New Destruction

Chapter 1

I scream and run down the hallway. His maniacal laugh echoes through the old house. The creaky stairs squeak as both of our running feet go up them. I run into my room and turn around to close and lock the door. But he is already there, slipping inside at the last second. Chests heaving and breaths deep we stare at each other from across the room. Me by the window and him beside the door. Without taking his eyes off me, which are traveling all over it, and closes the door. I stop paying attention as the back of his t-shirt lifts a little and exposes those gorgeous back muscles of this flyer, and in my moment of weakness he tackles me onto the bed.

We laugh as the bed bounces and we collide into each other again and again. Josh props himself onto his elbows, both placed on each side of my head, I close my eyes and wait for the long awaited kiss but scream in laughter and rage when I feel his weight shift and his merciless fingers tickle at my sides. I scream louder and louder as time goes on and beg for this amazing boy to stop. When I run out of options I reach up, grab the back of Josh's head, and kiss him, without even thinking about it.

His whole body tenses and I stop for a second, scared that I messed up, when suddenly his mouth descends on top of mine with a fierceness that hadn't been there before. I wasn't going to complain.

A knock on the door causes us to jump apart from each other. And just because I'm as clumsy as I am, I jump all the way off my bed and fall hard onto the hardwood floor.

"Ow." I get up and rub my butt as my dad bursts out laughing from behind me. There is no mistaking my fathers laugh, its this weird mixture of deep throaty and heart-warming, and snorting. I have no idea why, but when he laughs I can always tell it is him. I stand up and sprint to my window seat and grab a book.

"So its pages 357 to 400? Great thanks Josh, that helps a lot." My dad laughs even harder, Josh just nods and walks up to me.

Following my lead once again, he says, "Yup, oh hello Mr. Drayfus. I didn't see you there. How are you?"

"Uh, don't you have to leave?" I say, unwilling to prolong this embarrassment.

"Oh yeah, I've got to, to-uh"

"Pick up your little sister from the dentist."

"You mean my little brother?"

"Oh yeah that one. Go shoo shoo." I push Josh out of my door, past my father who is still in hysterics, and out the front door. "CALL ME!" I shout once he reaches his car.

"Now what type of guy would I be if I didn't?"

"Try a d-head."

"Yup that would be it." I smile and turn around, bumping right into my father's chest. And his response is to grab the wall and start laughing his butt off again. "Haha, very funny daddy."

"Oh but it really was! Don't play Mis. Angry Puss with me kid."

"Why on earth would I do that?" I ask, not sparing the sarcasm, "Its not like you didn't just embarrass me in front of my-soon-to-be-boyfriend."

"Well, does he know about your plan?"

"I WOULD THINK SO! He's the one who put the idea in my head in the first place!"

My dad throws his hands up in the air in surrender. "Alright, alright. I like him though. He knows whats best for him. I just need to see if he knows whats best for you."

"Hold up! Did my father, Mr. Do-You-Like-My-Shotgun-Intimidating-Daughters-New-Boyfriend-Tactic, just say that he likes my Soon-To-Be-Boyfriend! Give him a round of applause ladies and gentlemen." I clap my hands in a circle like the kids do in elementary school. By now we are back in my bedroom and I bow to the make-believe crowd and whisper my thanks to them.

"Hey now-"

"NOW! I'M WALKING ON SUNSHINE WOAH-AH-WOAH-OH!!" My dad just rolls his eyes and walks out of the room, but just as I'm about to close the door after him, he stops and turns around.

"Call your mother, she called me on the way home accusing me of taking you away from her. You just got here right?"

I groan internally, "Yes, like maybe thirty minutes ago." I see the look on my fathers face and quickly add, "No we weren't making out that long, we played a game of Chutes and Ladders because you know. It's Chutes and Ladders. And then he started chasing me around the house because I totally smoked him, and then we got to my bedroom and..." I look at my dad and he has his eyebrows raised, " wellllllll you know what happened after that. And yes I will call my mother."

He laughs again, "Alright. Just do me a favor." I nod for him to continue. Already knowing what he is going to say, "Stay true to your name Blaze." He always says that before he leaves me. I don't think he has ever missed saying it to me.

I watch the door close and then sprawl out across my bed and pick up my phone from the night-table. I call my mother's cellphone and wait for her to pick up as it rings. As expected, she picks up after the first ring. "Where the HELL have you been!?! I'm calling the cops. Your father is obviously keeping you from me. That's it. Your going to stay with me from now on. Pack up your room, I'll be there in a half an hour."

"Mom, just calm down and take a deep breath. I just got to dad's house thirty minutes ago. When I got home I talked to my friend Josh for a while because he was the one who dropped me off. The car you gave me is a piece of shit and you know it, so it's not surprising that it broke down in the middle of the highway. I called dad and he said call one of my friends and then call you just so that you knew. My friend Josh was really close so it took him five minutes to come pick me up. I'm sorry that I forgot to call you until now, but I can't change that. And your not going to come and pick me up because I am 18, and you have no legal sway over what I do now. I will not stay at your house because it is two hours away from Regis University, and dad's house is just thirty minutes away in traffic. You are not going to call the police because, I am 18 now so they cannot do anything. Now can you just be my mother for a second because I want to tell you about Josh." My mother takes a calming breath, obviously pissed off at my reasoning but knowing that it is right.

"Alright. I'm sorry about the car. Now tell me about this Josh."

"Ok, so well I've known him my whole life and looking back I can see now that he showed signs of liking me, and well I honestly kind of like him too. So when he dropped me off a dad's house today we played Chutes and Ladders, then once I beat him he chased me around the house and when we stopped..." I carefully leave out that we were in my bedroom making out because I know how my mom would overreact, "we started to kiss."

"WHAT!" Click.

I blink. "Mom?" I take the phone from my ear and look at the screen. Now it's just my lock screen. I call out to her a few more times before I hear screaming coming from my dads office on the second floor.

Cringing I grab a piece of paper  and a pen then scribble a quick note to my father,
"Hey dad. I'm going out to celebrate with a couple of my friends tonight at the Trailhead. I'll be back before curfew like always. Sorry about mom.
XOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXO
~Blaze"
I slip it under his study door and rush to my room to get ready for the night.

I take a quick shower and stand in front of my closet studying its contents. I grab my light blue ripped jeans, black high healed combat boots, red plaid shirt, a gray tank-top, and my favorite black leather jacket. My signature look. I decide to take my Honda Shadow to the bar so I can air dry my hair. No heat damage.

By the time I'm out the door my parents are still screaming at each other. I sigh and peel out of the neighborhood. It had been like this ever since I can remember, but my brother swears that it was different when we were really young. I don't care anymore. I can't care anymore or else it will tear me to pieces. I shake my head and focus on the night before me.