It was well late at night when Leanne had heard the door to the house open. She froze for a moment, sitting up in her bed as she had been laying down watching some movie on the little television sitting on the farthest corner of the room on her desk. It wasn't very big, of course, but it was just enough for Leanne to see when she was curled up in bed on one or more occasions. Her eyes glanced over at her alarm clock, which read one in the morning. She sighed a bit angrily, her lips forming a line.

Leanne was an adult, so she felt she had a right to stay out as she pleased, but of course as long as she lived under her father's roof, she abided by his rules that honestly made her feel as if she were still a child. But how come he didn't get to abide by his own rules, she wondered as she looked over towards her door when it creaked open and her father poked his head in.

"Saw your light on. What are you doing still up?" he asked, as if it were some shocking thing.

Leanne closed her eyes for a moment, calming herself down so long that she didn't burst at him. He didn't get to have that tone with her.

"I'm an adult, dad. Of course I'm still awake now."

"You'll sleep the whole day away," he quipped.

She tilted her head to the side. "I don't go anywhere," she said with a shrug, passing it off as if it weren't important. "It's not like it really matters."

Something passed in her father's eyes she couldn't understand right away. It was as almost as if he had taken her words in offense, but knew she had a point. He said nothing and left her alone, closing the door behind him. She had seen the birthday cake smudge at his mustache. He knew he had been out celebrating with his friends.

So why couldn't she celebrate things with hers?

She turned over and laid on her side, unhappy.