CHAPTER 2-----SO MUCH FOR BEING BACK BEFORE 1AM

"Ramona Phillips! " Principal Sudley yelled into the microphone. Ramona stood up from her seat and walked to the stage as a dazzling smile formed on her face.

"Congratulations." Principal Sudley said as he shook hands with Ramona. They exchanged smiles and took some pictures. Ramona walked back to her seat and nodded at the congratulations being thrown at her. She had managed to snag the best graduating student of the year and she felt very happy since all her hard work and sleepless nights.

After the graduation ceremony, a group of her friends came to her side to congratulate her.

"Mona!! You did it!" Jules, her best friend, exclaimed as she pulled her into a hug. Ramona chuckled as she wrapped her arms around Jules.

"I know, Jules. I'm so happy. " Ramona said. Her other friends had left and now only the both of them remained.

"I'm happy too. Hey, how about we celebrate later tonight?" Jules asked.

"Hell yeah! Let's–" Ramona began but stopped suddenly. A full blown grin appeared on her face as she stared in the distance. "Aunt!" She yelled as she ran to her aunt.

"My baby," her aunt who had been waiting with open arms said. "Do you know how much I missed you?"

"Yes, I could feel it." Ramona answered, with a naughty smile. "I thought you said you wouldn't be able to make it."

"I tried my best and besides, that place and its occupants annoyed me!" Aunt Farah said, smiling. "I arrived just in time to see you walk up the stage. You look beautiful by the way. "

"Thanks, aunt. Jules did my makeup." Ramona grinned.

"Speaking of Jules, where is that little minx?" Aunt Farah asked as she looked around.

"You're really not gonna stop calling me that, are you?" Jules asked, appearing behind them. Farah and Ramona jumped, startled.

"Never. And stop sneaking up on me!" Farah scowled. Jules smirked without answering but the smirk already gave a reply.

"Jules and I are planning on having a celebratory night." Ramona announced.

"Alright, have fun, don't climb any beds. And be back before 1am."Aunt Farah warned. I was about to say something when Jules interjected,

"About the bed—no promises."

"And you wonder why I call you a minx?" Aunt Farah asked, incredulously. "Anyways, let's have a celebratory afternoon first. Let's go, girls!"

****[]****

Aunt Farah drove us to a restaurant downtown where we ordered a few things. We sat in the car and ate our food as we joked and remembered some things.

"You remember that time when we had just entered high school and I had a crush on some seniors. They were twins and then since you kind of knew them you decided to be a good person by telling them?" Jules asked in a joking tone but her eyes looked as if she would murder Ramona.

"Ah, those days. After I told them and you ran off leaving me to deal with the mess." Ramona completed.

"I left you so you could deal with the mess you created." She said, rolling her eyes. I was about to reply when her phone began ringing. She picked it up and frowned at the caller ID. She cut off the call and placed it back. The person called two more times and kept calling.

"Shouldn't you answer the call, Jules?" Aunt Farah asked.

"It's not someone important."

"If they're calling this much then they might want to talk about something important. Pick it up. " aunt Farah told her. Jules glanced at the phone and picked it up with a shaky hand.

"Hello?" she spoke into it.

"Hey, mistake. My pack of cigarettes is finished and so is your dad's drugs. Buy some on your way back." the person said on the other line. They all heard it since the person shouted it out.

"I don't have—" Jules began.

"Hey!! Don't give me that bullshit. Buy what I've told you to or don't even come close to this house. Understand?" the person screamed then rudely hung up the call.

"Who was that?" Aunt Farah asked, clutching the steering wheel as she drove off.

"My mom."

"Why's she talking to you like that?"

"She thinks of me as the mistake that ruined her marriage. She says she didn't even want me and that when I came, her marriage fell apart. She smokes a lot and my dad is sick. Terminal cancer and most times, her smoke affects him." Jules explained with a sad smile ."Can we branch the mall on our way?"

"That's rough. Mind if I talk to her?" aunt Farah asked.

"Nah. That almost always makes it worse. Thanks though."

"Anytime, little minx." aunt Farah winked. They stopped at the mall and aunt said she'd wait for them in the car.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Ramona asked, frowning

"Because I knew you'd be worried. How much?" Jules replied as she dropped the items on the counter.

"And you were right. I am. I'll pay." Ramona said, bringing out her purse.

"See. Worry. What I didn't want. "

"Stay at my house if it ever gets too much. Bring your dad too." Ramona told her as they walked back to the car. She smiled and nodded. They entered the car and drove Jules to her house. And as they looked at Jules enter the house, a vase broke and the yelling began.

****[]****

RAMONA'S POV

"What club is this?" I yelled, over the music.

"Club spasms. Hottest club in Medora city." Jules answered as we made our way to the bar.

"Weird name but considered its a club...." I said the broke off. Jules let out a light laugh and then sat at the bar. "The usual." she said to the bartender.

"What about the pretty miss?" the bartender asked, eyeing me. I had worn a mid thigh peach dress that showed off my curves and ample bosom.

"Sex on the beach." i replied.

"Literally or the drink." he asked.

"Both." I answered, smirking.

"I'll take your word for it then." he chuckled then brought our drinks. Jules and I drank our drinks until we lost all composure.

"That guy is hot!" I giggled as I pointed at a man opposite us.

"You've been saying that for the past 28 guys we've seen." Jules groaned then burst into a giggle. We were completely drunk and didn't know what we were saying.

"Hey, pretty ladies." two guys said as they came to our front. I glanced at the one in my front and smirked. He had dark hair and blue eyes. He was eyeing me up to down. He wore a white shirt with a tie that was loosened around the neck and a black Jean.

"Jules, I've found my ride home." I said as I grabbed his tie and wrapped it around my hand.

"Me too." she said as she placed her mouth on the other man.

"Let's go, big boy." I said dragging him to a room.

"You move fast." he complimented as I pinned him to the door.

"And so should you." I said, crushing my lips against his.

"You asked for it–and you'll get it–all night long." he said pushing me to the bed and tieing my hands together with his tie.

So much for being back before 1am.