Well, I survived. Somehow.

A whole week of being grounded, AND my first three days back at school. Not bad making it through all that in one piece, huh?

If I were Zelda, I’d probably post some super-filtered selfie on Instagram in celebration. #Survivor, or something (No, seriously. She would 100% do that).

I guess the school part was ALMOST as hard as being grounded. It always feels so weird for me when I go back to school. It’s SUPER hard to get used to it. Which is kinda weird, right? We don’t even get THAT long of a break… But maybe that’s why I never feel ready to go back. Summer’s never long enough!

Especially when your last week of Summer break is spent under house arrest. Ugh!

I got a lot of sketching done, at least? I’ve already been working on ideas for my Halloween costume. And I got to kick Tristan’s ass a few times at Galaxy Quest 3, which is always pretty fun (and, uh, he kicked MINE a few times too… But shh!)

I only got to see Zelda when she came over with Onkel Tam and Onkel Jasper for game night last weekend. Which normally would have been awesome, except it got totally ruined by Mama and Papa’s stupid fighting.

And this time, it was all my fault. I opened my stupid mouth and begged Papa to let me do game night with them, even though I was still grounded.

And he told me it was okay… Without asking Mama first.

I could hear them both yelling down in Mama’s office about it after. She got pissed that he told me yes without asking her if it was okay first. He said she was making it a bigger deal than it had to be and that she needed to ‘lighten up’ and stop ‘being so controlling all the damn time’.

Then she told him he needed to ‘grow a spine’ because he ‘couldn’t even say no to his own daughter’. Then he said she was just mad because she didn’t ‘get her way like she always does’.

I just tuned everything out after that. It was their usual back-and-forth garbage. And I hate it so fucking much.

It’s seriously like having freaking Jekyll and Hyde as parents. They can be so fun together sometimes. They laugh and joke and get all kissy and gross with each other. They act happy, and stuff. Like normal parents are supposed to be.

But then BAM — the littlest, stupidest thing sets them off, and they start biting each other’s heads off.

Then once they calm down, they either pretend it never happened, one of them apologizes (usually Papa), or they give each other the silent treatment for a while until they either forget why they were mad in the first place, or find something new to get mad about.

Rinse and repeat. Forever.

It’s like I told Mason — this is a freaking TRAP. One I never wanna end up caught in. Because I don’t really think there’s anything anybody can do to stop it.

They try, sometimes. But honestly, as much as they wanna try and help, it gets even WORSE when Oma Harper and Opa Dev try and get involved. I’ve heard them trying to lecture Mama and Papa before about their fighting… But that just makes everybody even more mad at each other. UGH. No thank you.

Sorry. I didn’t mean to get so carried away. I try and not let it bother me so much anymore. Not like it used to when I was little… But sometimes I can’t help it.

Anyway, I think that’s why I was more okay about going back to school this time than I usually am. I was starting to go a little crazy stuck at home with my parents for so long.

Plus, it was nice to see my friends from school again. I don’t usually hang out with Cleo and Athena THAT much when we’re not at school, but summertime’s even worse, since they both usually go away for break. I was pretty excited to finally see them again, and to tell them about Mason too.

My classes don’t seem so bad either. I’m kind of dreading my chem lab already though. I just don’t GET science. Blegh. I totally just zone out any time Ms. Kupel opens her mouth.

And English seems kinda lame too. But at least the kids in my class are pretty nice? We had to choose partners this morning, and I was sure I’d end up the loser working on their own, since I didn’t really know anybody in that class. That’s what always happened last year.

But then these two guys came up and BOTH asked if I wanted to work with them. I totally wasn’t expecting that. Taking pity on me or something, probably. But maybe I’ll be able to make some friends in that class after all!

And no matter what happens, in any of my other classes, I’m pretty sure Art is gonna make up for all the other lame crap anyway. I’ve heard Mr. Frank can be kind of a dick sometimes, but he at least seems to know what he’s talking about? I just wish he didn’t talk so FAST. I thought my hand was gonna fall off when I was taking notes the first day. I could barely keep up!

And I guess other people noticed I was having a hard time, because Trent Ziegler, of all people, came up to me after class and told me I could copy his notes, if I wanted to.

I probably freaked him out with the way I stared at him. I don’t even think I said anything. Then he just sorta shrugged and walked away.

Wow, nice move, Ember.

It was just so freaking bizarre. I didn’t even know Trent knew I existed! He’s like, on another level, you know? He’s so hot and charming and just… unnnghhh.

Too bad his sister is the biggest freaking bitch in the whole world. Luckily SHE never really seems to notice me much either. Too busy giggling and gossiping with her little minion, Natasha.

Or lately, making out with her new boyfriend EVERYWHERE. I guess they started dating over the summer or something? And now she’s trying to shove it in everybody’s face.

Okay, Serenity, we get it. You have a boyfriend. A pretty cute one too. So good for you.

But did you lose your V-Card to a sweet British guy under a sky full of stars? Yeah, didn’t think so.

And speaking of Mason… He started school this week too. We texted each other a little bit last night. He says things are going pretty good back home, but nothing too exciting. Same old, same old, just like here.

And normally I’m fine with same old, same old. But this time… It’s kind of a letdown.

I don’t know why I thought things would be different at school this year. Maybe it was all that stuff Mama said about me “blossoming” this summer. Or maybe it was because of what happened with Mason (If I’m a blossom, does that mean he’s like… a bee or something? Okay, I’m taking this metaphor way too far, sorry…).

Anyway, I guess I just thought I’d go back and I’d feel different. Or people would treat me different?

But so far, nothing too exciting to report.

Lame.