Malediction

26 - Mums Advice

"No Luke, that isn't true" I shook myself "Danny and I, we just work together in history and we tried working on the curse thing, we have things in common, but we know that we can't be friends or have crushes for each other" I tried to tell him, finding myself lying

"Why are you going to the dance together then?"

I shrugged "I didn't want mum to hook me up with some weirdo I don't know"

He made a believing shrug with a nod "Yeah okay"

"Skyler was trying to hook me up too, so we just decided to go together to get people off our backs" I continued

"Alright, just, don't fall in love with him, okay? Cause I don't want you to die, even though sometimes I don't like you and you get me in trouble with mum" He smiled, walking off with Mollie in tow, keen for round 2

I let out a small snort of a laugh, shaking my head as he left.
For a moment, I stood there in the middle of the room chewing on my fingernails.
It was okay for me to have feelings for him, wasn't it? What truth did Andy have in telling Luke what he did? What if it were true?
I couldn't imagine it to have been, after all, Danny had told me firmly, emphasising the fact that we weren't even friends.

With the need to clear my mind, I decided to eat a solid snack, shower, and then set my concentration solely on making sure my assignments were close to being done before the weekend. I had no intention of spending the expected warm days indoors, frantically scrambling to ensure it was done from start to finish in only 2 days.

Luckily, the sequence of routine I had chosen had worked out well. By half past four, I was seated at my desk, my relevant books open, my fingers flowing effortlessly along the keyboard, punching in the work that needed to be complete.
Refusing to give my brain a spare second to wander, by the time mum came home, around 6pm, I had written over half my report for English class. It was only when she entered my room that I removed my stare from the dimly lit computer screen.

"Hey hon" She greeted

"Hey" I smiled, my eyes adjusting to the light difference

"Homework?" She asked, slowly moving towards me after her shower, dressed now in casual attire rather than her usual pants suit

I nodded, pushing back in my chair, slumped, my back aching

"How was school today?" She threw her fishing line in "Anything new to report?"

I paused, automatically knowing where she was going thanks to blabbermouth Luke "I suppose you've heard the rumours now too?"

She let out a small laugh, sitting on the edge of my bed "Am I that obvious?"

I gave her a small smile "No, but Luke is"

"Is it true then?" She dove in head first

I nodded "It wasn't planned that way, it just kind of-"

"Happened?" She finished for me "Look Em, I'm not going to interrogate you, or judge you, you know that. I think it's a good idea, Danny deserves a good night out to mingle just as much as what Duncan did"

I hesitated and then decided to dive head first in with her, trusting of her and the relationship we had

"Do you think it's possible to just be friends with someone of the opposite sex?"