Lipstick

Chapter 7: Pucker-up Peach

Living a double life is not as stressful as I thought it would be. Well, at first it wasn't. Being suspended from school wasn't so bad, besides my parents nagging me and trying to homeschool me. That lasted all of two hours before they gave up and let me do it on my own.

It is slightly satisfying when you realize you are smarter than your parents. They are basically cave-monkeys when it comes to math and physics. They had no clue what was what. I ended up teaching them more than they taught me.

Josie basically texts me 24/7, which isn't that big of a difference from how much she used to bug and text me before. The main difference is that our text went from here talking about school drama and stupid people, to her mainly just flirting with me and trying to get a rise out of me. She's also upped her selfie game. Usually, she'd send me selfies of herself doing something like cooking or watching tv, now she sends me flirty selfies too.

I'm sure to send her selfies of me just being bored at home.

Carson text me too, not nearly as much as Josie text me though. He's kind of awkward with texting. He's more of an in-person chat kind of guy. He always makes sure to come over after school and take me for a walk around the neighborhood just so he can chat about his day.

It was the third day of my suspension when he asked me to go to his house and officially meet his parents. I've had my fair share of run-ins with his parents, after all, I had to ask them how I could write letters to Carson in Juvi. But I've never actually sat down and had a full-blown conversation with them.

He invited me over for dinner.

So I said yes.

It was then that my double life became a bit more complicated.

I texted Josie that I was going over to Carson's and that I would talk to her later, but instead of leaving me alone, she started texting me even more. Asking me what we were doing? If I was alone with him. Asking what his house was like. Just really stupid and obviously jealous text. I ignored her.

Carson's parents are thankfully nothing like my parents. They are much more down-to-earth and normal. His dad is overweight and reminds me of some old has-been comedian. He's always cracking lame dad jokes and poking fun at Carson. He wears cargo shorts and silly dad shirts with a ball cap on his head. He has chin stubble and wears sandals. He's a truck driver but is home for a week or two.

His mom is one of those sweet overprotective moms. The kind of mom that cuts her son's lunch into star shapes and writes inspiring sticky notes. The kind of mom who folds her son's laundry and cleans his room for him. She looks older than she is and has a part-time job at the local washeteria.

"Carson, your dating this pretty girl?" His dad said in disbelief.

"Dad," Carson's face turned bright pink.

So cute.

"You're the girl who wrote him letters." His mom noted.

"My name is Kathleen, but you can call me Kat." I smile.

"My boy is growing into a man," His dad pat him roughly on the back.

"Dad!"

I giggled.

"Come join us for dinner, hope you like Sloppy Joes." His mom said.

"Sure, who doesn't?" I shrug.

"I like her already," his dad said.

"Ugh..." Carson facepalmed.

I giggled and grabbed his hand, interlocking our fingers.

He smiled appreciatively at me.