"You are grounded!" My mother barks at me as soon as she barges into my room. "All night I was worried sick where you were!"

I just sit on my bed and listen. I just got back from hanging out at the old campground.

"Ever since you've been hanging out with that kid, you've been up to no good." She rubs her forehead. "You were supposed to be helping him get on track not have him drag you down."

I lean back in my bed and just stare at the ceiling, ignoring what she says. I haven't seen Leo in about an hour and I would much rather be with him then listening to this crap.

"You've worked so hard your entire life. When school comes around this better not affect your grades. Don't let a boy be the reason you put seventeen years of work to waste."

She takes in a deep breath. "Now the Medero family is coming for dinner. This has been planned for a while now so canceling is not an option but I don't want to see you hanging around that boy all night. And for Christ sake, treat your girlfriend better. She's a lovely young lady and you better not ruin things with her."

Mom slams the door behind her as she walks out.

Mom doesn't scare me. Dad does though.

I change into riding gear and head outside to the stables.

"I just groomed both of them and I mucked their stalls this morning!" Mila calls out when she sees me walk into the stables.

"Mind if I take Nano out on the trails?"

"Go ahead," Mila smiles. "Oh and I already told your father this but next week I'm away visiting family in Mexico."

"Okay."

She walks past me and into the tack room.

I just want to be out in the forest. Away from all the people. I need to think about what the fuck I did.

After a bit I get Nano all tacked up and I mount the horse before leading him to the trails out back.

I haven't gone trail riding in a bit. To be quite honest I've spent the whole summer with Leo.

Once I'm walking through the woods I keep the reigns pretty loose, not really worrying about any animals spooking Nano. Typically dad likes the reigns tight for more control.

I spend a good amount of time out till I come across a squirrel injured on one of the trails.

"Oh, buddy oh..." I mumble to myself as I hop off Nano and walk slowly to the squirrel, reigns loose in my hand.

"We should get you somewhere," I say to myself as I sacrifice my expensive gloves to pick up the injured squirrel covered in dirt and little to no blood.

I rub my forehead with the back of my hand that didn't touch the squirrel. "Damn how am I going to do this Nano?"

I've got to remount the horse with a god damn squirrel in my hand. Why am I doing this? It's likely going to die anyway.

I think Leo would slap me if he knew I left the squirrel. Yeah he would so be upset.

I lay the squirrel on its back on the bottom of the horses neck, just by the mane, before I remount the horse, careful not the knock the squirrel off.

The ride back home is slow and careful as I lean the squirrel against my leg. I entertain myself by talking to Nano and the squirrel like a lunatic.

Once I get back I see both Leo and Keanu sitting at the back porche in what looks like silence.

"Andrew!" She stands up calls out to me.

I dismount Nano and carry the squirrel in one hand and the reigns in my left.

"The hell are you holding?" She asks as she walks closer. "Ew is that a rat?" She comes up and looks at it. "What? Did you run it over?" She snorts.

"No, I just didn't want to leave it."

"Leave what?" Leo shoves his sister over to see what I'm holding. "Aw is that a squirrel? Is it okay?"

"Keanu, mind untacking Nano?" I ask her and she groans. "Please, unless you would rather deal with this."

"Yeah whatever." She takes Nano and walks away.

"What happened to him?" Leo asks.

"I don't know. Do you think he needs a vet? Ugh my mom is going to hate me even more."

"I'll take him if she gets mad. My mother gave up trying to tell me what to do she won't mind a pet squirrel."

"That is so a lie and you know it," I laugh.

"Yeah whatever she can suck my ass I'm taking him to the vet."

"You can't drive."

"Okay you are taking him to the vet and I'm coming."

The squirrel moves in my arms, showing that he is indeed alive. Or her, I have no idea.

"Okay well I'm stood in riding gear and a helmet, I need to change."

"I'll hold him."

"You're not wearing gloves and you're in short sleeves."

"I don't fucking care if I get some disease I want to hold the squirrel."

"Okay then."

I hand him the squirrel, very carefully. Which requires us to touch and both of us tense.

Yeah we haven't talked about last night. Hence why a car ride with just us would be awful.

Fortunately, in the barn is a girl who hates to miss out.

"First I'll check on Keanu and Nano. You sit down on the porch chairs." I turn around not even looking st him before jogging away.

Good god I'm in a dilemma. I can't even look at him without imagining a repeat of last night.

I have a fucking girlfriend.

"Andrew?" Keanu looks to me when I walk in the stable. "You seemed lost," she laughs.

"Oh, aha well uh want to come with us to the vet?"

She seems shocked to hear me invite her. "Oh you want me to— yeah I'll go." She smiles.

I plaster a fake smile to hide the guilt of oh shit I don't even feel bad.

"Okay. Let's go. I've got to change."

I rub my head in frustration on the way up to my room. Every angsty teenager post popping up in my mind about faking a smile but this is for a different reason.

"Andrew? Where are you going?" My mom stops me.

"There's this squirrel we need to take to the vet."

"What?"

"I found it on the trail injured so I picked it up and Keanu, Leo and I are taking it to the vet."

"Let just Leo go, he'll be fine."

"Mom he can't drive."

"Keanu can. She'll go with him. I would like you here please, you're grounded."

"What? I'm grounded from hanging out with friends not taking an injured animal to a vet."

"It'll be fine with the other two. You should think about your actions more Andrew. You're staying. If you're not in dinner in ten minutes I will make sure you don't see that boy again."

Why doesn't she just take my phone or my car like a normal mom? Why does she ground me from seeing Leo?

She turns sharply and walks before I can continue the argument. I groan before turning back to go down the stairs and grab my keys at the door to give to Keanu.

"Can't go," I say.

"What? Why not?" Keanu asks.

"Grounded for stuff."

"But we're taking it to the animal hospital?"

"Keanu, I tried, she won't budge. Just take the keys and take the squirrel."

"Leo named it already." She rolls her eyes.

Leo is sitting in shotgun waiting.

"Of course he did." I smile lightly.

"Okay," she sighs. "See yeah in a bit Andrew."

I watch Leo's confused face when Keanu gets in the drivers seat and I watch them drive away.

I turn around and head back inside. I merely even walk through the door before mom orders I help her in the kitchen. "Wash your hands, you touched that squirrel."

I wash my hands.

"Why would you even touch it? You just going to take care of it now?"

"Leo will if anything but I'm sure the vet will take it." I shrug.

In a quieter voice she moves towards me and says, "What did I say about talking to him?"

"Jesus mom whats been with you lately? I didn't even speak to him I handed him a god damn squirrel."

"I know sweetie it's just I'm not having you fall down that hole."

This is about her brother isn't it.

Her brother fell down that hole. Went from high nineties and scholarships, to trying a drug at a party one night, becoming an addict and dying four years later. That's the short version.

I just sigh in response.

"Cut the baguette please," she says walking past me.

Keanu and Leo are back a half hour later and not with the squirrel. We're half way through dinner when they walk through the door arguing about something.

"Guys, quit it," Mr. Medero orders once they reach the dining room.

There's one empty seat next to me and one next to Mrs. Medero. I can see Leo notices this and hurries to the kitchen to I'm assuming, beat Keanu to a seat.

Maybe he wants to avoid sitting next to me.

When he returns I'm surprised to see he sits next to me.

Shit I'm nervous.

My mom makes eye contact with me around the same time I realize Leo's leg is touching mine. I stare wide eyed at her for a moment before realizing I need to eat. Normal people eat at the dinner table. Act normal.

"Prick, making me sit next to mom," Keanu whispers in between Leo and I as she walks by.

I tense up even more. I'm so painfully aware. I feel like the table is glass and everyone should be able to see.

I'm over reacting a bit because yes I'm a little stressed.

"Anyway, Andrea was telling me about that." Mom continues on her conversation with Mrs. Medero.

Dad and Mr. Medero talk about the boat. Keanu, Leo and I all eat silently.

When Leo moves his foot onto mine a drop my fork which causes him to chuckle.

"Asshole," I mutter to him. He laughs even more.

Keanu stares confused.

Dinner is slow but I don't mind. After dinner I try to go up to my room but Keanu follows.

"Mom grounded me again," I say to her.

"I don't blame her," Keanu says crossing her arms and shutting my bedroom door behind her.

being stuck in this room with her makes me feel cornered and I already know I'm going to have to sit through another lecture.

"You've been a little weird lately," she starts off. "And your mother and I are kind of starting to realize the influence Leo has on you."

I raise an eyebrow at her. "You sound like your tryna be my parent."

"I'm not but you're not listening to your parents. You've always held good grades and such a good reputation. I already watched my brothers life go down hill, I can't let him drag you down too."

"At what point did someone say his life sucks?" I slowly understand everything he's been saying. "He's happy with how things are. He doesn't want to go off to be a lawyer or some doctor but instead something he likes, like teaching art."

"C'mon Andrew, that's ridiculous. You can't also be considering some pointless job?"

"No, it's just I'm tired of doing what my parents want me to do."

She sighs.

"Okay well, aside from all that, you've also been ignoring me."

"Been busy and you keep acting like my mom," I shrug.

"See, you're acting like him and I hate it."

She's acting like my mom and I hate it. When did she become such a buzzkill?

She looses the moody face and sighs before sitting next to me on my bed. "Look, I really care about you Andrew. Obviously we're still young and have a lot of growing to do but I do want this to go somewhere and I can't let you be another thing in my life Leo destroys."

Leo would say the same thing.

"I think you and Leo need to sort things out."

"Andrew, I've tried for years. You don't understand, he won't change." She stands up and walks to the door. "Make a decision, and don't make the wrong one."