365 Days.

Two days later,
and not a word from Chase.
Which actually didn’t bother me,
unlike last time.

I’m still kind of mad at Chase for acting the way he did,
telling me who to hang out with and who not to.
Maybe I don’t like his group of friends,
who take drugs instead of going to class?
Maybe I like talking to Malcolm who actually listens,
even thought he interrupts sometimes.

Magnus has been helping me a bit to live through this horrible grounding,
sneaking me some paper to draw on while Father was out of the house.
We both knew that Father would be mad if he found out,
but I didn’t care and promised Magnus,
that should Father find out,
I’ll take the blame,
and claim that I ordered him to do what he did.

We both agreed on that.

There’s a knock on the door,
and I look up.
Father’s not home,
so it must be Magnus or one of the other servants.

“Come in,”
I call,
not getting up from my bed.

Magnus enters,
looking rather uneasy.
As always.
“Sir,
there's someone on the phone for you.
He said his name is M,
and that you know him.”

I jump up.
See who cares!?
Smiling,
I take the phone from Magnus,
“Thanks,”
I tell him and watch him go.
Once he’s gone,
I speak into the phone,
“Hello?”

“Hey!
Nice to hear you again,
what's up,
where have you been?
I didn’t do anything bad…right?”
Malcolm sounds a little worried.

I smile,
“No,
it's okay,
you didn’t do anything wrong.
I’m just grounded,
cause Father found out I was at the party.”

“Oh,
I’m sorry,
I didn’t know you weren’t allowed to…”
His voice trails off.

“It’s not your fault,”
I smile again,
even though he can’t see me.
“He just doesn’t like me coming home late.
Gets all worried and stuff.”

“Oh okay…
When are you off?”

“I’ve five more days of torture left.”

M laughs,
“Is it really that horrible?”

“Yes,
he's taken away everything.
My canvases,
my paints,
brushes,
paper and so on.”
I lie down on the bed and stare up at the ceiling.
“So how are you?”

“That’d be… good.”
I reply and glance at the clock.
“How about tonight?”

God,
what am I doing?