First Impressions

Josh: LDYH Chapter 24.5

Josh! Josh! Josh! We love you!

I had to take a moment adjusting the radio station so it would give the ladies just the perfect-

Knock knock knock knock knock! Knockknockknock!

What was that sound? Maybe the radio was broken-

Ding-dong!

I groaned and rolled over in bed, trying to find the dream again. It was the one where I was sitting in the Ferrari and the girls in the bikinis were standing around and-

Ding-dong! Ding-ding-ding-ding-dong!

The clock blinked numbers that I didn't care to see unless the little PM dot was lit up.

A moment of silence and I breathed a sigh of relief.

DING-DONG!

"Who is it?!" I yelled from under the pillow.

No response. Maybe whoever had woken me up had lef-

Knock-knock-knock!

That was it. I threw off the blankets and marched downstairs. I was halfway to the door when I realized I was forgetting something. Pants. I wished I was back home. Why did I agree to come here? I wouldn't be woken up so early...

For some reason the need to put on pants just made me angrier. I fumed as I pulled on the first available pair and slipped on a t-shirt.

Two more knocks on the door.

I slammed my feet hard on the stairs so whoever the idiot was behind the door would know I was coming. I finally reached it and yanked it open.

Shoot.

It was that girl from the dance, who had been Timothy's date... ugh. The jerk. I couldn't believe it was all because of hi-

"I'm Elisabeth," the girl said.

Like heck I cared about anyone who was friends with Timothy. And what the heck was she doing here? This was supposed to be the no-name town where none of the people from the West coast were... and here was someone associated with the very person I hated.

I looked her up and down. I had to admit, she was attract- No way. There was no way I was going to have anything to do with this Elisabeth girl. I slipped into insensitive jerk mode, figuring it was my best bet.  

"Well?" I demanded. "What's so important that you had to wake me up at 7:30?"

"I..."

"You just wanted to stand there with a bag on my porch for no reason?" I reached for the door, ready to shut it. I was done with this.

"I'm supposed to give you these," she said hurriedly, holding out a big bag filled with... oh no, not clothes. "They're from my... brother. Nolan Reid?"

I groaned, taking the bag from her and looking inside. I had been right. "Not more clothes! I'm not some freaking charity case," I mumbled, then suddenly remembered Elisabeth was there.

"Why are you still here?" I asked. "Don't tell me you have more clothes. I've got plenty already." These would just end up in the corner of the room I was staying in with all the other 'donations' for the Fords' troubled nephew. Great.

"No, I don't have anything else," Elisabeth said quickly. I grinned internally. I had done my job well. She was successfully intimidated. "Except..." Or not.  "Except, do you know the way to the Reid's house? I'm new here and I need to get back."