Getting Ready

~Roxanne~

I groan internally. "Richard go get the bags from Jax's car."

"Why should I do it?" He asks, never looking up from his phone.

I reach over and yank the phone out of his hands. He reaches for it and tries to grab it and I stuff it in my bra. "Because I said so, now go." He begrudgingly leaves and I pull his phone out. 'Who has he been texting?' I find his inbox and the first thing that pops up is '1 New Message from: Angelie'. 'Not her,' I think bitterly. Angelie Larsht and Richard dated for a year or so, constantly breaking up and getting back together. I scroll through their messages and breathe a sigh of relief.

Richard come in and puts down all the bags. "Stop looking through my messages!" He screams as he lunges for his phone.

I hand it back to him and hesitantly say, "I'm happy you broke up with her." He sends me a look and I shrug. "C'mon it's like 9:30 and we need to go get furniture for our flat." He nods and we quickly hail a cab.

"To McCarthy Cars please," Richard orders. The driver grunts and we are quickly set in motion.

~Jaxelle~

After Richard came and got the bags from my car I drove straight home. 'Time to convince Mom and Dad to let me move out.' I walk in and see mom on the couch, watching one of her soaps. I always get lost when I try to watch them so I no longer bother. I plop down next to her, glancing at the clock. Its only 9:50? it feels like its been a lot longer than that.

"Jaxelle, I know you want to move in with Rox but I just don't think its a good idea." My mom says, not looking away from the blanket she's knitting. 

"But mom, I'm 19, 20 in a few months. Legally, I am old enough to move out and I'll only be 20 minutes away." I plea. "And if I work in the mornings, I can go to school in the afternoons. I can help Rox pay for rent, and if it doesn't work out then I promise I will come back home until I am for sure ready to make that step." I stop, looking at her hopefully.

"Go get some breakfast, your dad and I will talk about it when he gets home," she sounds as if she's scared to let me go. I get up and make my way to the kitchen, quickly pouring a bowl of cereal and sitting at the table. How can I convince my mom and dad to let me move out?

~Roxanne~

"Well Mr. McCarthy, I think we have ourselves a deal." I say as I shake his hand. We had spent the last 20 minutes convincing Mr. McCarthy to lower the price on his used Chrysler Sebring Convertible from ₤7032.75 to two payments of ₤3200.

"I believe we do," he says as he hands me the keys.

Richard and I run out to see our new used wine colored car. "I think it's pretty good." Richard comments. "It's in good condition and it looks awesome." He climbs into the passenger side and sighs. "So how exactly is this going to work?"

"We'll come back in two months with the other ₤3200 and... that's pretty much it. What part didn't you get?" I ask as I adjust the rearview mirror.

"No, I mean how are gonna share a car?" He rolls his eyes and we begin to move.

"I'll drive you to school every morning and pick you up after the games, on weekends you can ride the bus to your friend's houses until we get another car." I say as we pull up to Heal's.

"Why can't I drive?" Richard whines.

"Because," I say through gritted teeth. "It was my money that payed for the car, I'm gonna be the one paying rent and I need it to get to work."

"You don't even have a job yet," he reminds me.

I quickly turn around and stare at him. "Yet, key word. Now shut up and go get a catalog. We need to get our furniture today." He nods and we begin our shopping.

~Jaxelle~

I hear the front door open downstairs, 5:30 on the dot. I bounce down the stairs and give my dad a quick hug. I still don't know how I am going to convince them, but I have to try.

"Hey Daddy," I say. Yes, I still call my dad 'Daddy'. "How was work?"

"Oh, it was fine," he pauses. "That is until I get a phone call telling me my daughter wants to move out." I freeze, looking up at him.

"Oh, yeah. Uhm, about that..." I find myself at a loss for words. 

"Okay, we can talk about that after dinner." My mom says, walking into the living room. "I made stew for dinner." Thats one thing I'll miss if I move out, my mom's stew. We all sit at the table, my dad at the head, my mom sitting to his left, and me to his right. Dinner is a silent event, something very unusual for my family. The tension in the room slowly builds as a veil of awkward silence falls upon us. 

"Stew's really good Mom," I say, trying to break the silence.

"Yeah," she weakly replies, the silence settling again.

"Listen Jax," my dad begins.

"I don't wanna hear it at the table. Finish the food and then we can talk," Mom interrupts.

We finish eating, breaking a new record for longest and most awkward meal ever. "Okay Jax," Mom says after I've cleared the plates and put them in the dishwasher. "Sit down and let's talk about this," she looks to my dad, "calmly."

"I want to move in with Roxie and Rich, I am old enough to be legally considered an adult, I have good grades, I am responsible, I can balance a part-time job and school, I ca-," I begin.

"Okay Jax, enough!" Mom says sternly. "I get it, you think you're ready for this."

"No Mom, I don't think I'm ready, I know it." I state. "I am an adult, I can move out if I want to."

"Don't talk to your mother that way!" My dad snaps.

"Ashton stop it," my mom says. she takes a deep breath, trying to keep her anger down. "Jax, you have a point, but you are only 19. I just don't think its a good idea for you to move out so soon."

"But mom, you always told me as a kid, you never know unless you try. How will we know if I'm ready to move out if I don't try? Worst case scenario, it doesn't work out and I come back home." I spit this all out quickly, afraid I'll lose my edge if I don't. I wait for their response but they both just sit there. Mom glances over at Dad before he gets up and leaves the room.

"Let me go talk to him," she says before following him up the stairs. I sit in silence, staring down at my hands before looking up and hearing footsteps come back down the stairs. They both take a seat at the table, sitting across from me, and Dad rubs his forehead, clearly stressed.

"Okay," is all he says. I give him a confused look. "You can move in with Roxanne," he finishes. "But," he interrupts before i can get excited. "If your grades drop, you get in trouble with the authorities, or miss classes; you're coming home."

"I get it dad." I say, wanting to hurry and call Rox. 

"There are some boxes in the garage," Mom tells me with a forced smile. "I'll help you pack tomorrow." I nod before slowly and calmly getting up and walking out of the room. As soon as I am through the door and in the hallway where they can't see me, I jump up and down, letting out a silent scream. I race up the stairs and into my room, grabbing my phone of my bed. I dial Roxie's number and pace back and forth, waiting for her to answer, which she doesn't. I quickly hang up, not bothering to leave a voicemail, and dialing Richard's number.

"Hello?" He asks. I can tell his mouth is full because I can barely understand him. 

"My parents said I can move in!" I blurt excitedly.

"Okay, why are you calling me about this?" he asks, his voice clearer now.

"Rox didn't answer her phone. Is she there?" I hear some background noise before Rox's voice fills my ear.

"Hey Jax, 'sup?" she asks. 

"My parents said I can move in!" We both scream over the phone and I can imagine her jumping up and down like I am right now. "I'm gonna pack my stuff tomorrow and then we can get a U-haul and move all my stuff over." 

"Someone say new house party next weekend?" I hear Richard ask me.

"You know it!" Roxie and I both say.

Reviews

[Izabe143]

Love it!!!!! I want to come to the party!😝

[Randall Trzaska]

lol. maybe we can add you in the story ;) ~K~

[Izabe143]

Sounds like a deal

[Izabe143]

😝😝😝😝😝😝😝😝😝😝😝😝😝😝😝😝😝😝

[Randall Trzaska]

LOL IDK about that, I don't really know you well enough to put you in but if ~K~ wants to do it then she can XD ~G~

[Izabe143]

Up to ya'll I'm messing around so