You Gotta Love Life... Right?

Chapter 21

The next morning, I wake up to my phone buzzing like an earthquake on my dresser at the end of the bed.

Jackson: Hey thanks a lot for that lie yesterday, it got Carson off my back. Where did u come up with that?

I shake my sleepy head and then reply.

Emma: Maddi and Kira always tease me about you, and I'm good at making stuff up!

Jackson: The blonde and the red haired one?

Emma: That's them.

Jackson: Why do they tease you about me?

Emma: It's a friend love thing.

Jackson: I don't get it.

Emma: We tease each other about guys, Maddi's got a boyfriend we always tease her about and she bugs me about you because of the way we met.

Jackson: What does she say?

Emma: "Emma's got a boyfriend"

Jackson: Girls are weird.

I laugh out loud, then quickly cover my mouth so I don't wake anyone up.

Emma: Yep.

I shut the phone off and climb out of bed. I grab a towel from on top of my dresser and head in for a shower. When I get back there's another message on the screen, so I pull on my favourite sweater (it's black with the hydra symbol from the Avengers on the back, yes, I know I'm a nerd) and pick it up, heading into the kitchen. I take a look at the screen and stare at the dreadful text.

Jackson: Do you want to go to the movies?

Crap. Here we go, getting sucked into the vortex of dating. I take a dead breath and step out onto the balcony, letting the cool morning air hit me in the face and wake me up. I dial his number and watch Phosy prowl around on the railing as the phone rings.

"Bad time?" He sounds nervous again, this time, I don't care.

"No... yeah, I don't know."

"Okay?"

I take another breath, "You mean like a date?"

"A what? Oh, no unless... yeah, like a date."

I groan inwardly, "When?"

He sounds taken aback when he replies, "Wait, is that a yes?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Um, well, whenever... tomorrow I guess?" I wait for him to continue, "Listen, you don't have to..." He says.

"No... It's just, the last time... never mind."

Apparently he realises he has the upper hand, "You've had some bad boyfriends before huh?"

I sigh, "Yeah."

"Okay, so will you go to the movies with me if I be a nice guy and not an asshole?" I can hear the change in his voice, he sounds confident, unlike normal, I try to get my confidence back too.

"Fine."

He laughs a little, "Are you going to sit there with your arms crossed?"

I laugh, "Depends on what movie it is..."

"Really?"

"No. I'll go to the movies with you, calm down."

At lunch Maddi won't stop asking questions, and I've told the story at least six times before she's satisfied.

"So he called you?" She leans over the counter as I spread peanut butter on a piece of bread.

"No, I called him. Every time we go over this you mix up details and I have to tell the story all over again!" Deacon, Morgan and Kira laugh quietly as they watch me struggle with the equivalent of a parent who thinks their child has been smoking out in the alleyway with a bunch of criminals.

"Well why did you call him?" She asks, stealing the sandwich I just made, forcing me to start over.

"Because I wanted to make sure he was for real."

"Why wouldn't he be? He's nineteen-year-old who can barely look you in the eyes he's so shy!"

"Wait, he's nineteen?" Morgan asks as I toss a knife loudly in the sink.

"And you wanted to move out when you were seventeen!" I don't know what I'm proving here, but I can't let my defense down, "He's only a year older than me, chill."

Maddi giggles, "OooOoo! Sa-ssy!"

I glare at her, "How old is your boyfriend, hm?"

Just then a knock sounds at the door, rousing me from my saucy attitude and breaking Maddi away from her daydream. Deacon opens the door.

"Well speak of the devil!" I take a happy bite from my sandwich as Maddi hops up to give Adam a five-second-too-long hello kiss. Adam looks around the room before pointing vaguely to Deacon.

"Do you live here too?"

"You'd think!" Morgan laughs, "Yeah, Deacon you owe me ten bucks for all those chips you ate the other day."

"Actually, that was me," Kira points to herself, "member of the household, don't have to pay. Sorry-not-sorry."

"That saying is so old." Maddi says from under Adam's arm, "Get a better saying babe."

"Babe?" Adam looks sceptically at his girlfriend.

I snort into my sandwich –which almost ends horribly- as Kira explains about our roommate-best friend benefits, and Maddi's nickname for us.

"Oh, well Maddi's my babe," Adam pulls out the one liners and owns the show, "so back it off, ladies!"

Several whistles, and a gag –courtesy of me and my non-romantic mind- respond and Maddi sticks her tongue out at me as she hugs hm around the stomach.