Him

Chapter 12

I answered the phone, “Why are you humans bothering me?” I was still sleepy and annoyed at the moment.
“I’ve been standing outside for hours!” Janae shouted over the phone.
“Crap!” I tried to sit up in bed. “I’m coming.”
It was grocery shopping day. I was ready but then she told me she would be an hour late…so I took a nap since I woke up early for nothing…well its three hours later so um…
I opened the door and closed it behind me, looking over at my sister waiting in her jeep.
I smiled nervously as I walked over, “Hey sister!” I hopped in the front seat as she gave me the eye.
She didn’t answer me.
“To be fair its your fault…if you hadn’t told me...” I looked over at her. I eyeballed her, “Janae Theresa Collins you liar.”
She laughed as she backed up out of the driveway, “I just came.”
“Mhmm.” I smiled as I looked at her.
We always bought our groceries together, to make sure that even if we had been too busy otherwise to meet up and hang out shopping day was a must. Each trip we took turns, so she was the one picking me up this time because I had picked her up the last time.
“So what’s new?” I asked.
“Eric is going on a business trip this weekend and I am envious.”
I laughed.
“The kids are not so bad.”
“Pssh you think.”
I laughed.
“Ugh, Jj is upset with me.”
“Yeah I know, he told Kyra and Bradley.”
I sighed. “Confession.”
“No judgement.”
“So that night, a couple weeks ago, after Jj and I had our little argument I went out to drink at Co-Blue and I got really drunk.” I looked over at her.
“Alana-.”
“You said no judgement!”
“Well I’m your big sister I don’t care what I said. What if something happened to you?”
“I went with someone, a friend…a guy friend.”
Janae looked over at me and smiled disbelievingly, “A what?”
“Yeah,” I nodded slowly.
She laughed in a weird way that made me laugh out.
“I’m just joking. I mean I went with a friend, a guy yes but he’s only that. He was an army bud of Jack’s.”
“Oh wow, well I’m still happy your making new friends…I have to speak on the drinking though…”
“One night, never again, I just- things got really hard when my son told me he hated me for the first time.” I looked at the road.
“Alana-.”
“I know that tone and I just want to go shopping, have lunch and some fun with my big sister today please let’s not go there.”
“But you understand?”
“Mmm.” I nodded as I looked through the window.

I put a bag of grapes in the cart. Janae went in another isle for something, I don't know what.
I got a text on my phone. It was from Jaime.
-Mrs. Parker?

Heyyy, how are you?

-If you’re free would you like to have dinner with me tonight? I would really appreciate your company.

I don’t know, what time?

-Would 7:30 be okay? P.S. I would like to say something to you. It would be really great if you could make it.

Okay. I will think about it and text you-
Someone grabbed the phone out of my hand.
I looked up to see Janae.
“What the hell?”
“You don’t have any plans so...”
“No, no, no!” She ran off and I ran behind her, “Stop behaving like  a child! Janae!”
She stopped and turned around smiling with my phone stretched forward.
I looked at her angrily. “You didn’t...”
“Oh but I did, I did.”
I took the phone just in time to see a message pop up from Jaime.

7:30 it is.

I looked at her, “You’re dead, you’re so dead.”

                            ****
I stared at the dresses in my closet. What in the holy hell do I wear? I haven’t gone out formally in like forever…well not in this way, what the hell? It’s not that I was even considering this a date…well not really but I have to look okay either way.
Its Friday, I should have jumped at the idea of going out. Oh hell. I closed my eyes and picked a random dress.
When I opened my eyes and looked at it.
I chuckled lightly.
There were clothes I hadn’t worn yet that I bought in hopes of future date nights with Jackson. Well, I swallowed, then smiled. I was going to put it back when I thought about it for a second. I was being unfair to myself, I have been…feeling guilty because of some dress...nah not tonight.
I took the dark blue dress from off the hanger.