My happiness

Oh no, I think I like him...

"Alanna, hey!", I hear Daniel call from behind me. I turn around, a smile immediately appearing on my face.
"Hi Daniel!", I say. "Can you come over to my house today? I'm writing an exam and still need a little help..."
I nod. Yes! I want to help him and I'm about to tell him so, when I remember that I'm still grounded.
„I'm still grounded..", I say making sure he notices that I'm not so happy about it either. "Oh...", he says.
One week grounded, my mom told me after Lila went home. Because I skipped school but mostly also because of the way I lied to her and wasn't planning on telling her the truth. That pretty much hurt her. "But...", I start again, thinking about a solution to this problem. "I can ask my mom if you could come over to help you learn. I mean, I wouldn't be leaving my house."
He smiles. I smile as well. "Yes! That would be awesome!"
I take out my phone and text mom.
'Hi mom'
'Hi cutie, what's going on?'
'Is it okay if Daniel comes over today so I can help him study for an exam tomorrow?'
'Yeah sure!'
'Alright thank youuu'
"She says it's okay.", I tell him.
"Amazing!", he laughs.

***

"My aunt is picking us up.", I tell Daniel. Right after, Wanda's car pulls up in front of us. "That's your aunt?", he asks surprised. I nod. "She's more like an older sister to me.", I admit. "So don't be weird around her."
He nods. "Understood."
Both of us enter the car. "Hi Wanda!", I say. I give her a hug. She looks at me weirdly.
'You have a boyfriend now?' , I hear her voice in my head. I shake my head no. "That's my friend Daniel, I tutor him in Spanish"
She stares at me. Her eyes full of suspicion. But she eventually believes me and turns around. "I'm Wanda"
Daniel shakes her hand. "Nice to meet you.", he says.
She starts the car. The ride is pretty much silent. Until Wanda starts talking again. "Your parents won't be home tonight."
Her gaze is on the streets.
I want to be mad at them but I can't. I'm planning on sneaking out with Lila. It's gonna work better if my parents aren't home. Wanda takes sleeping pills every time she goes to sleep at night. She can't sleep with all the thoughts going on in her head. She'd go crazy if she didn't take them, that's why sneaking out is gonna be easy for me.
"Okay.", I simply answer. She turns to me. She's totally confused. Which I get since she knows the way I used to get every time they went away for work, but I've gotten used to it. They work and I do my stuff that's how things go now.
Wanda tries to read my emotions. It's not gonna work. Because there's nothing new. So she turns away and keeps driving.
"Your mom told me you're grounded.",
I nod. "I skipped school."
"You skip school?"
I ignore her. She knows it must've been something really important, cause I never do that. Just the fact that my mom would get crazy mad makes me not want to do that. I turn around and look at Daniel. He's just sitting there awkwardly. I smile at him, he smiles back.
He smiled back...
Honestly, he's got a cute smile. I actually love it when he smiles. And when he talks. Even though sometimes I really feel like he's got no clue about what he's talking about, I love it when he talks. Because he talks a lot so that means I just have to listen and give my opinion about it. I already talk too much, it's nice to be the listener for once.
The car stops.  I look out the window. We're home. I quickly exit the car, the tension there was too much for me. I just need out.
"Come on Daniel, I'll show you the way to my room.", I tell him walking in.
Wanda gives me THAT look. I shake my head.
Please stop it Wanda. I know what you're thinking.
What does she expect from me? She knows me!
"Keep the door open Alanna.", I hear her shout as we walk up the stairs. "Yeah yeah, don't worry!"

***

"Looks like you're understanding everything, I don't know why you were scared of not getting it...", I admit. I look at Daniel, who's sitting on my desk doing all the work I gave him. 
"I don't know... I guess I was just scared. You still did help me though."
I'm pretty sure I didn't. I want to answer him but my phone starts ringing. It's Lila.
"Wait, let me just get that.", I say.
"Alanna.", Lila says.
"Yeah?"
"What are you putting on today?", she asks.
Today? What is today? The party... Oh.
"Oh, to the party?"
"Yes, to the party."
I open my closet. A pile of clothes is laying there, I don't even know what is what in that massive amount of clothes.
"Uhm, well.."
I take a look at everything. "What are you putting on?", I ask. "Not anything over the top. Something casual. "
"Alright alright, I'll do the same"
"Colors?"
I exhale and take a look at my closet again. Think Alanna, think.
"Pink hoodie, black jeans, white shoes. Gold jewelry and I'll do something sleek with my hair."
"Awesome, thank you!"
"Yeah yeah."
"Love you!"
"Love you too, bye!"

I turn around. Daniel is already staring at me. "I didn't know you went to parties."
"I do go to parties, it's just that I leave early whenever people start getting too much."
He chuckles. "Can't judge you cause I do the same."
I laugh.
I like being around him. I don't have to pretend so much. He understands me. In the past couple of weeks we've been hanging out more often. I really like him.
"Are you going?", I ask while taking out everything I'm gonna need in two hours.
"If you're going, I'm going too."
Excuse me, what? I feel like I'm blushing...
I turn my face to him. A smirk escapes my lips. "Well, then I guess you're going."
I walk towards him. "Let me see that."
I grab the sheet of paper he was just writing on. " It's all right", I stare at the desk. We went over everything he had to learn. Ten sheets. Hours of work. I'm enjoying the time with him right now, but at the moment all I wanna do is sleep. I need some rest. Before going out with all those people. "We're done.", I declare.
"Great! Thanks for everything!"
I smile as a response. "I'll pick you up at eight.", he then says. "Alright?", Daniel reassures. I nod. "See you at eight."
He'll pick me up at eight. I can't wait till that time comes.
Oh no, I think I like him.