Meeting half way

Chapter Three: Old friends and Air guitar

Gwen

Home again, home again.

I step off the bus and wave at Rolanda the bus driver before walking down the sidewalk towards my house. I stand outside my small brick house and smile, most people think my house is too small or ugly. But I love it, I love its radiant red brick walls and its Victorian style windows. I skip up the stairs to the porch and unlock the door with my key. As soon as I open the door the sweet and comforting smell of cinnamon and vanilla fill my lungs. I breathe in the wonderful sent before walking into the kitchen to find my mom baking and my brother playing on the floor with a couple pots and pans.

" Hey sweetie, how was school?" my mom asks while placing her famous apple pie in the oven.

" Same as yesterday and the day before. Nothing. " I respond as I drop my bag on the floor and sit on the counter.

I am about to run up to my attic bedroom to start my quiet weekend plans when my moms voice brings me to a halt.

" Hey Gwen, before you run off and disappear for the weekend we are having some company for dinner," my mom says with a wide smile on her face. I guess whoever is coming for dinner is someone she is very happy to be hosting.

" Who? Is it Aunt Wendy, because I really don't want to deal with crazy family members right now," I respond in my whiniest voice.

" No no, It is a old friend of mine, don't worry you will love her," she says before turning back to the oven.I grab my bag and run up the stairs to the second floor.

Then I pull on the rope that hangs from the ceiling to pull down the fold able staircase leading to the attic. I start climbing up the stairs.

My stomach flutters when I am quickly reminded how much adore my bedroom. The bright afternoon light shines through my windows making my orange shaggy rug look like the sun. My cozy queen size bed is unmade and tasseled looking, with my white duvet and dark red pillows. Book shelves cover the walls and Christmas lights are hung across the ceiling like a web. Pictures and poems are tacked above my bed and my record player and records are sitting next to my bed on my dresser.

I turn on my record player and I put on a record by Panic at the disco. I check the time, 5:00. My mom's friend will probably be here around 6:00.

Since I didn't have any homework and I had some time to kill before the guest arrives. I start slightly dancing to the sound of the lead singers confident voice and then the next thing I know I am full out dancing. I jump onto my bed and start singing along as loud as I possibly can.

I start making faces that is suppose to look like a rock and roll face but really it just looks like an even worse version on the duck face. I am right now I'm jumping on my bed making the duck face and playing air guitar.

" I can't decide if your doing a rock and roll imperssion or a four-year old throwing a tantrum ," a unfamiliar voice says from behind me.

I turn around to find the new kid standing by the railing of the stairs. What was the he doing in my house, in my room! Plus on top of that he saw me dancing in my room playing air guitar.

hello, embarrassing.

I freeze and I step down from my bed. "Oh you know, just dancing in my room....by myself. The usual," I say before I feel my cheeks redden and my stomach starts to rise. The boy laughs and runs his hand through his dark curly hair. " Um....what are you doing in my room and my house?"

" Oh yeah sorry, your mom wanted me to come and get you," he says before climbing back down the stairs. I follow him down and into the kitchen. Why was he here? My mom must know his parents or something.

I enter the kitchen to find my mom standing next to a stunning middle aged woman. The woman looks just ike the new boy but her hair is shoulder length and straight. My mom and the woman are laughing and talking. Both of their eyes land on the boy and I as we walk in, the woman smiles at me and we lock eyes.

" Hey you two, Gwen this is my good friend Diane," she says with a huge smile on her face " we went to high school together, and she just moved her with her son Finn."

I look at the boy who now actually has a name. Finn, his name is Finn. I smile at Diane and then at my mom who seems to be really enjoying herself. Diane and I shake hands and exchange smiles.

I hear a door close and my dad walks into the kitchen. He has bags under his eyes and a weak smile plastered on his face when he realizes that we have company.

We all sit down in the dining room at the rectangle table. My dad at the head of the table, Diane and Finn on one side and Eli my brother, my mom and my self on the other side.

My mom, dad, and Diane are engaged in a conversation about old high school classmates. Finn keeps trying to make eye contact with me but I won't even look at him. I can't believe he saw me dancing like a wacko on my bed. I know it isn't the most embarrassing thing that could've happened to me but it was still pretty embarrassing and he didn't have to make such a snarky comment about my air guitar skills.

"So do you sing and play air guitar in your room alone a lot?" he asks while trying to hold back a smile.

I give him the evil eye and then return my attention to my food.

Ugh, boys.