"I really hope Leo isn't a bad influence on you," my mom says. She's sat on the edge of my bed all dressed up to go out.

I'm grounded because apparently I can be grounded? First time in my life.

Anyway, grounded for not telling her where I was but I've told her a thousand times Leo and I were just sleeping over at a friends house. She doesn't trust his friends though and I know she thinks they're sketchy.

"I don't want anyone over and you're not to leave the house," my mom says. "You hear me?"

"Yes mom," I groan. "Not going to throw a party just really tired. Might go downstairs to watch a movie."

And invite over Leo.

"Okay honey," she stands up. "We'll be back in a few hours."

As soon as she leaves my room I text Leo to come over which he's good with. He takes Uber which I swear to fucking god he makes me drive him everywhere with the excuse he doesn't like Uber.

I can hear my parents car pull out of the garage and go down the street because my dad is obnoxious and when he drives the Mercedes will put it in race mode.

I shut off my phone and head to the bathroom to check the tattoo in the mirror. It's healing nicely.

Keeping it secret is going to be hard. Luckily we aren't idiots and got it low enough that boxers and swim trunks cover it but Keanu will eventually find out.

I walk downstairs and wait for Leo. I'm not tired at all, I basically napped all day with nothing to do. I spent a couple hours with the horses and read. Being grounded fucking sucks.

I let him in through the door in our garage. It's the only door without cameras.

"How is your tat?"

"Fine," I say.

"You regretting it yet?" He laughs.

"Fuck why are we so dumb?" I laugh pulling up my shirt again and pushing my boxers down a bit to see it. "Very odd spot too."

"I think it's hilarious."

"Of course you do. Okay go sit down or something. Wanna watch a movie?"

"Sure," he shrugs. "What movie?"

"Hell if I know. Just find something on Netflix or on demand now that you know where the god damn button is." That earns a snort from him.

I stand in the kitchen waiting for the popcorn to be done in the microwave. I end up sitting on the counter. "You want M&M's in the popcorn?" I shout to the other room.

"Yeah!"

I return to the other room a bit later, popcorn in hand, and sit down next to Leo.

"Hey, share," he says grabbing my arm holding the bowl and moving it closer to him.

"Have you even picked a movie yet?"

"Black Panther."

"I've already watched that."

"Okay great, you're going to watch it again."

I roll my eyes and laugh.

We sit and watch the movie for a bit. I hate rewatching things because everything is so predictable. I obviously know what's going to happen next.

"I'm bored," I groan.

"Yeah no shit, you won't sit still."

"I'm not tired and being grounded effing sucks."

"Trust me I know. I spent all of ages thirteen to when my parents gave up somewhere around sixteen, grounded."

"How do they not kick you out?"

"It'd be even more of an embarrassment. They like to think they have more control this way."

I frown. I can hear in his voice he knows how his parents feel about him. I hate his parents for that. They must make him feel so unwanted all because he's an embarrassment to their rich ego.

It's also so weird to see the other side of things. Keanu and her parents also made Leo out to be some self centred, rebellious teenager doing everything out of spite.

The idea of his parents making him feel so alone makes me so angry. Who would do that to someone?

"You wanna stay over? I don't like being home alone."

Biggest lie I've ever said and he knows it. My parents have been leaving me home alone since I was nine.

"Sure."

We watch the rest of the movie in silence before going to bed both in my room.

I end up lying awake for hours after sleeping all day. I don't do anything besides think and listen to Leo breath next to me.

The parents sleep in after their long night so the next day it's easy for Leo to leave.

I spend a good chunk of the day waiting for Keanu. I tell her to grab her suit to swim but then I remember with the tattoo I probably shouldn't.

Fuck, I'm still going to have to tell her about that.

"Keanu is coming over for a bit," I say to my mom.

She gives me a look because technically I'm still grounded but gives in. "Okay sweetie, be good. Your father has a conference in the States and I'm going to Angelina's."

Angelina being Aleks' mom. They meet up every other Sunday.

"Yeah we're just going to watch a movie," I say.

Eventually mom leaves and Keanu arrives.

Quickly she's taken off her shoes and ranting about Talia.

"This girl has the audacity to ask why she wasn't invited to Julia's party even though last time she snaked—"

I stop listening. I couldn't give less of a fuck.

"Kea please," I groan. She shoots me a glare.

"Jesus, why the hell does nobody listen to me. Mom was annoyed too and I thought you, my boyfriend would understand." She's good at making others feel guilty. She's aways the victim.

"Fine, I'm sorry. Carry on."

And she does carry on. Of course I don't listen much and every now and then hear Talia's name.

"Okay, then Leo came home this morning being all cocky as usual and I just wanted to punch him." I finally look up at her and she's walking around and swinging her hands dramatically as she talks. "I bet you he's screwing that girl Stella."

"Elle," I get to correct but she ignores me.

"I mean he's been sneaking out a lot lately and mom just lets him get away with it when I tell her. Like it's not fair I can't even hangout with you and he can go screw Elle, or Mia. Maybe Mia. That fucking whore can't get off you either."

"Jesus Kea calm down," I say. Clearly she woke up on the wrong side of the bed. She sends me the same evil death glare. "Pretty sure him and Elle are not a thing and Mia and I are just friends calm down."

"You and I were just friends."

"I wasn't dating anybody at the time. And what kind of reason is that? I have lots of friends I don't plan on dating."

She slumps down on the couch. "Yeah I know. You're right," she sighs. "I just really not been in the mood lately. Leo is really good at getting on my nerves. He hates me more then normal."

I have a headache.

Ignoring the urge to just tell her to leave so I can go sleep, I scoot closer to give her a hug. "I don't think he hates you. You guys just have horrible communication."

"You don't understand, you're an only child," she mumbles.

"You're right, I don't, but that still doesn't change what I said."