“Doesn’t matter. I’ll deal with it. By the end of next week, she’ll do whatever I ask.”
And if she doesn’t, she’s going to regret it.
“I’m going back inside,” Parker says. “You coming?”
“In a minute.”
He goes into the house while I get out my phone and text Ella.Made your decision yet?
She doesn’t text back.
I return to the party. Girls come up to me now that Aubrey is gone but I’m not looking for sex tonight. I’m too preoccupied with thoughts about what it’ll take to make Ella do what I asked. Why is she being so damn stubborn? It’s really pissing me off.
* * *
In the morning, I’m still half asleep when my dad barges into my room.
“You know what time it is?” he yells, yanking the blinds open.
“What do you want?” I mutter.
“For you to get up and do something with your life!”
I open my eyes and see him standing next to my bed, wearing his golf pants and polo shirt.
“I was out late,” I say, rubbing my eyes.
“I hope you enjoyed it because that’s the last party you’re going to.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so.” I roll over, turning my back to him.
“What was that?” he asks in a threatening tone. It used to scare me, but now I’m used to it.
I sigh as I sit up in bed. “I said I’m not going to stop going to parties.”
“Did you hear what I just said?”
“Yes,” I calmly reply. “And I also recall you telling me to be social because you never know when a social encounter will lead to a new client.”
He wasn’t expecting me to throw his words back at him. He clears his throat and straightens his shoulders. “Yes, well, I doubt any of your drunk high school friends will be clients of ours any time soon.”
“I don’t know about that. Most everyone in my class will be getting a large sum of cash for graduation and some of them might be looking for a place to invest it.”
“That’s highly unlikely,” he scoffs. “If anything, the money will already be in a trust that’s managed by another investment company.”
“Maybe, but if not, they’ll be looking for a place to put their money. Do you really want to lose the chance to get their business?”
He ponders that a moment, rubbing his hand back and forth over his jaw. “My decision stands. You won’t be going to parties until your grades are up. I’d rather pass up a few clients than be humiliated and ashamed that my son wasn’t awarded the valedictorian title.”
“That’s what this is about?” I get out of bed and go to my closet to get a shirt. “You think going to parties means I won’t be valedictorian?” I yank on the shirt. “It has nothing to do with that.”
He walks over to me. “Then prove it.”
“Meaning what?”
“I’ll give you two weeks. You can continue to socialize but if your grades aren’t up in two weeks, all socializing will end.”
“I have a 4.2 GPA.” I walk away from him before my anger takes over and I punch his smug face. I’m so sick of him telling me I’m not good enough. “What the fuck more could you want?”
