The Burden of Proof

Chapter 24

I had never felt more aware of my foreignness than when I was standing in front of Dan's mother trying to figure out exactly what she was saying , even though she was speaking English. She was staring at me with a fascinated, curious smile and I began to feel exactly what I was - a panicked foreigner.

I am very good with people. Now when I say that , I mean I am very very very good at people. Its a skill I found very useful , at school , at home , parents , peers , if I managed to keep myself in check. Now , with the boy (that I might potentially be in liking with *shudder) inside his room and me ( the girl who was most definitely not his girlfriend ) talking to his mother outside his room - this charm was very useful indeed.

Five minutes of awkward conversation and questionings and a few well placed comments and she became callmesandy. Perhaps it worked a little too well , and I found myself being pushed towards the closed room - containing a potentially naked Dan - and with a wink , she pushed me inside and switched off the lights.

I was inside a closed , empty , dark bedroom of a boy. With complete encouragment and enthusiasim from the mother of the boy in question.

When the shock of it faded away, I pulled both of my hands close to my body in case I touch anything, or anyone, or anything on anyone.

"Um Bells ?" I heard a slightly panicked voice call from the closed bathroom.

"Your mom really likes me," I said simply , taking a seat on what I hoped was his bed. I heard Dan laughing hysterically and I started to feel a little bit more relieved that he didn't think I was lying and also, that he didn't kick me out of his room for being a raging pervert.

"I'm really sorry, she's like that.." his voice muffled as I heard the door squeak and I tried not to look too dissapointed when he walked in fully clothed. He gave a little laugh and sat down next to me on the bed.

"..she's probably standing out there right now waiting for us to make out or something," he said, still laughing, but Ijust looked at him with a smile, and he stopped laughing, and suddenly I felt like the tension in the air was affecting my breathing. I lay back on the bed with a yawn and stretched above my head, trying to get some space from this tight dress, and I swear I saw Dans eyes darken, but I'm sure that was just the dim lighting. He let his eyes skim over me on his bed once.. then twice.. and then he stood up abruptly.

"I'm sure they're waiting for us. We should probably go.." he said trailing off, looking pointedly away from me. I reached my arms out lazily for him to tug me up and suddenly we were parallel and vertical together. I looked deeper into his eyes to see if it was my imagination, or if it really was lust in his eyes, and I tried to project the "KISS ME NOW" message that my brain had been screaming. But as usual, he looked away from me again and waited for me to walk out before him. I gestured that he should walk out first, and as soon as he was out of sight, I turned to the mirror and sternly told my reflection: "Get your shit together."