"Stella, time to wake up," Tom popped his head into my room at the bright and early time of 5:30 in the morning so I can get ready for school. I groan and roll out of bed, knowing if I didn't listen to Tom, Dad would come in and give me an ear-full.
I drag my feet to my small bathroom and get into the shower. I let the scalding hot water wake me from my sleep and clean away my terrible night last night. I can't believe Dad made Mom leave us, taking Noelle and Liam with her. I miss all three of them.
I get myself dressed and straighten my long curly hair and apply a little makeup to hide the bags under my eyes. I slip on my vinatge AWG Live Young fleece my mom handed down to me and my favorite black high tops before grabbing my school bag. I head down to join Tom downstairs to get breakfast. I see Dad slaving over breakfast at the stove. The man couldn't cook sometimes to save his own life.
"Let me help, Dad," I came to stand next to him. A learned how to cook from Mom so I could take care myself, Tom, and Liam in the morning so she can sleep in so she'd have plenty of energy to handle Noelle.
"If you insist, princess," Dad handed me the spatuala and hugged me, kissing my forehead like he always did.
"Are you hungover, Dad," I asked him.
"I little," he pinched his finger together.
"Serves you right. Why did you do that, in front of Tom and me and our friends," I was disappointed in him. He was my father. He shouldn't have been drinking like that. He also made sure to attempt to set a good example for us when Tom and I are around.
"We'll talk about everything later, Stella. For now get yourself and Tom fed so I can take you to school," Dad killed any chance of discussion over last night and I went back into focusing on cooking.

---

I got to school and saw Jack and Aubree waiting for Tom and I. I got out of the car and walked off to my locker, only glancing at Jack for a moment. I was mad at him for drinking with our dads and getting me to drink too. I didn't want to drink anymore after how much I pissed my dad off when I came home tipsy from the party.
"Stella, please talk to me," Jack begged when he got to my locker.
"How can you make me do that, last night," I looked at him, angry with him.
"It was an act, Stella. I helped your dad follow through with it. We were trying to teach you a lesson. You going to that party upseted me along with your parents and Tom. I didn't want to see you get hurt. You've been my best friend since before we could remember. I have pictures my mom gave me of us as infants and toddlers being friendly together. I care a lot about you Stella and I don't want you to blow your chances at everything you and I along with Aubree, Nate, and Tom have been dreaming of since we all could pick up instruments. I want you to earn your way back onto the summer tour. Please try to fall in line. At least for me," Jack reasoned with me.
"You betrayed me by messing with me last night with my dad. I'm a little disappointed in you. You can't just expect me to forgive you with the drop of a hat, Jack," I didn't want to cry, but I could feel the tears welling up.
"I'm sorry for what I did. If it makes you feel better you were drinking gag beer. There was no alcohol in it. Same with what I had. I was completely sober the entire time. The only people actually drink were all of our dads for half the night," Jack explained.
"Doesn't change the fact you manipulated me to teach me a lesson," I replied.
"Stella, please just calm down and forgive us. We're all a family together. W elook out for each other. If we don't, the band won't get off the ground. We don't even have a name yet, but when we get one and start shaping up and getting better, we'll catch someone's attention and make it in the business. For now we need to be kids and live in the moment, just start by getting less and less into trouble," Jack hugged me tightly and I returned it after a second.

---

Tom and I got home and I went into the kitchen to get a snack for up in my room while I work on my homework for the night. I walk in and I see Mom washing the dishes from this morning and Noelle is sitting at the table in her booster seat coloring.
"Mom," I greeted her. She turned around and I hugged her tightly.
"Stella," Mom replied, thrown off a little by my hug.
"Dad messed with me and I thought you left us," I cried, happy that my dad's charade was fake.
"I could never leave you, baby girl," she cooed, kissing my cheek.
"Stelly," Noelle cheered and hugged my leg after I let go of Mom.
"Noelle," I replied to her, picking her up and holding her to me.
"Auntie Cassadee told me to tell you to that she says hi," Noelle told me.
"I'll have to go to Aubree's and see sometime now so I can visit her like you did, now won't I," I told her.
"Yep," Noelle replied, popping her "p".
"Now go color. I have homework to work on," I put Noelle down before looking to my mom, "Where's Dad?"
"He's on the patio with Uncle Jack," she replied. I went to the door wall and popped my head.
"You're a jerk, you know that Dad," I told him.
"Did Jack tell you everything at school," Uncle Jack asked.
"Yes, I'm mad at all four of you and with my friends for doing that to me," I told them.
"Did you learn your lesson," Dad asked.
"That I shouldn't trust my father when he has a case of gag beer in the living room with my friends and their dads, then yes. Did I learn that sneaking out and drinking under my dad's nose is a bad idea and can lead to you being tortured by his drunken behavior, no I didn't. You instead made me mad and scared and depressed thinking Mom had left and I wouldn't see her or Liam and Noelle again," I was pissed off at him for going that far.
"Will you consider staying in line and behaving while I'm in Europe after next week," he asked me.
"Yeah, but not for you. I'm doing it for Jack," I told him before going back inside.
I went up to my room and worked on my homework. When I finished, I grabbed my guitar and started to play a song I had learned from one my dad's friend's band.
"I found out finding out isn't the worst part. Don't believe it's just me. And I've found out. Do you really even have a clue? You're not quite Satan, but I really think I hate you."
I was so mad at my dad. I can't believe he had the nerve to do what he did last night to me. He fucked with my head and didn't feel all that guilty for it. I wish I could just punch him in the face, but I can't. The first reason is that he's my dad. The second is that he intimidates me. The third is I knowhe's stronger than me and can stop my fist and hurt me if I tried. I put my guiatr down next to me and screamed into my pillow.