“Let’s see…” I mumbled quietly to myself.

“Phone. Check. Makeup. Check. Cute outfit...Check? Ehh cute enough.”

My top was a black blouse with some cute frilly sleeves I got at Perpetually20. I paired that with my favorite plaid skirt that I wear way too often, but I couldn’t help myself. It was just too comfy.

Plus there was that one time Scott did actually say it looked nice on me. It was only that one time, but still…

I completed my cute? look with some super cool, but also super overpriced black ankle boots I bought when we went on a family vacation to LA this summer.

All in all it was actually a pretty cute look I thought. Probably…hopefully.

“Now that my supplies are gathered, it’s time to commence the next stage of the plan.” I sneered villainously at no one in particular.

With my parent’s (read: mother's) rejection of my proposal to go to the party tonight, I was left with no other option, but to sneak out and go there anyway. Honestly it was stupid of me to assume my mother would ever be cool enough to let me go to a party where there might be alcohol.

Seriously, I got good grades, never got in trouble at school, and was a model of a well behaved daughter at home.

“Gahh, whatever.” I spat out.

Focus, focus… Okay. Dinner should have finished by now, and everyone cleared out of the kitchen. That meant that Mom and or Dad were likely lounging in the living room watching TV or reading a book.

Now, it would be possible to sneak down the stairs and slowly and quietly move past the entrance way to the living room and out the front door without being spotted. But it would be risky.

The better option would be to go down the stairs, into the now empty kitchen, then quietly into the garage, and then finally out the side door into the yard. This route depended on my assumption that everyone was out of the kitchen by now. I was pretty confident Dad would have left right after he finished. Mom didn’t usually stay long after that, even if she hadn’t finished all the food on her plate. She would usually tell one of us to put the dishes in the dishwasher or just do it herself.

This brought me to the final and possibly biggest unknown variable in my epic escape plan, my brother.

At this point, the most likely location for him to be was in his room, but there was no guarantee. The worst case scenario was if he had gotten stuck in the kitchen manually cleaning all the dishes and pans that had been used in the sink. Mom usually only did this as punishment when one of us did something to tick her off enough. Elliot got this treatment far more than me though, which is why it was on my radar of things to be concerned about right now.

It was also possible he was in the living room with Mom and Dad if they were watching a movie or show together. Or playing with his basketball or using his bike.

He could also have gone over to a friend's house…

Gahh, he was too much of a wild card in this.

“Hmm…” I mused aloud.

Maybe I could reduce some of the options with a little bit of scouting.

I walked to the door to my room, and was about to casually open it when I realized I was already all glammed up.

“Frick.”

I was hoping to nonchalantly do a walk around the house and pin down everyone’s locations. But dressed up like I was with makeup on and everything, everyone would know that I was up to something.

“Double frick. Ah well, I just have to choose my route on the fly.” I told myself.

Worst case I could just try sneaking out my bedroom window right? It works all the time in the movies.

I quietly continued the approach to my door and slowly opened it, careful not to make any sound as the hinges and wood were moved out of their stationary position.

Utter silence. Success.

I gave myself a silent but congratulatory fist pump.

Phase one. Complete.

I slowly crept my way down the hallway all the while maintaining a low and cautious crouch. Along the way I tried to keep an ear open to see if I could hear Elliot in his room or not, but unfortunately I couldn’t pick up anything.

That didn’t really mean anything though. He could be quietly doing his homework at his desk.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Pfft nah. More likely, if he was in his room, he just had his headphones on and was continuing to deafen himself while on his computer.

Disregarding my speculation, I continued on until finally I reached the stairs that led down to the first floor.

Again I strained my ear holes to try and pick up any clue or indication about where everyone was at the moment.

Sound was coming from the living room. The TV was on. Not nearly as loud as when Elliot was using it, but still it meant someone was in there.

A good sign, but one I was the least surprised by. The biggest question still awaited me at the bottom of the stairs.

I crept down one slow footfall at a time. Down I went, step by slow step.

Until finally I had fully descended the staircase, quiet as a ghost.

I tried to peek into the living from where I was, but I couldn’t make out anyone’s figures.

Slowly I eased myself against the nearby wall, and tried to listen into the kitchen I was now next to.

No sound. That was good.

I moved my head incredibly slowly, to peek around the corner to see if it was empty like I hoped.

At a speed so slow a glacier would be impressed, part of my face and more importantly one of my eyes was finally far enough around the corner to see into the currently very empty kitchen.

I cracked a smile at my good fortune, and restrained myself from making another silly victory gesture.

Instead, I continued my laborious but stealthy crouch and walk through the kitchen and towards the door to the garage.

Phase two. Complete.

My path should be clear from now on, with the kitchen empty I should have a straight shot to the side door and out into freedom.

I made it through the kitchen door and into the dark and quiet garage, making sure to close the door behind me as I went. I skulked across the usually pitch-black room and towards where I knew the outside door was. For some reason my eyes could see a little bit better than I was used to as I made my way across the dark room.

Reaching out, my hand made contact with the expected door, and just as I started to turn the handle to make my escape, the lights of the garage all switched on.

I spun around, only to find my Dad walking out from behind the other side of the car, close to the actual garage door.

“Well, well, well.” He said while smiling at me. “ What do we have here?”

“D-dad w-what are you doing here?” I mumbled out.

“Wasn’t that the question I just asked you?” He said while raising an eyebrow. “You just repeating the things I say back at me huh?”

He crossed his arms and gave me a stern look, but just as quickly his face relaxed back into a smile and he dropped his arms.

“So.” He started again. “You going out somewhere then.”

He gestured with his pointer finger up and down at me, indicating what I was wearing.

“N-no, don’t be silly Dad haha. Where would I be going at this hour haha?” I replied nervously.

“Jennifer.” He said simply.

Crestfallen I looked down and said. “Fine, yes I was sneaking out to go to the party.”

“Good, thank you for being honest with me.”

He began to walk towards me at this point, once he got within a couple feet he started talking again.

“I know you know your Mom doesn’t want you going, and I know you know she means well. But…” He let that statement hang for a few seconds.

I slowly looked back up at him curious where he was going with this.

“She was right when she said we were both young and your age once. We’ve both, your Mom and I, gone to parties, drank beer, and danced with some cute random stranger.”

Where was he going with this? Was this another lecture? Is this his way of dissuading me from going to.

“We’ve also both made mistakes, done things we regret now with the hindsight of time and experience. She, your Mom that is, only wants to help you avoid having those same regrets.” He said to me with an earnest look.

“Now, while I agree with her motivation, I don’t necessarily agree with her method. Some things you have to learn yourself, experience for yourself, sometimes it's actually important to make mistakes, to fuck up, to have to ask for help or whatever else.” He waved his hand around dismissively at this.

“All that is to say, I won’t stop you from going to your party, if you still want to go.”

“R-really?” I stuttered out.

“Yep.”

“But…what are you going to tell Mom?” I asked.

He crossed his arms and shrugged.

“Depends if she finds out you went or not. I won’t tell her about it, but if you get caught, I’ll just tell her what I told you.” He shrugged again.

“Wow…t-thanks Dad.” I told him with a big smile.

I reached out to give him a big and well deserved hug, but before I could he interrupted me.

“Now that said, I do expect you to not do anything stupid…too stupid.” He quickly corrected.

“I won’t.”

He gave me a wan smile.

“I’m sure, but if you do, don’t be afraid to call me, or yes even your Mom, if you need help.”

It took me a little bit longer to respond to that.

“I will. I have my phone and I’ll call you if I need you.”

“Or your Mom.” He corrected.

“Or Mom if I need either of you.” I corrected back.

“Good, well, I won’t keep from continuing your skullduggery then. Carry on.” He gestured at the door and the way out.

I reached out and gave him a hug then, which he returned.

“Thank you Dad.”

“You're welcome sweetie, just be careful. Your Mom and I can’t help but worry, it’s just a parent thing.”

“I know and I will” I told him while still wrapped in his warm and comforting hug.

Breaking apart I smiled at him as I made my way back towards the door. This time without any real effort to be stealthy.

“What is that?” My Dad critiqued a bit too loudly. “How did you even manage to make it down the hallway without getting caught, lumbering around like an oaf.”

I re-entered a tight low crouch and started edging my body toward the door, as my hand crept slowly toward the handle.

“Better, better, still could use some work though.” He continued to heckle.

With a smile on my face I made my way out the side door and into the crisp night air. Somewhat less quietly, I made my way to the front of the garage to search for the item I was hoping to find there.

Looking around I quickly spotted it, Elliot’s chrome red bmx bike. With its 20-inch wheels and custom paint, It was one of Elliot’s most treasured possessions, even if it was well used at this point with a few chips missing in its once pristine paint job.

Tonight though, tonight it was my means of escape.

I’d like to think Elliot would agree to let me borrow, but meh, better to ask forgiveness than permission right?

As long as I brought it back in one piece, he should be cool with it, probably.

I brought my leg over the bike and settled my butt into the seat as I situated myself

Making my way out to the end of our driveway, I made double-sure to look both ways this time, before eventually easing myself out onto the street and speeding off into the night.

I had a party to get to.

“...Ugh.”