291 Busted 3 (1/2)

I couldn't remember how long it took for me to fall asleep. My mind just wouldn't shut off as I was weighed down by my own thoughts and secrets. After what felt like a second, I woke up to Mr. Atkins knocking at our bedroom door.

”Dad?” Noah asked, groggily, still half asleep like me. ”What is it?”

”It's time to wake up.” He stated. ”Get dressed and come eat breakfast.”

”It's too early. Let us sleep a little longer.” I could hear Noah flip around in his bed.

”Noah. I won't repeat myself.” He left and I could hear him knocking on the twins door and having a similar conversation.

Noah and I both got up; him in his pajamas and me still in my clothes from last night.

”Do you think he knows?” I asked, worried. Mr. Atkins used his 'strict' voice and sounded like he was controlling his anger.

Noah shrugged and started to pull out some clothes for the day. ”Maybe. He sounded like he did. We should hurry.”

I grabbed some clean clothes and took them to the bathroom to change. By the time I made it to the kitchen table, the three boys and their dad were already there. Yet, they didn't start eating yet.

”Have a seat, Jake.” Mr. Atkins pointed to my usual seat.

I did what I was told and sat next to Noah. The twins, who sat across from us, weren't exactly giving me looks of comfort. Instead, they looked as nervous as I felt.

”Funny story. Last night, I pulled into the driveway and out of nowhere, a police officer greeted me.” Mr. Atkins frowned. ”Imagine my surprise in the middle of the night, being approached by a cop. And then, he asked me if I knew that my boys broke curfew. I was stunned. Not my boys. It couldn't be. Then he kindly informed me that he followed them home, to this house, and even gave me a description of all four boys.”

A heavy silence fell upon us. I refused to look up from my plate and I'm sure the other boys were the same.

”Well?” Mr. Atkins raised his voice a notch higher. ”Is anyone going to tell me where you four went last night?”

”A friends house.” Dave offered up weakly.

”Who's it? Someone on the team?”

”A girl on the softball team.” Kyle softly replied, omitting Leslie's name.

”You went to a girls house? All four of you? For what reason?” Mr. Atkins didn't even pause. ”Ah, no need to answer. It was obviously a party, am I right?”

He stood up from his spot at the head of the table. ”I can't believe that I leave you alone for one night, and you guys go out like that. Were you thinking about the consequences at all? Was there alcohol at this party?”

”Yes, but we didn't drink!” Dave said.

”That doesn't make it okay.” Mr. Atkins sounded upset. ”What if you boys got hit by a drunk driver in the middle of the night? Coming from a party is dangerous. There could have been a fight or an accident and I wouldn't even know.”

Is he upset that we went or that we didn't tell him? I peeked up and saw him looking at me with anxiety in his eyes. ”Jake, did they force you to go?”