Infatuated

That night, after enduring Mr Walker’s lecture on how ‘tardiness is unacceptable’, I couldn’t help but let my mind wander to that mysterious boy. I hadn’t seen him again all day, as if he were avoiding me, I wouldn’t blame him. The house was dimly lit; I was sat at the table in the kitchen doing math homework. Oh the thrills of math. I felt the draft as the door to the living room opened, my eyes wandering over. I saw my mother walking over.

“Hey Mom” I greeted her.

She took the seat opposite me and casually leant her cheek on her hand.

“Hey Honey,” she replied getting up and rummaging through the fridge. “How was school? Detention with Mr Walker I’m presuming?” I rolled my eyes as she placed a TV dinner in the microwave; she knew me, and my teachers, too well.

“Yep, apparently I should stop ‘spending so much time on my appearance’ in order to get to school on time” I replied in a mocking tone and using air quotes.

“Well” she started hearing the beep and placing the dinner on a plate, she then moved my homework and replaced it with the rubbery meal. “Maybe he’s right,” she shrugged.

“He’d be right if I cared about how I looked, and as I don’t I’m afraid he’s wrong,” I retaliated picking up a fork and stabbing it at the ‘spaghetti’ lying in front of me. I heard her let out a small sigh as she took her place back at the table.

“So, did anything else eventful happen?” She asked, expecting a ‘no’ in reply.

“Not, really” I replied frowning at my dinner.

“Oh?” She asked. An edge to her voice, knowing there was something that I wasn’t willing to tell her.

“Well, there’s a new boy at our school” I began before she leaned forward in her seat with a grin on her face.

“I see,” she said in a suggestive tone. I stared at her.

“And no, I’m not dating the new kid” I said blankly after a moment. She groaned and rolled her eyes.

“Autumn” she whined.

“Mom, I’m only sixteen” I stated.

“Exactly! Most girls your age have had plenty of boyfriends by now!” I groaned at her choice of topic, she took the hint. “Okay, well, tell me about this guy then,” she continued. I looked up and fixed my eyes on a small corner of the kitchen.

“He’s... mysterious” I began furrowing my eyebrows. “He doesn’t speak much either,” I added shaking my head and returning to eating.

“Is he hot?” My eyes bugged and my airwaves became blocked with spaghetti. I started choking at this burning feeling in my throat. Spaghetti was flying everywhere and when I’d regained the art of breathing I stared at her with a look screaming ‘are you trying to kill me?’ She remained totally casual and just looked back at me.

“That a yes?” I couldn’t believe this.

“Mom! I just nearly died, right in front of you, through fault of your own, and all you can think about is if the new boy’s easy on the eyes?” I screamed. She appeared to be debating it and then finally shrugged.

“Pretty much, yeah” I scowled and let out a low growl to which she just giggled.

“I’m going calling Alex,” I mumbled leaving the table and heading towards the staircase.