no spark between us, if I’m being completely honest. I was more excited that someone actually hit on me than anything else. I worry my lip between my teeth. I don’t want to waste the guy’s time either if I’m already thinking it won’t work. Maybe a spark will grow once we go out? Okay, I know that’s not how sparks usually work, but it could happen. If nothing else, I’m hoping a new friendship will blossom from this.
“What are you debating?” my mom asks as she takes a sip of her coffee.
“A guy.” Her eyebrows lift in surprise. “I was asked on a date. I’m not sure I’m into him, though. I was going to go, but I don’t want to waste his time or….”
“Go,” Mom says, cutting me off before I start to ramble more. “Pay for your own stuff and no harm, no foul. You never know what could happen. Don’t close yourself off.” She shrugs.
“Okay.” That does sound like a good idea.
Andrew: See you there at 7?
Me: I’ll be there. Seen you then.
I guess that’s that. I have a date. That should not feel weird to me, but it does.
“Are you excited?” Mom sits down at the small table we keep in the kitchen. We hardly use the dining room. I do sometimes if I’m doing a cram study session.
“I’m not sure what I am,” I admit. Reid is messing with my mind. I keep playing last night over and over in my head. Why is he suddenly giving me the time of day? I should be thinking about Andrew, but nope. All my thoughts lead back to Reid. Why did he give a crap if some guy wanted to talk to me last night? Why did he give a crap about me at all! The more I think about it, the more confusing it gets.
“It’s just a date. You remember to be safe and all the things we’ve talked about.”
“I know, Mom. I promise.” She stands, giving me a kiss on the head before she heads back out of the kitchen. I love my mom to pieces, and I’m lucky to have a mom like her. It’s always been just her and me from the beginning. From my understanding, my father was a one-night stand not looking to be a dad. I’ve never really asked about him. I know that she’d be more than willing to share whatever information she had about him, but to be honest, I don’t really want to know. He made his choice to not be a part of my life.
Mom, on the other hand, took it as a blessing when she found out she was pregnant. She always wanted kids, but there had never been the right time or right guy. Then it just happened. We’re kind of our own family.
Even this house was the one my mom had grown up in. She lost her parents a few months before she found out about me. She’d planned to sell the house, but she changed her mind because of me. She said she had so many fond memories of growing up in this house that she wanted me to have that environment too. She wanted to make new memories here with me. Not that it would have been hard for her to sell it. It is her job, after all, and she is really good at it.
I clean up my mess before lying down on the sofa to watch some TV. I must have passed out at some point because before I know it, Willow is shaking me awake.
“What are you doing?” she asks.
“What the hell does it look like I’m doing?” I rub my eyes, sitting up.
“You have a date to get ready for.”
“That’s not till…” I stop talking when I see the time. I took one hell of a nap. I think I was making up for last night's crappy sleep after the whole Reid thing.
“Let’s get you looking extra hot.”
I look down to see the giant bag she brought with her. “You’re going to make me do hair and makeup, aren't you?”
Willow and I have two very different types of hair and makeup. I’m more laid back when it comes to getting all prettied up. I usually put on a little lip gloss and mascara. That seems to work perfectly for me. To me, leaving my hair down meant it was styled.
“You’ll give me this.” I nod in agreement. She’s so excited that I can’t say no to