After The Dance (FOB FanFic ft. Panic! At The Disco)

~PART TWO~ [Chapter 25] Grounded (Lexy)

(Lexy's POV)

I walked through the front door of the house around two in the morning. I closed the door softly behind me and heaved a sigh. As I turned around, I jumped back in fright. My dad was standing right in the foyer, his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face.

"Where have you been, Alexis?" He inquired angrily.

"I was out with Mikey, dad," I answered truthfully.

"Mhmm, sure, and how do I know you didn't leave to leave for good?" He followed up. I rolled my eyes.

He only asked that because Catherine left a few months ago. She didn't tell us where she was going, or even that she was going. It was just one morning, I woke up, went downstairs, and found my dad in the kitchen sitting at the bar, a piece of paper in his hands.

"What are you looking at, Dad?" I asked as I slowly approached him, still dressed in my pajamas which so happened to be one of Fall Out Boy's t-shirts paired with a black pair of yoga shorts. The closer I got, the louder his sniffles became. "Dad?"

He didn't even give me an answer, he just dropped his head to the counter using his arms as a pillow. I snatched the piece of paper out of his hands and read Catherine's easily recognizable handwriting.

By the time you read this, I'll probably be long gone. I don't think I'll ever be coming back so don't come looking for me, because you won't find me. I'll miss you Lexy, make sure dad doesn't go crazy. Okay? And Dad? Let Lexy do what she wants. She's practically an adult. Alright? Love you both. -Catherine

I couldn't believe it. Catherine was gone.

"So, I guess it's just you and me, Dad," I muttered, setting the note back down on the bar and placing my hand on my dad's shaking back.

He smacked my hand away and looked at me with red and puffy eyes. "No, you're going to leave me too! I know it!" And with that, he got up and ran to some other part of the house like some teenage girl whose parents told her she couldn't see the guy she was dating anymore.

"Dad!" I didn't see him the rest of that day.

Ever since that day, my dad's been on edge, thinking I'm going to leave him too. But I would never do that. I wasn't like Catherine. I could never leave my dad. He needs me. He needed us, but obviously Catherine didn't get that message. Or she just didn't care.

Things have been different without Catherine around. The house has been a lot quieter. It feels like something's missing (*cough cough* her *cough cough*). I really missed her, and even though my dad will try and change the subject whenever someone mentions her name, he missed her too.

"Dad, I'm not-"

"You're grounded," He cut me off, shooting his index finger in my direction.

"Grounded?" I repeated with a slight laugh, "Grounded for what?"

"I don't need to tell you what. I'm your father and I said you're grounded, understood?"

"No! Not understood! I told you what I was doing, Dad!" I yelled at him, "I even told you before I left that I was going out with Mikey tonight!"

"I don't like that Mikey boy," He said. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. "He wears too much black. And he wears eyeliner. Like that Pete kid."

"You never like anyone I hang out with, Dad," I retorted, annoyed with him.

"Well, it doesn't matter. You're grounded. End of discussion. Go to bed." He pointed up the stairs. I inhaled and exhaled audibly before stomping past him and up the stairs.

I walked into my bedroom and slammed the door behind me. I stripped out of my dress and into something more comfortable. I slipped under the covers of my bed and pulled out my phone, the LED screen lighting up my face as my finger hovered over Patrick's contact. I needed to call him back from earlier tonight. But just as I was about to press the "call" button, my blankets were pulled off of me to reveal my dad's hand extended outward.

"Grounded means no phone, Lexy," He told me sternly.

I placed my phone in his hand and lied on my back. My dad walked out of the room and closed the door behind him, enclosing me in the dark bedroom.

I heaved a sigh and turned my head, extending my hand out and turning on the lamp on my nightstand. I turned on my side, resting my head in the palm of my hand and picking up the picture frame on my nightstand with my other hand. The picture was of me and Patrick at one of the band's concerts. It was before the show during sound check and I had taken his place on stage. He stood behind me, a fake scowl on his face and his arms crossed over his chest as I pretended to play his guitar and sing into the microphone.

I smiled, wishing I could go back in time and relive that moment. Relive all the moments I had with Patrick.

"Grounded also means lights off, Lex," My dad's voice sounded. I jumped and saw him standing in my doorway. I rolled my eyes and set the picture back down, turning off my lamp. My dad stood there for a second longer before closing my door and walking away. I groaned and covered my face with my hands.

Author's Note: Hey guys, so sorry if this chapter kind of really sucked. It was really a filler chapter that leads up to and explains part of the next chapter which should hopefully be better thank this one. If it's not, I'm so sorry. Thanks for reading! -Rachael