The Peters

Parenting Wrong

[Taissa's POV]

The first one up was Quinton and he stalked down the stairs slowly - knowing that I was going to try and pry answers from him. I still couldn't wrap my head around Tessa going to the party; it was so unlike her. He sits at the end up the table, sweats and a t-shirt on. Evan was out washing the car, he was ticked. I lock eyes with Quinn and he looks down, sighing before he spoke. "Go ahead." He flicked his hand, ushering me to ask him something.

"What happened last night?" I ask, folding my arms as I lean against the counter.

"Tessa ruined my plans." He mumbles, and I give him a look so he starts from the beginning. "I got in my car went to the party. I was only there for a half hour, then I saw her with her boyfriend. So flipped out and took her home." My head shakes slowly, taking a deep breath as I get angry at the thought her even trying to go there. Quinton was practically an adult, I didn't mind if he went to the odd party. But Tessa? She's only 15!

"Who is her boyfriend?" I ask, and he only provides a shrug his curls bouncing. My teeth tighten together as I hesitate to speak but I squeak it out. "Was she drinking?"

"She... uh.." He glanced at the stairs before spitting out a sentence. "She wasn't, no." I close my eyes; she did. He hesitated; she did.

"That little.." I clench my fist, so many feelings were being thrown at me I didn't know if I should scream or cry. But just then Evan came in and saw the look on my face.

"What's the problem?" He asks, wiping his wet hands on his jeans.

"Tessa was drinking last night." I whisper, making his face flush. Quinton groaned, holding his head in His hands as he realized what he'd just done. Evans head flopped back matching Quintons sounds.

"It was just a cooler!" He held out his hands. It didn't make a difference what it was, it was still illegal and disappointing.

"She's grounded," Evan growls stalking towards the stairs. "No more sports after school. Nothing. The phones gone too." I trail behind him as he rushes to her room, pushing open the door. She sits up instantly, still in bed. I could tell by her face she knew what was coming.

"You are in so much trouble." I raise my voice, trying to sound menacing but I don't know it was possible. Evan took a step or two, to grab the phone from her dresser, and when she screeched a objection I was surprised he didn't back hand her.

"No more sports," He began, trying to keep from shouting. "You're grounding." Tessa looked like hell; but she sat and stared with a placid face. "Do you know why?"

"Because I went to the party." Her voice trembled, eyes flickering between him and I.

"Well yeah, but it wouldn't have been as bad if you hadn't drank there." My voice was calm but when she heard we knew about the cooler she cracked and started to cry. I couldn't help but feel bad, but Evan pulled me out of there so I wouldn't comfort her. My arms twist around him, and he does the same to me. and we just stand there hugging each other.

Both wondering if we'd parented her wrong.