Bad Luck Hannah

“Hi, Mrs. Martin!”

Oh my fucking god.

Seriously?

I huffed, sliding lower in the kitchen chair.

He really needed to stop just showing up at my house when I was mad at him.

And seeing me in pajamas.

Although at this point I didn’t suppose it mattered.

“Er, hello, Josh. What — oh!”

I glanced back, seeing my mother straighten with a surprised gasp, and when she glanced back, i could see it.

Josh had done something cute apparently.

Now Mom was giddy.

Why couldnt he get it through his thick head how pissed I was at him and just leave me alone for the weekend!?

That’s all I wanted!

Not to see him!

Ugh!

“Hannah, come here for a moment,” Mom ordered, turning around and blocking the site of the door.

“Why?”

“Oh, just come here!” she huffed, urging me with her hand and a big grin on her face.

No.

I didn’t want too.

I wanted to be mad at him for being such a freaking asshole to me.

But, he’d gotten my mother on his side.

Playing dirty.

Ass.

I reluctantly rose, padding across the floor with a sour expression on my face until I reached her, trying to look as unimpressed as I possibly could.

He was a dick.

A jerk.

I wasn’t going to appreciate anything he’d done for me right now.

I wasn’t —.

Mom abruptly stepped out of the way, and I blinked as pink roses were abruptly shoved in my face.

What the hell?

Did he get me flowers?

I hesitated, and then glanced over them, seeing his earnest face.

Well.

Aww.

“You got me flowers?” I mumbled, slowly taking them from him and lifting them to my nose.

“I remember you mentioning you liked the pink ones,” he said, flushing a little. “Do you like them?”

No.

“They’re pretty.”

No one had ever gotten me flowers before.

Ever.

Especially not a guy.

I was surprised Josh had remembered I liked them too.

Although he was a good listener, he paid more attention to me then I guess I have him credit for.

“Well, um, here.”

I looked down, seeing he was offering me a bag.

?

“What is it?” I asked, slipping the roses into the corner of my arm. I glanced back, seeing my mother staring us down from the table, her hands clasped in front of her as she grinned.

Right.

I stepped forward, quickly closing the door behind me.

She would literally listen to every word otherwise.

“Just, um, open it,” Josh mumbled, stepping with me to the porch swing. It was way too cold for us to be out Here, despite I was wearing a sweater and some thick sweat pants.

But I also didn’t want my mother overhearing us, especially if we started fighting again.

But we had been fighting for a couple days now.

But he couldn’t expect me to just be over it, either!

I frowned as I tugged in the bow that was holding the admittedly cute bag shut, and then lifted the glittery paper out, trying not to smile.

He’d really gone all girly with this.

Someone had apparently helped.

Josh shifted nervously beside me, his hands digging into his jacket pockets.

!

“Oh my gosh!” I gasped, lifting the black band t shirt up, the bands name scrawled across the top of it with their logo below. “Josh!”

“You said you liked them, right?” his voice was still nervous. “I mean, I was pretty sure that was the one —.”

“This is awesome!” I squealed, and turned, wrapping my arms around him. “You shouldn’t have!”

Josh grinned, and he hugged me back, looking relieved.

“I’m glad you like them,” he chuckled, kissing my hair. “And the flowers —?”

“Are so pretty! I love them too!”

A way to a girl’s heart and forgiveness?

Band merch.

Josh officially excelled as a boyfriend.

I leaned up, and quickly rose to my toes, pressing my lips eagerly to his. Josh chuckled, his hands lowering to my hips as he kissed me back.

And we stood there for a few minutes.

Admittedly longer then necessary.

We were making up.

“Ahem.”

Oops.

I pulled away from him quickly, flushing as I looked back at the front door, seeing my mother standing there, brows arched.

“We have an appointment, Hannah, remember? You better be getting ready soon.”

Right!

“Appointment?” Josh asked curiously.

“Dress shopping, for the dance,” I sighed, stepping back from him.

“But it’s like a month away —.”

“I know, it’s so close!” Mom sighs, still not moving from the front door. “Well have to hurry and find a dress before everyone else does!”

Josh looked confused.

“Uh, right, so I’ll — see you later?” Josh hesitated.

“Yeah,” I sighed. “Thank you for all this.”

“Well, you deserved it.”

Mom chuckled.

I glanced over, giving her a pointed look.

“Oh! sorry. Bye, Josh!”

“Bye, Mrs. Martin.”

Mom quickly closed the front door.

“Do you wanna come over tomorrow night?” Josh asked suddenly.

“Tomorrow night?” I hesitated, trying to think.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll — see. I’ll get back to you.”

Was my mom working the night shift again?

I wasn’t sure.

“Cool. Well, call me when you’re back?”

“I will,” I nodded, and lean up, quickly kissing him again.

I wished I had longer, but i was starting to shiver from being outside so long.

Besides, I had a new shirt to wear today.

If he got the right size.

“So, you and Josh seem to be doing well,” Mom comments as we browse the dress racks, like we had for the last hour with no success.

We were in our third shop already, and the entire time I could tell Mom was chewing at the bit to ask something invasive and give her motherly intake on it.

So here we go.

“Yeah, we’re good.”

“How long have you been dating now, hmm?”

Uh.

How long had it been?

Like, not very.

At all.

“A little while,” i answered evasively, lifting a random dress off the rack and looking at it with interest to try to change the subject.

It didn’t work.

“Ah. And, have you met his parents yet?”

“I’ve met his dad.”

“Does he seem nice?”

“Yeah, he does.”

Where was this going?

“Mhm. So, Hannah, you and Josh… You’re taking it slow, right?”

OH MY GOD.

“Mom,” I stared at her, my eyes widening.

Was she asking what I thought she was asking.

She sighed.

“Hannah, I’m just… Wondering. He’s your first boyfriend, and I — want you to be careful, not to move too fast, y'know?”

Jesus.

She’d given me the birds and the bees talk years ago when I’d first started my period, I was pretty sure I knew what happened at this point in my life; you couldn’t watch Game of Thrones and not know.

“I know how much pressure there is these days about, well, being with your boyfriend,” Mom continued, and I glanced around, horrified.

How the hell could I get out of this conversation!?

“Just the other day a girl your age came into the ER having a baby; only sixteen! And you said that Josh was eighteen, which means he’s an adult, not a minor like you are, and —.”

I’d forgotten about that.

He was technically an adult.

Eh.

And I was a minor.

So if my parents decided they didn’t like him and if we did sleep together and they found out —.

It could be horrible for Josh.

Like, it could end really badly.

And I definitely didn’t want that.

I started to chew my lip nervously.

Should I talk to him about that? Remind him?

Why the hell hadn’t I’d thought of yhis before?

Probably because I never expected us to be in a relationship.

Or for him to want to sleep with me.

Or any of that.

But he did — or, at least, it seemed that way.

And he sure as hell made me want too.

Sooo…

“Hannah, are you listening to me?”

“Hmm? Yeah, Mom.”

“Okay. You know I just don’t want you getting hurt, right?”

“I know, Mom. And you don’t have to worry, we’re not — um, I mean, we’re —.”

“Are you ladies finding everything you need?”

Thank you god.

We both turned, looking at the sales lady and her overly bright smile.

“Can I help you with anything?”

“We’re looking for a dress for the homecoming dance,” Mom explains, smiling at the reminder; she was way too happy over doing this.

“Wonderful! Is there a particular dress you’re looking for?”

“Um… Something short,” I supplied, seeing as she was staring me down and so was my mother. “I don’t want anything long.”

“Do you have a price range?”

“No,” my mother responds, causing me to glance at her. “Just whatever she likes.”

Really!?

I stared at her.

“Mom —.”

“You deserve whatever dress you want,” she informed me with a smile. “So if you find something, just get it. You’ll only have this memory once, Hannah.”

“Well, right this way, ladies. We have some new merchandise just come in!” the sales lady beamed.

Wow.

Mom had never been so… Generous before.

She must really be happy about this.

….

I made a mental note to hug her when we were done.

This really meant a lot to me.

But apparently it did more to her, getting to buy me an actual dress to go to a dance because I actually had a date.

Who would’ve guessed that?

Certainly neither of us.