Newsies Forever

Grounded

Melina POV:

I woke up harshly to a bucket of ice cold water being dumped on top of me. I sat straight up in bed and screamed.

"What the fuck!!"

"Don't what the fuck me! I should be 'what the fuck'ing you!" Ben said as he stood over me with an empty bucket. "No wait, that doesn't sound right." Just then I heard Carmen scream too and I looked over to see Parker standing next to her bed.

"What is going on!" I screamed.

"You tell me Melina. Number one on trending." He said and tossed me his phone. I looked at his phone and right on top was a picture of me with Jason on the roof reading Party Girl Melina Cook Spotted With New Boy. "You said you were at Nina's house last night."

"But why did I get water thrown on me too?" Carmen asked.

"You're in the pictures too Carmen!" Parker added.

"We're in deep shit aren't we." I said.

"Oh soooo deep that you might as well make a house down there cuz it's gonna be awhile before you get yourself out of it." Ben said. I swiped through the pictures and it showed us sitting on the roof talking, and kissing, and one picture of Carmen and I running out of the party. There's no lying our way out of this one. All the proof is right there.

"Does Jordyn know?" I asked.

"Oh she knows. The whole world knows Melina!" Ben yelled.

"Ben-" I started.

"No, I don't even want to hear any excuses. Give me your phone, your grounded. Both of you." Ben said.

"That's not fair!" I protested.

"Then what is fair Melina? Tell me." Ben said, I could see the anger in his eyes. The only other time I remember him being this angry is that time when I saw him and Jordyn fighting when I was younger, when I got scared of Ben.

"Fine take it." I said throwing him my phone. "You know maybe if I had just had a normal life I wouldn't have to even worry about this!" I screamed.

"I work so hard to give you as normal of a life as I can Melina." Ben said.

"Well hows that working?" I screamed back. Parker took Carmen's phone and they both left the room in silence, leaving us dripping wet in our beds.

"Fuck him!" I said as I got off of my bed. Great, this is gonna take forever to dry.

"Melina he has a point." Carmen said.

"No, he doesn't! He just can't accept that I'm growing up and still wants me to be the little baby he met on tour! I'm not having it!" I protested. This is so unfair! All I did was act like a normal teenager, why can't he just see that?

Ben POV:

"Guys, I am so angry I don't even know what to do." I said as I paced around the kitchen. Josh and Parker were both sitting at the kitchen table listening to me. "She lied to me about where she was, was drinking at a party, KISSED A BOY, and still didn't tell me anything. I wouldn't have found out if it wasn't on Twitter. OH and that's the other thing ITS ON TWITTER. Does she realize what this could do to her image? The cast recording of Rags to Riches comes out this week and this is not good press at all. Like does she even think? No! She doesn't! All she cares about is being what she calls a normal teenager. I try Parker! I try and do things that make her feel like a normal teenager! And I don't force her to do broadway, it's something she's wanted! But I'm the bad person because I help her achieve her dreams! That doesn't even make sense! And Carmen just goes along with whatever Melina does! Why didn't she stop her! She lied too, she is just as much at fault here!" I rambled.

"Dude if you're gonna keep talking like that I'm gonna need another beer." Parker said. "I get it, you're pissed. I am too! Those are my nieces too. But you have to take a breath man your face is turning blue."

"Have you tried talking to Melina?" Josh asked.

"Of course I've tried! Apparently all she does is lie though. Who knows what else she's lied about!" I said.

"I mean like, really sit and talk with her. Like you used to on tour. You guys were really close, I remember no matter what you were the only person she ever wanted." Josh said.

"Except for one time." Jordyn added coming into the room.

"We don't talk about that time." I said pointing to her.

"What? The time when you yelled at me so intensely that she was terrified of you?" Jordyn asked. "I'm not denying she fucked up Ben, but I think the people across town could hear you two yelling."

"What am I supposed to do Jor?" I asked walking up and grabbing her in a hug.

"I don't know babe, I'm just as pissed off as you and just as confused as you." She said. "But she responds to you better. She always has. Maybe you two just need to talk. She's definitely grounded though and she'll be lucky if she gets that phone back before she graduates."

"And what about Carmen?" I asked.

"I'll talk to her. You handle Melina." Jordyn laughed.

"Divide and conquer." Parker laughed.

"And you two! Stop drinking all of our beer!" Jordyn said pointing at Parker and Josh.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Josh said leaning in front of their bottles to try and cover them.

"Daddy, come play tea party with me!" Maddie smiled running into the room and wrapping herself around Ben's leg.

"Looks like I'm raising a bunch of daddy's girls." Jordyn laughed.

"I'll be right there sweetie." I smiled and she ran off. They grow up so fast, I mean look at Melina. When I met her she was this tiny little girl who was so innocent and happy. Now she's this moody teenager who lies to me and sneaks behind my back. We used to be so close, what happened?