Picture Perfect

After school today, I found that William had waited outside my last class for an hour.

“So, Ems, the plan is that I drive you home and then I’ll pick you up later for our date.”

“You know, William, I never agreed to go on a date with you. Especially not when there are still classes tomorrow.”

“Oh, come on, Ems. Tomorrow’s the last day of classes. It’s the last time you’ll have to see me, other than during finals, and whenever you and Mel happen to visit me. I’m moving out after finals.”

“Fine, William, I’ll let you drive me home. But I’m not going out with you.”

William smiled, “You agreed to half of my plan, I’ll get you to agree to the other half.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Once William had dropped me off at home, he decided he’d come in the house. I tried to stop him, but he just wouldn’t listen to me.

Luckily my father wasn’t home — probably at the store to get more booze — so I didn’t have to work out any explanations to anybody. Thankfully my mother, it seemed, had cleaned up the place. Probably because she thought Melanie and I were hanging out together, even though Melanie was off at some three day camp thing and would be back before finals. Thus, Mel couldn’t possibly come over tonight.

Still, I was quite happy that my mother had cleaned the place up. It meant that William didn’t have to see the disgusting state of my house. I’m sure he wouldn’t want to and would be absolutely disgusted to see such a sight. Hey, wait. I didn’t want William here in the first place, thus, why should I care what he thought? Even so, I was still glad. William was used to houses being cleaned every day by professional cleaners. The Harper’s were quite rich, what with Mr. Harper being a politician and Mrs. Harper being a lawyer.

William walked around the house. He stopped in the living room and checked out all the pictures in the room, which there were quite few of. The walls were a cheerful blue, the opposite of the usual mannerisms of the house. The curtains were also a cheerful color, yellow. I didn’t know why my mother insisted on yellow for the curtains in a blue room of all things.

Most of the pictures hanging on the walls and sitting on tables and shelves were of good times. Mostly of my school photos too. The school pictures of me stopped a few years ago, when I refused to go. My mother and father were the only ones who knew why. Nobody else understood anything. Nobody.

William picked up a photo of my parents and I, one taken not too long ago. He turned it around in his hands and studied it from different angles.

He put the picture down and his eyes sparkled and he grinned, “So, Ems, where’s your room?”

I rolled my eyes at him, “Why don’t you find it yourself, William?”

“You know, that’s so drab. William, William, William. Why don’t you think of something shorter for me? Like, Will, or something.”

At least he got of the topic of my room…

“Hmm, Will’s too common.”

“Yes, I suppose it is, Ems.”

“How about….Liam?” I suggested.

“Liam, eh? That sounds good. I like Liam. I could get used to that.”

It seemed that he liked the idea, now hopefully he wouldn’t start on the whole bedroom thing.

As if reading my mind, he said, “So, are we going to your room, yet?”

I groaned, “No way.”

“Are you too shy?” He laughed. Yes, he laughed like a hyena or something, as if he were the funniest thing on this entire planet. For saying that. What was his problem?...Oh, right, I was over this. What isn’t his problem?

I rolled my eyes again, “No, I’m not. Now stop it.”

“Fine. I won’t ask to see your room again —”

I sighed a sigh of relief….

“If you agree to go on a date with me,” he grinned like a moron.

I had no choice.