Chapter 29

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When I'm dressed, we stand up. He stays silent.

"I'm hungry," I say, "can we go downstairs for lunch?"

He nods, seeming nervous. "Fine. But... Just... Uh... So my mom will probably ask you some invasive questions, and just know that you don't have to answer them, okay?"

"Yeah, sure." 

He kisses my cheek. We go downstairs, and James' mom greets us immediately with a happy smile.

"Oh, there are my two lovebirds!" She finishes setting up the table. "You did use protection, right?"

"Mom!" James yells. When I look at James, I see he's blushing furiously. I mean, this is awkward.

"Okay, okay!" She gestures us to sit down. "Sit down, darlings, sit down."

We do. 

"So, you must be Maud," James' mom says. Oh, no.

"Lucy," James says while clearing his throat. "Her name's Lucy."

"Oh, right! Sorry," James' mom returns to eating. I grab a sandwich, but James doesn't eat. Suddenly, James' mom looks up. "Wait, Lucy? The Lucy?"

"Mom," James hisses, but she keeps talking. 

"Oh, he's told me so much about you! You know, he once told me that-"

"Mom!" James yells. "Stop talking. Please."

"Oh, a shy one, eh?" his mom laughs. Then she turns to me. "So, Lucy! Why, you're just as pretty as he said you were!"

I hear James inhale sharply, and I laugh quietly. This is kind of funny. 

"Thank you, Mrs. Miller," I say politely.

"Oh, just call me Vanessa!" she says. "And if you insist on the "Mrs.", then it's Ms. Johnson, alright?"

"Oh, okay. Sorry." I suddenly feel very awkward and I turn back to the food.

"I hope James has been good to you," Ms. Johnson says. "He has been, right?"

James sighs. This is my chance to make an absolute fool out of him. But... Right now, I'm not sure if I want to. 

"James has been nothing but respectful since the day we met, Ms. Johnson," I say. 

It stays silent for a while. Did I say something wrong?

"Oh, well I'm just happy to hear that! I raised my boy well, didn't I?" She ruffles James' hair, and I stifle a laugh.

"Mom!" James hisses and fixes his hair. Ah, there's where that habit comes from.

"And how are your grades, Lucy?" Ms. Johnson asks.

"Mom," James warns.

"What?"

"This isn't a job interview!" 

I laugh to myself.

Ms. Johnson smiles at me. "He's usually not this rude to his mother, you know. I think he's just nervous."

"I'm right here, there's no need to talk about me in the third person," James hisses and crosses his arms.

"My grades are well," I say to reduce the tension. "James and I are actually the best students in class." I smile at James. "I'm still better, though."

He smiles back at me. Oh my God, he's adorable like this.

"Well, it's good to hear that," Ms. Johnson says and returns to eating.

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