LOVE HURTS

XV. Worthless and Pathetic

     "Welcome home, Jasper," belittled Caitlin as her parents walked in the house big enough to be a mansion. "Poppy."

Jasper's bright blue eyes pierced his daughter's dull brown ones, setting his suitcase down. His hair was slicked back, beard shaven as always. He was still dressed in a nice suit, his tie loosened and shirt buttoned down a little.

Next to him was her mother. Like him, she was dressed nicely, in a tight, black dress with a low neckline. Caitlin wouldn't have been surprised if that was the only thing she was wearing. Her Loui Vitton heels clicked on the tile as she walked, her perfectly blonde hair falling over her shoulders everytime she moved.

"Did you get what we told you to?" Poppy asked, giving her daughter a disapproving look. She did not miss that prominent Australian voice one bit.

"Yes, your charred kale with citrus and green tahini salads are in the kitchen. I'll be having my pizza in my room." Caitlin turned around to walk upstairs when her mother's voice stopped her.

"Is that really what you wear every day? Did you go out and buy those clothes?"

Telling herself to calm down, Caitlin turned back around and stared at Poppy. "If you couldn't tell, we have two very different styles of clothing. Mine is don't-care-as-long-as-it-matches, while yours is expensive-attention-grabbing, I'll-sleep-with-whoever-has-the-best-pickup-line-and- the-biggest-you-know-what."

"Young lady, don't you dare speak to your mother like that," Jasper growled.

"What are you gonna do about it? Ground me?" scoffed Caitlin. "I wouldn't even consider you my parents." Stomping through the hallway to the living room, the two adults followed her.

"Where's my son?" he demanded.

"You are not allowed to go near him. He doesn't deserve you, and you certainly don't deserve him." Running up the steps to her bedroom, Caitlin slammed the door, flopping down on her bed.

Her phone started ringing and she picked up. "Seb's been wondering why he's at the LaRusso's."

"I know, Robby, but the moment he finds out Jasper and Poppy are here, he's gonna want nothing more than to meet them." Caitlin huffed. "I cannot wait until I graduate and can have him legally live with me."

"You'd have to go to court for that though, right?"

"Oh, right, I forgot that my parents are the most well-known lawyers in the city, maybe even the state." She covered her face with her hand. "Who am I kidding? I'm stuck with them forever!"

"Can't you just go to court for neglect of their children, then?" Robby asked. "That's a thing, right?"

Caitlin sighed. "Yeah, it's a thing. But, like I said, I'd never be able to win. There's no actual proof of neglect, they have friends all over the globe, and even if I do win, Seb and I would be put into the foster system. It would be a miracle to still live in L.A., much less near you and the LaRussos."