Bad Habits

I was sitting in my room in front of a blank canvas with a pencil, when my parents called me from downstairs. I set the pencil down, then ran out onto the catwalk and looked down at them.
"Yes?"
"We're about to go to the O'Callaghan's house--"
"Oh! I'm coming, too." I cut them off, then ran in my room and ripped off my clothes, changing into a tribal skirt that came a little higher than mid thigh, and hugged my hips, a black spaghetti strap tank top that I tucked loosely into my skirt, and a light gray cardigan.

"Why are you going?" My mom asked as she stepped into my room.
"Oh, I see!" she snickered, and I looked up at her.
"What are you talking about?" I asked, and she shrugged.
"You're going for John," She almost sang, and I rolled my eyes.
"We have a project that we're gonna be working on, mother."
"Mmhmm, I'm sure you do. You wouldn't be dressing like that if it was really just school work." she scoffed as she pulled a pair of heels out from my closet and handed them to me.
"You're just like Nicole," I mumbled, and she laughed.
"Nicole's a wonderful girl!"

After putting on the pumps my mom had chosen for me, she yanked me up and into the bathroom, where she did my make up and hair.

"Donna, will you please hurry!" my father called from downstairs, and she rolled her eyes.
"Alright, your father has his panties all in a wad. Here, you finish your hair, and meet us at the house." she said, putting the curling iron in my hand, and practically running out of my bathroom. I sighed, then finished up the curls in my hair, before spritzing some perfume on. I turned the curling iron off, then went out into my room and grabbed my gum off of my desk. I put a couple pieces in my mouth, before looking at myself in the mirror, straightening out my skirt. These heels weren't so bad. I could walk in them, and that's enough for me.

After a few minutes, I headed downstairs with my lap top, and put it in my bag, then gently slung it over my shoulder, before heading out and down the road to John's house.

I knocked on the door, and stood there, looking down at my shoes. The door opened, and I looked up to see John's green eyes filled with shock.
"Oh... Wow. Um... Come in," he said quietly, stepping to the side. I smiled, then stepped inside, ignoring the stares from not only John and my parents, but Nicole and Kennedy's. John closed the door, then gave me another sweet smile. He wore a pair of black jeans and a white v neck, something that he oddly wore a lot.

"Umm... This way," he said quietly, leading me up the stairs and into his room. He closed the door behind us, and stared at me for a second.
"You look... Really... Nice." he finally said, and I gave a small smile as a soft blush came across my face.
"Thanks... I feel pretty over dressed," I said, giving a nervous laugh, and he shook his head.
"You're fine. I mean, you look fine. I, uh... You look great." he said, giving a sigh. I bit down on my bottom lip, then sat down on his bed, pulling my lap top out. He sat at his desk, then dropped something that looked like editing software down on his computer.

"Oh, yeah, I didn't know you played guitar." he said, turning in his chair to face me. He must have remembered from school earlier.
"Oh, yeah. I learned a while back."
"That's cool. Do you jam with Kennedy a lot?"
"Yeah, it's kinda our thing. He taught me how to play, and so that's our way of bonding, since the only thing Nicole knows how to do is play dress up and go shopping and all that shit. I'm always dragged along though, and then yelled at for doing something else."
"So you are more of the fine arts kinda person, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess. I can't dance though. I'm too awkward and clumsy to dance," I chuckled, and he nodded.
"So what exactly do you do?"
"Um, well, I'm sure you've guessed, I'm a painter, I'm a musician, and a writer."
"You're a musician? As in, like, you sing, too?"
"...Yeah. Not many people have heard my voice though."
"Yeah, yeah, you're really shy."
"Yup, pretty much," I said and we laughed.

That was when John's mom burst through the door.
"Would you kids like some snacks or something? Anything? Kat?" she asked, and John stood.
"No, mom. Thanks though." he said, putting his arm around her tiny shoulders and gently pushing her out of his room. He closed the door, then turned to me.
"That's gonna be happening a lot, so do you wanna go out and get something to eat?" he asked, and I shrugged.
"Sure," I smiled, then stood. I closed my lap top, then laid it on his bed, while he slipped his shoes on. John grabbed his wallet, shoving it in his back pocket, then grabbed his keys. We headed downstairs, and as John reached for the door, his mom spoke up.
"Where are you two going?" she asked, a smile growing on her face.
"Out." he said, before opening the door and letting me walk out first. He closed the door behind us, before walking me to the passengers side of his truck and helping me in.

He jogged to the drivers side and hopped in, before looking over at me.
"Okay, so, I know I may not have a lot of money, but I'll try my best. Where to?"
"It doesn't take much to impress me, John." I said, giving him a sweet smile. He let out a relieved sigh, before putting the key in the ignition and starting the truck up.
"Is Taco Bell okay?" he asked, and I nodded.
"I love Taco Bell," I chuckled, and he nodded.
"Sweet, a girl that can eat burritos."

When we got to the restaurant, John helped me out of his truck, then opened the door for me as we walked inside. We ordered our food, then sat down at a table.
"What?" he asked with a small chuckle as he raised an eyebrow. I had indeed been watching him closely. He was so beautiful.
"You're not as bad as we thought."
"What?" he asked again, still laughing.
"We all thought you were a total douche. You don't seem like it."
"Everyone thinks I'm a douche. I'm really not. I mean, yeah, I drink, and party but it's not like I move from girl to girl."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I've never had sex."
"What?" I asked, completely stunned, and he nodded with a smile.
"I'm still a virgin. The reason why everyone in school thinks I'm an asshole, is because Chloe told the entire school I had sex with her, then left her for multiple other girls. I never even dated that slut. She was jealous or something, I don't know."
"Then why do you act like a jerk?"
"I don't know... That rumor made me really popular. I thought that maybe if I just acted like a jerk, then I could be in the popular crowd, and look where it got me."
"Yeah, head honcho. The entire school knows who you are. You're the most popular kid in the school."
"Yeah, but do you know how many real friends I have? None. Not a single person. I can't trust anyone that I'm able to call a 'friend'. They're all ass wipes. They stab you in the back."
"Then why are you friends with them? You're so much better than that, John."
"I get to go to parties, drink, and girls throw themselves at me."
"If so many girls throw themselves at you so much, why are you still a virgin?"
"Okay, well, no one knows I'm a virgin, so let's keep this between you and me. And... I'm waiting for that girl. That one special girl." he said, and I smiled.
"That's sweet," I said quietly, and he shrugged.

***

When we got back to his house, we slipped our shoes off at the door, then ran back upstairs to his room.
"Maybe we should start on this project now," he chuckled, and I smiled, then sat back down on his bed. I grabbed my lap top and opened up my designing software.
"Okay, so we have to make up our own element. We have to figure how many valence electrons it would have, the protons, neutrons and electrons, the atomic mass, what it's called, what it reacts to, what it creates when it reacts, and where it fits on the Periodic Table. I have some graphic design software if you want to do it on the computer, or do a poster board like the rest of the class." I said, and he nodded.
"Okay, I think we should do the graphic design since you're good at that stuff."
"Alright, cool."

We worked for hours, until John's mom came upstairs. She stumbled through the door.
"It's almost two in the morning, and you have school tomorrow. And your parents are just a little tipsy, dear," she said, pointing at me. John sighed, then stood and helped his mother downstairs. He ran back up to me, as I packed up my things, and gave me a sweet smile.

"Thanks for dinner. See you tomorrow, John," I said, and he smiled, then wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me into a hug.
"See you tomorrow." he said, as I headed out his bedroom door, my heart racing in my chest.

I stopped at the door and put my heels on, before walking to the kitchen, where my parents were drinking a full glass of wine. I rolled my eyes, then took the glasses from them, setting them on the table, and pulled them towards the door.

"Thanks for letting them play, Mrs. O'Callaghan," I called, then pushed them out the front door and to the car. They got in the back seat together, and I got in the passengers side, pushing the keys into the ignition. I backed out of the driveway, then drove the few house down back to our house.
"Come on, guys. Go to bed." I said, and they stumbled out of the car and headed inside. I grabbed my bag, then headed up to the front door. I went upstairs to my room and took a shower, before sliding into my bed.

I could not believe John O'Callaghan was actually one of the sweetest guys I'd ever met. He was beyond gorgeous. I knew I was gonna have to play 20Q with Nicole and Kennedy tomorrow, but I didn't care. Tonight was amazing.