Losing My Religion

Part 5

Billy sat beside you on the couch, his leg jiggling with nerves as the two of you watched your mom pace back and forth in front of you

"Where have you been?!" she shrieked, causing you to shuffle on the couch

You opened your mouth to reply but she cut you off instantly

"It is 1.30 in the morning and I find you not only dressed but with...some strange boy, in your bedroom!"

You frowned with a sigh and quickly glanced around the room

"You better start explaining!" she said as she jabbed her finger at you

"I would if you'd let me!" you argued back

"Okay, go ahead" she placed her hand on her hip and stared at you with annoyance

You once again opened your mouth to explain but nothing came out, your brain not working fast enough to think of a lie

"Can I say something?" Billy interjected, his voice soft and in that familiar charming tone

"I wish one of you would" your mom barked in retaliation

"I uh, I had a fight, with my dad and well, I had to get out" he licked his lips as he paused, his gaze flicking from your mom to you

"I remembered something that your daughter said, from the church, uh, love your neighbor or something?"

Your eyes widened and your eyebrows raised at his statement

"I couldn't think of anywhere else to go and so, I came here"

The two of you stared at your mom with a hopeful silence, willing her to buy his lie, she narrowed her eyes as you saw the cogs turning in her head

"Then why are you dressed?" she said accusingly at you

"Because, mom, it's not very...becoming of a girl to greet a boy in her pajamas, right?"

"I would rather it be in your pajamas than in that tiny skirt!" she commented as she looked down, you clamped your thighs tight, hoping she wouldn't notice your lack of underwear

"It's all I could find, mom" you said with an obvious tone

"I wasn't going to turn him away, that's not very...that's not very Christian, is it?" you stated as you looked at Billy, he was fiddling with the ring on his index finger and nodding in agreement slowly

You stopped talking and waited for her response, she reached her hand up and pinched the bridge of her nose, letting out a long, exasperated sigh.

"Do your father know you're here..uhm..what's your name?" she asked as she screwed her eyes closed

"Billy, it's Billy...Hargrove" he stuttered as he licked his lips quickly

"And no..no he doesn't" he answered as he looked down

"Then you need to immediately call him and tell him you're here" she ordered as she pointed at the phone hung on the wall, he glanced at you quickly and you gave him an urgent look

"Yeah, yeah of course" he said as he pushed up off the couch and paced across the room, picking the handset up off the receiver

"And you." she turned her gaze to you

"You need to tell me these things, we respect honesty in this household and it doesn't favor well to have you sneaking around, despite you having good intentions"

"Yes mom" you replied as you looked down at your feet

"Now, I and your father need to decide what to do" she said with finality as she marched off towards their bedroom