The Record Store;

vii

the record store; vii; the nbhd.

"You could make more than hand gestures to me to describe the date." Laura said, making a simple sentence sound like a command, but still welcoming at the same time. "Frankly, I don't understand a jolting hand movement to the question I just asked."

I sighed internally. I had kept details of the date on the down low because of my obviously over-interested mother who was trying to make her listening into of the conversation even slightly conspicuous. She had, clearly, failed. I jolted my head back to try and gesture that there was one more person in the room than I wanted when I began to talk.

"Now the hair flips." Laura was completely oblivious. "I would say that's the first sign of madness, but you've gone way past that, Hollie."

"I think I feel like taking these cookies outside." I hinted, pushing back the stool with my legs and swinging off, minding the glossy kitchen counter as I went. Laura copied my movements, and instead of following me, walked towards the window.

"Rain. Nope." She said, walking back to the kitchen counter where our snacks and drinks were still resting. "I have no intention of the sky peeing on me today."

It seemed she could not get the hint.

Laura picked up her drink and moved back off of her seat, moving away from the kitchen to sit with my mother, who was currently watching a bad remake of 'Next Top Model' or something along the lines of that. She smiled as she sat down, and I soon found myself following, knowing that it would be better if I was there too.

"So what do you think of Hol and Davie, Laura?" Her eyes drew away from the television and became focused on myself and Laura as she started a simple conversation.

"I haven't seen them since they together since they first met, Julie." Laura replied. "But they are exceptionally cute."

I resisted the urge to cover my face with my hand, which probably would have been useful, as I sensed I was turning a little red. This wasn't the usual conversation I had with Laura and my Mum, seeing as Davie was the first boy I'd taken an interest in for a very long while.

"Which reminds me." My mum stated. I prepared for the question I knew would inevitably be asked. "How did the date go, yesterday."

"It was nice. I had a nice time."

"You sound like you're taking adjectives from that little vocab book the school gave us when we were six." Laura stated, and my mum laughed, starting to put her attention back to the show that was playing in the background. Currently, it seemed the girls on the show were having mindless arguments over dresses they'd been handed to wear to some party.

"Well." I asked Laura. "What do you want me to say?"

Mistake number one.

"What did you do?" She asked. I felt like this would be the first of many questions.

"We went for coffee, he brought me a drink. We talked."

"Yada yada. I might be experiencing deja-vu here. Maybe?" Laura stated, simply, letting her words drag out a little, adding emphasis to every syllable she pronounced.

"Well then." I said, not realising these words were falling out of my mouth. "Ask me questions, and I'll say yes or no."

Mistake number two.

"Jeez, extracting information from a date with a cute guy from you is like placing sense into a pigeon, which is impossible, by the way." She laughed at her own joke. "But as you wish, question one. Did he kiss you?"