“Great! See you soon!”
“Bye.” I hang up and smile at Jacob, who puts down the book he is flipping through. “Sorry” I say shyly, “that was my mom.”
“Hey no problem. When Mom calls you have to answer. I know I'd get in trouble for ignoring my mom’s calls.”
“What? You still live at home?” I tease. “I thought you were a free man.”
“Hey, give me a break - I just graduated,” Jacob protests. “Besides, if I moved out I would probably starve.”
“Can’t manage Kraft dinner?” I laugh at his expression. When he wrinkles his nose like that he is definitely cute.
“Oh, and I suppose you’re a master chief?” He retaliates.
“Actually, I cook quite often since my dad’s idea of gourmet is hot dogs.”
Jacob’s face falls at little. “Divorced parents, huh? Me too.”
“Yeah...Actually, I just found my mom though. It’s pretty overwhelming,” I say.
Jacob hesitates, “Found her? You mean you didn’t know where she was?”
“She left dad and me when I was about two, and my dad is really...um, sort of irrational about it. He refused to let her even write to me.”
“I guess he must have been pretty mad. That’s not fair to you though.”
“No it’s not.” I grimace. “Here I was thinking that mom didn’t want to have anything to do with me. “
“So how did you finally meet her?”
“Really weird story...”
“That’s the best kind of story.”
“True. You know Legend Art?” I continue when he nods, " I go there all the time and my mom actually put some of her paintings there for sale. I saw her name.”
Jacob’s eyes bulge out a little bit, and I laugh at his expression. “You’re mom is an artist? That is so cool!”
“I know.” I can't help feeling a little proud. “She actually has art in galleries around the world, too.”
“Impressive! My dad’s a sewage treatment worker,” Jacob offers.
I giggle. “That’s almost as good.”
“It’s not exactly a form of art, but what can you do? But hey...” he glances at his watch, “...you just told your mom you’d be over in a few minutes and I’m keeping you. You better get over there.”
“Yeah ... guess.” I hesitate. I'm reluctant to go.
“Hey, um...” Jacob runs his fingers through his curls in a nervous gesture, making them stand on end. “Look, can I walk you to her place... if it’s just down the street from here?”
“That would be great!”
As we walk downstairs to the checkout I mentally berate myself for sounding too eager. Honestly, what if I sound desperate? I've never had a guy act this interested in me: I don’t want to blow it. As I pay for my books I try to look at him subtly, out of the corner of my eye. I never thought I'd go for a comic book nerd, even if he isn't my idea of a proper one. But then, I never picture myself with anyone. Who wants the girl that sits in the corner scribbling in notebooks all day?
YOU ARE READING
I Am Anastasia
Teen FictionSamantha wishes she were someone else. Anastasia, to be exact. Anastasia doesn't sit in the corner and read because she's too shy to talk to anyone. She doesn't keep trying and failing. Anastasia slays dragons. Of course, Anastasia is only a charact...
