Unknown: Jonathan Groff

Avery

After dinner, Jon takes a shower. I take the opportunity to find where he keeps his beer. I find one beer bottle, already half gone and sigh. This guy is nothing like my mom. No beer, no weed. Fuck that. I take the half drank beer and drink the rest of it before then recycling the glass bottle. I then slip into my room and cuddle with Cassie, my puppy. She jumps up and licks my stomach where my fresh belly button piercing is. "Cassie. Silly pup, you." I say, gently pushing her off of me. "Get down, good girl."

After a little while, I go to the living room with my 10 month old puppy. She jumps up on the couch with me. And 20 minutes later, Jon comes out in sweats and a tee shirt. He doesn't say anything, just sits next to Cassie and pets her gently. We sit in complete silence for about 35 minutes before Jon starts talking. "So, what's your dog's name?" I show him her tags. "Cassie. That's a pretty name." When I show no signs of answering, he stops talking. He tries to touch my shoulder but I shuffle away from him.

"Let me lay down some ground rules," I start, "don't touch me, don't call me anything other than Avery, if you do anything to piss me off, make me uncomfortable or nervous, I will not hesitate to break your wrist, I am to be treated like your equal. That's what I'm used to. Okay?" He laughs. "So, Jon, I will try to respect your rules as long as respect mine. That's how I work. I don't do rules. I only follow mine. And the moment you try to enforce anything, I'm out. Do I make myself absolutely clear?" I ask.

His eyes say he's not down. "That's bullshit right there young lady. You are going to follow my rules. I am the parent here and you are the kid. I don't know how your mom raised you for 14 years but I'm going to be quite different, by the sounds of it. I'm not here to be a friend. I'm here to be your parent, your safe place, your provider. I'm your father, Avery, and that's how this is gonna work. Okay?" This time I laugh. Is he challenging me? I look him up and down before taking a swing.

Jon catches my arm and looks me in the eye. "Let go of me!" I say, struggling. "LET GO OF MY ARM!" He reluctantly lets go. I rub my arm. What in the hell was that? With Andrew I would have gotten a black eye, not my arm getting caught and then being let go after, I think. Why wouldn't he try to hit me back? Why did he let go when I could very well try again? I shove myself off the couch. "Come on Cassie, let's go to bed. Maybe we can ignore this bastard for a bit."

"Avery Groff Manson. Sit down right now." Jon says. I sit. "I need to ask. What in the hell makes you think you can punch me? Why did you try?" I just stare at him. He sighs, head down. "Just answer my question." I laugh and he looks sad. I start to feel a little bad but quickly change my mind when he puts his hand on my shoulder. Immediately, I push it off and run to my room, Cassie following me. And from there, I slam my door shut and ignore everything that could possibly bother me right now.