe isn’t here tonight, it’s been a long time since we had some time alone,” Jay said pulling off my pants.

 

            “Yes it has,” I said as Jay pulled off his shirt and then kicked off his slacks.

 

            Jay kissed my body, stopping at the bottom of my stomach, licking the spot between my belly button and my sex. He pulled off my panties, and looked up at me as he lowered his mouth down to pleasure me, and as I closed my eyes in preparation, my phone rang. By the ringtone it was Courtney’s mom.

 

            “Dammit! If it was anyone else,” I picked up my phone, and answered, Jay looking a bit irritated, “Hello?” I maintained eye contact with Jay pleading silently for him to stay where he was.

 

            “Hi Tess, it’s Shelby, I just sent Chloe home.”

 

            “Ok, why?”

 

            “Because I found her and Courtney getting a little too close upstairs in his room.”

           

“What!” Jay put a blanket over me and came back to lay next to me, “How close?”

 

            “Well I found my son kissing your daughter and let’s just say, his hands had found their way into her shirt.”

 

            “Oh lord,” I put my palm to my face, “I’m sorry Shelby.”

 

            “Oh no, you don’t have to apologize to me, I have the boy. And from the looks of it Courtney was the aggressor,” Shelby said chuckling, “I just wanted to let you know what’s going on.”     

           

“Ok thank you, we’ll talk later, ok.”

 

            “Ok Tess talk you later bye.”

 

            “Bye,” I hung up my phone and put it back on the nightstand, “Shit.”

 

            “What?” Jay said pulling me back into his arms.

 

            “If I tell you, you need to promise me you won’t freak the fuck out,” I said turning my head to make eye contact with him.

 

            “Why do you think I would freak out, I’m a calm and reasonable guy, just tell me what’s going on. That was Courtney’s mom so I guess it has something to do with Chloe or him?”

 

            “Yea the both of them,” I shook my head, “Shelby found Chloe and Courtney in his room kissing and his hands in our daughter’s shirt.”

 

            “WHAT!”

 

            “Jay you said you wouldn’t freak out,” I said tightening the hold on his arm.

 

            “That was before you told me what it was!”

 

            “Jay we need to both be calm or she’ll never tell us anything.”

 

Suddenly both of us heard the front door open and close and Chloe run up the stairs to her room.

           

“No! I can’t do this. His hand was in her shirt Tess! I thought they were just friends,” Jay pulled away from me a put on a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt, “And besides she is 13 years old, that is way too fast, my daughter is not going to end up being one of those girls pregnant by 15 years old!”

           

Jay stormed out of our bedroom before I could get dressed, I threw on a robe and as I tied it I heard my husband pound on my daughter’s door. This is going to be some shit, I already know. I hurried across the hall to Chloe’s room and stood in the doorway as Jay confronted her.

 

            “What the fuck is going on Chloe? We get a call from Courtney’s mom saying you were up in his room, alone and making out and he has his hands all over you.”

 

            “Dad it wasn’t like that,” Chloe said looking mortified.

 

            “What has gotten into you, you start high school, become boy crazy then start hanging out in boy’s rooms like a slut,” Jay yelled; ok this is over now, he is not going to talk to her that way.

 

            “Dad, how could you say that to me,” Chloe said tears filling her eyes. I walked over to my daughter and pulled her into my arms, and looked at Jay.

 

            “This conversation is over, Jay you have crossed the line, you will not talk to her that way. You need to go back into our room and calm down!”

 

            I locked eyes with Jay, I could see he was still pissed, but he knew he was not going to win this one. I held my weeping daughter in my arms, and I was going to protect her from being mistreated or disrespected even if it was her father. Jay must have seen the fierce look in my eyes and walked out of the room and into ours. Chloe stood in my embrace with her face buried   into my shoulder.

 

            “Chloe baby it’s ok,” I held her tighter to me.

 

            “Why is he so mean?” Chloe said through her tears.

 

            “Baby I don’t know, as soon as you are ok I plan to find out though,” I said rubbing her back as she rested her head on my shoulder.

 

            We stood there for about 10 minutes and Chloe finally calmed down, “Thank you mom, I think I’m going to go to bed now.”

 

            “Ok,” I let her go to get into bed. When she slid into her bed I pulled the covers up over her, tucking her in like I had many times when she was very little. I sat down on her bed, “Chloe, now that you know that Courtney likes you that way, you can’t be alone with him in his room like that anymore ok.”

 

            “Yea, I understand.”

 

            “Things can happen very fast and you are too young for what was going on, if it happened the way his mom said it did.”

 

            “Yea, I honestly felt like it was going fast but I just couldn’t stop myself,” Chloe said looking a little bit ashamed.

 

            “And that’s normal. Trust me, there are grown women who can’t stop themselves sometimes when comes to men,” I chuckled, “Just don’t put yourself in those situations right now.”

 

            “Ok mom, I’ll try not to.”

 

I got up from her bed and walked out of her room, closing the door. The anger began to rise up like a deep seated and rolling fire. What the fuck is wrong with Jay? I always thought that I would be the one to be losing their cool when Chloe got to be this age, but Jay has gone into orbit. I walked into our room and closed the door behind me. Jay was sitting on our bed and looked up at me, he knew I was pissed.

 

“Look Tess I overreacted, I’m sorry.”

 

“No there is no excuse for calling your young daughter a slut, especially for something so insignificant. I will not allow you to slut-shame our little girl because she’s coming into her sexuality,” I said my voice tout with irritation.

 

“I was wrong for saying that, but she can’t be in boy’s rooms like that, no matter how ‘nice’ of a kid Courtney use to be, teenage boys talk.”

 

“Ok that is perfectly understandable, but you calling our daughter a slut does not seem to add up for me. I swear Jay you are going too far, especially since you were not the most chaste teenager.”

 

“Whatever, I said I was wrong and I’m sorry, I’m just trying to protect her from guys like me when I was younger, as well as protect her from the mistakes you made as a younger woman.”

 

“Wait a minute what the hell is that supposed to mean?”

 

“Tess you know exactly what it means,” Jay said sliding into bed.

 

“Are you fucking kidding me right now? You are seriously bringing all that shit up again.”

 

“No, it was simply a statement, I’m not trying to drudge up the past, but she is a product of us, especially you.”

 

“You know what I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear any of that shit. Chloe is just having normal issues for girls her age; we just need to keep a closer eye on her. I don’t know who made you pope but they need to seriously reconsider their decision,” I said getting into bed and turning my back to Jay and closing my eyes. After what he just said I just can’t with him anymore tonight.

 

Chloe

I sat at the breakfast table eating my oatmeal. Thankfully I was the first to come down, I didn’t really want to see my parents right now. I wish Courtney’s mom had not called my parents, because it just screwed everything up especially my dad who obviously thinks I’m some crazed slut looking for any male attention that will come my way. I just really like Courtney and I can’t lie the kiss was amazing and it only made me like Courtney more. I smiled as I put another spoonful of oatmeal in my mouth. It’s going to be awkward but I can’t wait to see him again today at school. The sound of my dad walking into the kitchen broke my train of thought as well as melting away my smile. He looked at me, and he opened his mouth to speak but didn’t. He had a look on his face that I had never seen directed toward me before, it looked a little bit like guilt or shame. I had seen it on his face when he had said something stupid to Mom and had to apologize but never to me. He said down at the table across from me, stirring in the brown sugar and banana he always ate with his oatmeal. I looked down at my bowl and decided that I wasn’t going to be the first to speak.

 

“Chloe?” I heard my dad’s voice though I didn’t look up.

 

“Yea,” I said keeping focus on my bowl and putting a spoonful in my mouth.

 

“Chloe I know you probably hate me right now, but I just wanted to say that I’m sorry. What I said to you was completely out of line. Never think that about yourself, ok?”

 

“Ok,” I said making eye contact with him again.

 

“You’re just my little girl, my only little girl, and when I heard about what happened I just kind of went a little crazy. I just want to protect you from those kinds of things until you’re at least 35,” He said and it made me laugh immediately, and he joined in, “No but seriously I just don’t want things to happen before you are ready or the right age to experience them, and to be honest I wasn’t the best teenage boy, so I know what Courtney is thinking no matter how nice he is.”

 

“Dad, Courtney has been my friend for a long time, I don’t think he meant for things to go the way it did, I just think both of us got caught up. I’ll just do what Mom told me to do, and not put myself in a situation where I’m alone with him like that.”

 

“Sounds good, and really Chloe I’m sorry about what I said, I don’t want you to feel like you can’t come to me and talk. And more importantly that I’m not proud of who you are.”

 

“I understand,” I said finishing up my breakfast and bringing my bowl to the dishwasher.

 

I’ll probably be talking to my mom about things now anyway. Something about the way he reacted kind of killed our relationship for me. I have to forgive him because he’s my dad, but I don’t think we will be close again like we use to be. I decided to leave a little early and walk to school, instead riding with my dad. I had already sent a text message to Maia telling her I would meet her at her house.

 

“Hey Chloe!” Maia as she came down the driveway of her house.

 

“Hey Maia!”

 

“So I heard what happened last night,” Maia said looking a bit embarrassed for me.

 

“How did you find out?”

 

“Remember your mom calls mine every morning and my mom likes to talk very loud on the phone, I mean very loud. So yeah, that’s how I found out.”

 

“Yea, and my dad was a complete asshole about it, I mean he called me a slut.”

 

“Wow, ouch. Well I’m sure he didn’t mean it.”

 

“I know, he said sorry this morning, but I don’t really want to be around him after that, I’m going to need some time before he’s on my good list again.”

 

“Well I hope he’s nicer to you. Man I always thought your mom would be the fire breathing dragon parent, she’s the one that’s been higher strung. I remember the time you dented her car, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone’s eye twitch so much, she really loves her car.”

 

I laughed at the memory, “Yea, I remember her yelling so loud about how many times she had told me to walk my bike into the garage instead of riding it in. I had to wash her car once a week for like a month as punishment.”

 

“At least you didn’t get grounded.”

 

“True.”

 

“So what does this whole thing with Courtney mean?”

 

“Oh I don’t know, this is all kind of crazy for me.”

 

“I bet.”

 

“It’s all really awkward for me now, because I don’t think my parents would let me be around him right now even I wanted to go out with him.”

 

“That would suck.”

 

“Yea,” I said as we got to the school and walked to our first class.

 

Courtney

“Hey Court!” My best friend Christian said to me as I walked up to him.

 

“Hey.”

 

“So what’s up with you, you don’t look like yourself today?”

 

“Just some drama with my parents and Chloe.”

 

“Like what?”

 

“Well you have to promise not to tell anyone, this has to be our secret ok?”

 

“Ok fine, what happened,” Christian said looking more interested than ever.

 

“Ok so I invited Chloe over to play that new game I bought, you know like always. But when I was setting it up, I looked over and noticed that she was staring at me.”

           

“Ok, you could have had something on your face.”

 

“No, I didn’t have anything on my face, it was you know, like she had a crush on me.”

 

“Ok…I still don’t understand the problem here.”

 

“There’s more. So I dropped the game and I just got the urge to kiss her, so I did, and then it was like I wasn’t thinking and my hand found it’s way into her shirt, man I never thought skin could be that soft,” I said my face fixing itself involuntarily into a wide grin.

 

“Oh wow! Lucky guy, Chloe’s got a nice set for being thirteen, but we’ve both seen her mom so you know where she gets it from,” Christian began to laugh, but my smile fell from my face like a ton of bricks, and I felt my eyes narrowing into a scowl. Christian is a pig; he’s 16 and a sophomore. We met through video game tournaments when I was about 10 years old and he was 12. I’ve always heard him talk about girls this way, but today hearing him talk about Chloe like this made me want to put my hands around his neck and squeeze until he stopped squirming.

 

“If you don’t stop talking about Chloe like that, I swear to God I will knock some teeth out of your mouth,” I said with more anger in my voice than I had intended.

 

“Whoa man, chill I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you,” Christian said the humor on his face was now mixed with a bit of alarm.

 

“It’s ok man, I just really like her, and I have for a while now. And she’s just now noticing me.”

 

“Well that’s because you hit that crazy growth spurt at the end of the last school year, and you’ve been hitting the gym like I told you.”

 

“Yea.”

 

“Now you’ve got all sorts of girl chasing after you,” Christian grinned.

 

“Yea but right now there is only one on my mind.”

 

“Well isn’t that sweet.”

 

“Shut up!” I said punching Christian in the arm causing him to roar with laughter.

 

Chloe

            Maia and I sat at lunch together. Usually Courtney eats with us but I purposefully sat in a different place than he did because as much as I missed him and wanted to see him, I just felt awkward around him now. I still like him a lot but it’s all getting intense and I don’t know if I want to be friends with him or more. And when I think about him I feel like I’m losing my mind, I just need a break.

 

            “So I guess you won’t be going over to Courtney’s for video games anytime soon, huh,” Maia said laughing a bit.

 

            “Yea.”

 

            “It’s ok Chloe everything will work itself out. But enough about you and Courtney, let’s talk about my news.”

 

            I smiled at Maia, I wonder what she has to tell me today; she loves to gossip and seems to know everything going in the freshman class, “What do you have to tell?”

 

            “Well I heard that Brittany didn’t come back this year because she got caught stealing a lot of stuff from a store and is in juvenile hall.”

 

            “Oh wow really, she always seemed really nice, and didn’t she always spend all her time at her church youth groups.”

 

            “Yea, and it’s gets crazier, I also heard that her sister who is a junior got pregnant, and she’s not coming back either.”

 

            “Wow, how do you find this stuff out?”

 

            “Oh I have my ways.”

 

            “What being nosy?” I said laughing and she laughed along with me.

 

            “Hey if it isn’t the two little ones,” I heard Khalia’s voice coming from behind me.

 

            “Hi Khalia,” I said half-heartedly.

 

            “Hey Khalia,” Maia said matching my tone.

 

            Khalia sat down and trained her eyes on me and smirked mischievously.

 

            After a minute or so it just got strange, “What?”

 

            “So I heard you were up in Courtney’s room last night getting felt up,” Khalia said louder than I would have liked her to have.

 

            “Umm…I wouldn’t say that it happened like that,” I said rolling my eyes.

 

            “Oh don’t get an attitude girl, it’s not really a secret.”

 

            “What do you mean, not really a secret?” I asked Khalia who seemed to be delighting in this exchange.

 

            “Well, Courtney must have told someone and they told someone else and so forth, and that is how I, a senior now know what is going with you,” Khalia said laughing.

 

            “Oh god,” I hung my head in frustration.

 

            Maia turned to her sister and narrowed her eyes, “Khalia you are a filthy liar, you knew already, and you know what I bet you told everyone.”

 

            Khalia laughed again, “Wow, Maia you have always been smart! Ok, I admit it, I lied, I thought it would be funny to tell the guys in my class about it. We all got a nice laugh out of it.”

 

            “Khalia, I swear there is something wrong with you,” Maia said shaking her head.

 

            “Maybe, but my life is more entertaining because of it,” Khalia got up from our table chuckling a bit, “But maybe I should stop, you know we were this close to becoming cousins.”

 

            “What? What are you talking about,” I asked looking at Maia who didn’t seem to know what she was talking about.

 

            “I spent some time this summer with uncle Eric and he told me some interesting things about your parents, all I have to say is, your mom is not the woman I thought she was.”

 

            “Ok again what are you talking about?”

 

            “Just ask your mom,” Khalia said laughing and walking away.

 

            “What the hell was that about?”

 

            “I don’t know, you know Khalia is always on some weird stuff,” Maia shrugging it off.

           

            “I guess,” I said feeling a bit unsettled