I felt a cold, sweaty hand tugging at my arm, but each time I tried to open my eyes, I was blinded by the sun baring down on me.

Why is it so bright?

“Spencer Carlin! What the hell do you think you’re doing?!?! GET UP RIGHT THIS INSTANCE!”

I felt the weight on my stomach instantly be relieved and I sat up and looked around.

Am I outside?

I looked around again for a moment, trying to take in my surrounds. I was still in the tiny hut on the playground where Ashley and I had fallen asleep the night before.

“SPENCER! LOOK AT ME!”

I look over at all the yelling, and instantly jump up, banging my head on the ceiling of plastic playground we were in. As I rubbed my injury I climbed out and stood at attention, staring at the older version of myself.

Shit! Shit, shit, shit!

I looked over at Ashley, who had climbed out the other way, and she was ghost white. We had talked about what we would do if my parents (specifically my mother) ever caught us, but we never thought it would be this soon; the morning after our first date. We are all just staring at each other, different emotions running across all of our faces. I feel fear and confusion, and I can tell that Ashley shares those with me. But she also seems to have a touch of sadness across her face. It breaks my heart to see her looking this way; it breaks my heart to see her hurt. My attention is diverted back to my mother–the wake-up call–when she obviously clears her throat, wanting me to look at her.

Finally I sputter out, “What are you doing here, mom?”

I didn’t look at her. I couldn’t.

“Well I should ask you the same damn thing! Do you have any idea what time it is? Or how long Glen and I have been looking for you? I called you probably twenty times! Why the hell didn’t you answer?!? Why were you sleeping here? With…” She paused and looked over at Ashley. A disgusted look crossed her face and I could tell she was doing all she could to keep from slapping Ashley across the face. “Spencer, what are you doing here with her?” As she referred to Ashley, she lowered her voice to a sneer and nodded her head in Ashley’s direction, as if I wouldn’t have known who she was talking about. I silently slid my phone out of my pocket to check for the missed calls. It was off. The battery had died.