Baby, Just Breathe.

“Thanks for everything John” I said as I was getting off his car. We were back home and I was happy to be as far as possible from my father, but still, I would have missed John like crazy.
It was nice to have him around every single minute. I knew I was safe when he was with me.

“You’re welcome, you know that” I smiled and walked to the porch of my house, knowing my mom was looking at our every move. John followed me to the front door and sighed.

“I know I wasn’t very easy to handle these days”

“I can understand, you were under pressure... or maybe you were on your period” I laughed

“I will inform you before it happens again”

“I appreciate that” we both smiled but then silence got the best of us. I hated goodbyes; oh well, I should probably rephrase that: I hated to say him goodbye.
We both smiled and I could feel the awkwardness. He didn’t know if he could kiss me or not, because of my creeping mom. I just hugged him and kissed his cheek before going in, finding my mom sat on the couch reading the newspaper. I knew she was just pretending.

“Hello there” she said “I didn’t hear you coming”

I looked at her, and she was there, still pretending she wasn’t listening to every single word we were saying outside.

“Really”

“Yes, really. Why?”

“Because I know you were spying on us”

“I wasn’t” she replied, being as natural as possible. Like I was a fool who didn’t know her mom better than herself. “Anyway, how was Vegas?”

“Oh well, could have been better”

“Did you try to be nice to your dad and new wife?”

“Yes and apparently it didn’t turn out well so I guess to problem isn’t me” I took my bag and started walking upstairs, feeling her behind me. She was so curious.

“How are things with John?”

“Don’t you already know, creeper?”

She laughed “I swear I didn’t spy on you two. I trust you”

“Even by knowing I slept in the same room as John yesterday night?” she looked a little flashed at the beginning and that made me giggle but then she pretended –again- everything was ok.

“Yes, sure. I mean, if you lost your virginity you would tell me, so I’m all set”

I laughed “What if I didn’t tell you?”

She shook her head “nah, you would. I’m the only girlfriend you have left, you’re going to tell me if you decide to have sex with him or not”

“Wow, I’m impressed” I just replied, starting unpacking. She asked me what I wanted for dinner and then left me alone in my bedroom. I was so happy to have a cool mom like her.
We were kinda like the Gilmore girls. But without the surname Gilmore.
We spent the night together and fortunately she didn’t ask me again about John and I, before I could go to bed and think about the fact I had to go to work the next morning and the only reason I wanted to is because he was there (and of course for Sophia). If I only knew before something like that would have happened to me I would have laughed.

Next day I unfortunately found out John had to go somewhere with his band for a couple of days, or so Sophia said. I was pretty concerned because I expected him to tell me as now we were sort of together together, but maybe he wasn’t use tell his girlfriend he was going away for a while.
That made me kinda sad, and for the whole day I didn’t really look after Sophia like usual. She totally understood something was wrong, and I swear she was the best remedy for my sadness.

“Lauren, is everything ok?” she asked me as she was watching Spongebob and I was mindedly absent for the whole time. I looked at her and asked her if she could repeat.
“You look weird today”

“No, I’m fine, don’t worry kid-o”

“Are you sure?” I nodded “you can tell me” I smiled at how nice she was, so I caressed her brown hair “you also can tell me if you love my brother, I promise I won’t get jealous”

I giggled “you are very smart, aren’t you”

She shrugged her shoulder “I just figured you liked him. Every girl likes John, it’s impossible not to like him” I laughed.

“I’m not every girl, you should know that”

“I do, that’s why I said I’m not going to be jealous about it”

“and I thank you for that”

“I would actually be very happy if you and John got together” she started “at least I know you and I know you’re a good girl. John needs a good girl because he is a good guy” I smiled at her and thanked her again. I couldn’t deny that for a moment I stopped being said.
It was impossible to feel something bad with someone like Sophia around. She could make me feel better with just a word or smile. Kids sometimes are even better than adults.

That night I got back home and before going in I heard a clacson behind me. I turned around and saw John in his car waving at me and asking me to go into it with a gesture.
I walked to the car and did what he said. I was still disappointed.

“Surprise!” he got that I wasn’t that surprised, so he turned his smile into a worried frown “did I do something wrong?”

“a part from not telling me you were going away for a couple of days and then suddenly coming back, no everything’s great. I actually just got back from your house”

“Did Sophia tell you I was out of town for a few days?”

“Yes”

“Well she must have missunderstood”

“She’s a kid, she always tells the truth”

“She probably heard my conversation with Tim on the phone, he told me about some business stuff we need to do in LA before we leave for the Phillipines. That’s why I was away for the whole day, we were managing the whole thing”

I thought that I was being too cold and annoying with that whole girlfriend reaction that I didn’t like at all. I calmed down and sighed. “Sorry for not believing you. I just got mad because I was expecting you to tell me. I hoped to find you at home today, just that”

“That’s very sweet of you”

I didn’t expect him to react like that “Really? Aren’t you mad?”

“Why would I? You were worried about me, means that you care, and that’s sweet” I smiled “and I’m sorry for not telling you. I’m not used to tell people where I go and stuff, but I guess I should start from today”

“You better” I said grinning, making him laugh.

“Oh I do? Is it a threat? I’m so scared!” it was impossible to resist at his smile and laugh, so I just stopped being so cold and smiled him back. He noticed it. “Are we good?” I nodded.

“What are you doing tonight?”

“Going out with my girlfriend, what about you?”

“I think I’m going out with my boyfriend, he owes me one”

“I think he does” he smiled and got closer to kiss me gently, thing that I couldn’t deny. We stayed there for a while, just kissing, before I saw my mother creeping out of the window, again.
People never change their habits, don’t they?