CHAOS | j. hale

chapter ten

T E N 

Chapter ten ! 

THE CAR RIDE HOME WAS QUIET EXCEPT FOR THE SPLATTERS OF THE RAIN ON THE CAR. It lightly dribbled outside. Harley kept glancing at Charlie who kept his eyes on the road the entire time. The only thing he did that was close to either talking or looking at Harley was when he grabbed his coffee cup to take a sip, or to sigh loudly in the quiet car. 

Harley's leg jiggled up and down in worry, especially when the two got closer to home. Charlie was so calm at Wanda's house, talking with Wanda's dad and even taking Harley's bag from her, but Harley knew with the tight grip that Charlie had on his daughter's shoulder as he lead her to the car, she was in big trouble. 

Coming onto their street, Harley sucked in a tight breath of air. She kept glancing at Charlie even as he slowed down and turned to park his car behind Bella's. As the engine turned off, Charlie sighed again, and rubbed his face with his hands. 

He opened his mouth up to speak before closing it. He shook his head before sighing once again. 

"Just ground me already." Harley said quietly. Now she was staring out of the window, she didn't want Charlie to yell at her, or even look at her anymore. She knew he was mad, and she just wanted to get her punishment and get the fuck out of there. 

"I'm glad you know you have consequences to your actions." He muttered. "But come on. Sneaking out ? Without telling me ? Going to some girls house, someone who's parents I barely know ? Trying to get Bella to cover for you ?"

"Hey," Harley whipped her head to look at Charlie. "I don't know what Bella told you, but I never asked her to cover for me. I didn't even have my phone on me for most of the night, so I couldn't read her texts. It's not my fault she tried to help me." Harley leaned back against the car seat and saw Bella staring at them through the kitchen window. 

"Don't get snappy with me young lady, or you'll have even more consequences than just being grounded." Charlie threatened. 

It was silent in the car as Harley kept her eyes locked with Bella's and Charlie looked at his daughter in the front seat. 

Charlie sighed before copying Harley's position, instead he was staring at Bella's license plate on the back of her truck. 

"What would your mother say in situations like these ?" Charlie asked quietly.

Harley shrugged. "I didn't have any friends to sneak off with in Arizona." 

Charlie glanced at Harley. "Really ?" He asked. "You weren't this rebellious back home ?"

Harley shook her head and took her eyes off her sister to stare at her father who was slouched in his car seat, nursing his reusable mug in his hands. 

"You can't have friends if everyone thinks you're crazy." She simply stated. She moved her head to glance back at Bella's car too, seeing an air freshener from the back window.

It got quiet again as Charlie sipped his coffee. He slowly handed the cup to Harley who took a sip too. 

"Just because I feel bad for you doesn't mean you aren't grounded anymore." He said.