It was going on nine o’clock and Alex still hadn’t called Olivia to pick her up.  Ugh, it’s been hours.  Why the hell hasn’t she called me? Olivia wondered, more than a little worried.  She could no longer fight temptation and decided that she’d just have to risk interrupting the Cabots in whatever torture they were exacting upon Alex.

 

Alex answered right before her voicemail picked up.  “Hey.”

 

“Hey, baby,” Olivia said, trying to keep her worry from causing her voice to tremble.  “I was worried out of my mind cuz you hadn’t called me yet.  How’d it go?”

 

Alex groaned.  “Badly.  Very badly.  I didn’t call because I’m grounded.  I’m not even supposed to be on the phone after eight.”

 

Olivia gasped.  “Grounded?  Sweetie, I’m sorry.  What happened?”

 

“Well, Liv, thanks to your brilliant plan of lying about ‘Mike,’ my parents have grounded me for two weeks so I can no longer sneak off to see him.  And I had to actually act like I was crying because I’m forbidden to have anymore contact with Mike.  In reality I was crying because I’ll be stuck in this room for an eternity for something I didn’t even do, and they confiscated all my credit cards in case I decide to ‘sneak out.’  Ugh, and I’d planned to go shopping tomorrow.  I’m lucky they showed me a little mercy and let me keep my cell.  I told you this was a bad idea.”

 

Olivia immediately took offense that Alex was blaming her for being grounded.  “Well, Alex, being grounded is better than me going to jail for violating a restraining order because your mom found out we were dating and forbade me to see you,” she snapped.

 

“Yeah, Liv.  And now the only time we’ll be able to see each other is at school.  Daddy said I better come straight home everyday and I can’t have any company.”

 

“Well, Alex, you shouldn’t be so ungrateful.  At least we can still talk on the phone.  And there’s always IM.”

 

“That’s easy for you to say, Liv.  You can go wherever you damn well please,” Alex countered.

 

“Don’t take this out on me, Alex.  I was looking out for us, not for your credit cards.”

 

Alex rolled her eyes.  “What the fuck ever, Liv.  Oh, but that’s not the worst part.  Mom humiliated me by making me take a pregnancy test and she said ‘just to be safe,’ she’s taking me to the gynecologist tomorrow and letting her examine me.  And she said she’s putting me on birth control.  Birth control, Liv.”

 

Olivia was clearly shocked.  She hadn’t expected this to happen.  She quickly tried to think of a solution.  “Well…just flush the pills down the toilet, sweetie.  Or give them away.”

 

“Not so simple, Liv.  What if I have to wear a patch?  Or if they’re pills, what if she monitors me to make sure I take them?”

 

“I dunno, Al.  We’ll think of something.  But if she’s told you you can no longer see Mike, then why is she going to all this trouble?”

 

“Because neither of my parents trust me anymore.  Daddy seems to think I’m some slut and if it isn’t Mike, I’ll just go out and have sex with someone else.  He said it was a disgrace that his little girl was behaving like a ‘common whore.’  And Mom told me I better not try to sneak off to see him and to break it off with him immediately.  She said that if I don’t, she’ll find out about it.  I guess this is where Olivia the spy comes in,” Alex said bitterly.

 

“Alex…arguing about this isn’t gonna get us anywhere.  There has to be a rational way out of this.”

 

“Well, I sure hope one of us has some sort of epiphany soon because otherwise, I’m fucked.”

 

Olivia clenched her jaw.  “Alex, it’s not like I get to benefit from you being grounded.  This hurts me, too.  Do you think I’m overjoyed because I won’t get to spend every free moment with you?”

 

Alex sighed.  “Sorry, Liv.  I’m just really pissed off.  I know you only had the best intentions in mind.”

 

“And I’m sorry you’re grounded and have to be probed and prodded tomorrow.  I just…I just wish I could see you tonight.  I was really looking forward to you coming over again.”

 

“I know, Liv.  Me, too,” Alex sighed.  There was a slight pause on the line.

 

Olivia smiled at the thoughts that had started forming in her mind.  “Maybe I can lighten the mood a little.”

 

Alex smiled for the first time since Olivia had called.  “How?”

 

“Well…that depends.  What are you wearing?”

 

Alex looked down.  “Just my satin pajamas.”

 

“What color?”

 

“Light blue.”

 

“And what color panties?” Olivia continued.

 

Alex grinned.  “Commando.”

 

Olivia bit her lip and began to slide her hand down into her underwear.  “Mmm…that sounds nice.”

 

“What are you wearing?” Alex asked flirtatiously.

 

“White undies and that little navy tank you saw me in earlier.  But not for long.”

 

Alex unbuttoned her top.  “I like the sound of that,” she said, slipping her own hand into her pajama bottoms.

 

Olivia licked her lips.  “Alex…baby, I’m wet.”

 

“Mmm…me too,” Alex responded.

 

“My nipples are so hard for you, sweetie,” Olivia said, closing her eyes.  “Tell me what you’d like to do to me.”

 

“Well…first I’d—”  All of a sudden, Alex heard footsteps coming up the stairs.  “Shit, Liv.  Someone’s coming.  Gotta go.  Love ya,” she said hurriedly, closing her phone and putting it on her nightstand.  She quickly buttoned her top.

 

Olivia groaned and looked at her display to see “Call Ended.”  God, her mom sure knows how to interrupt at the most inopportune times.  She closed her phone and reached for a tissue to wipe her hand before turning on the tv.  Flipping through the channels, she leaned back against her pillows and sighed.  Tonight is gonna be one hell of a long night, Olivia thought dejectedly.

 

**************

 

Alex heard a knock at her door.  “Come in,” she shouted from her bed.

 

The door opened to reveal her father.  “Hey princess,” he said with a smile.

 

Alex forced a smile.  “Hey Daddy.”

 

“How ya holdin’ up?” he asked, taking a seat on her bed.

 

“Ok,” Alex said quietly.

 

Mr. Cabot looked down briefly before speaking.  “Listen, sweetie.  I’m sorry about the things I said earlier.  I let my anger cloud my judgment.”

 

Alex sighed.  “You were just doing your job as a concerned parent,” she responded, her voice flat.

 

Her father patted her knee.  “I just want you to know that your mother and I may not always agree with your decisions, but no matter what you do, we will always still love you.”

 

Alex smiled and gave her father a hug.  “Thanks.”

 

He returned the hug and then stood up.  “Well, I’ll let you catch some shuteye.  I know being grounded won’t be fun, but I’m sure these two weeks will fly by.  Just keep yourself occupied.”

 

“I’ll try,” Alex said.  “I don’t know how exciting this house or school can be, but I have a great imagination.”

 

Her father chuckled.  “That’s the spirit, sweetie.  Good night.”  He closed the door softly but suddenly opened it again and peeked his head back in.  “You hang in there, ok?”

 

“Ok, Daddy.  Night,” Alex said, turning out her light.  She reached for her picture of Olivia on her nightstand and hugged it to her chest.  How I wish you were holding me right now, she thought with a sigh.