Crazy In Love (Crushing Hard Series Book 1)

Dear Diary- 03/06/2012

20:00 PM

I just got back from watching The Batman movies at Scott's house, and can we talk about how completely surreal it felt to be there? Even though I was smuggled in like some kind of illegal alien, it was an experience I won’t forget. Let me start from the beginning:

Scott picked me up from my house, and my mom kept craning her neck through the window, trying to catch a glimpse of who was driving.

“Who is that? Is it Dean? When did he change cars?” she asked, her curiosity palpable.

I ignored her. Thank goodness the windows of Scott's Renault were tinted a bit. My brother was in his room, and if he came out at that moment, I'd be found out for sure—he would definitely recognize the car. When I reached the car, Scott climbed out to open the passenger door for me. I was about to hiss at him to get back in when someone spoke from behind me.

“Heh! Thandi, hayi you like the white boys, my child,” my mother said, and I whipped around fast, my heart dropping as I realized she had followed me outside.

So, Scott James met my mother.

When I introduced him, I could see my mom's eyes widen. She knew—somehow, she knew—about the massive crush I had always had on Scott. I had never actually told her, but she had heard my siblings teasing me about it over the years. Scott was sweet and polite, but my mom was stiff and scrutinizing.

“Come inside for tea!” she insisted before I could protest.

“Mom, teenage boys don’t drink tea!” I tried to argue, but she was already dragging him inside.

Scott, being the charming guy he is, didn’t seem to mind. He politely sipped my mom’s Rooibos tea while she grilled him about school, his grades, his morals, and even his religion. I could feel the heat creeping up my neck, mortified by the whole situation.

Then she casually mentioned how we slaughter chickens and asked if he had a problem with that. To my utter embarrassment, he didn’t. Instead, he smiled and assured her it was all good.

I wanted to sink into the floor. The whole thing felt like a scene out of a comedy, but I also couldn’t help but admire how well Scott handled my mom’s grilling. He was so sweet about it all, laughing at her jokes and answering her questions with genuine interest. It was both cringe-worthy and heartwarming, and I felt a mix of pride and embarrassment wash over me.

Then my mom sent me on a hunt for her Black Polo heels.

“Why do you need heels?” I asked, confused and reluctant to leave her alone with Scott.

“Awuhambe, before ngikuphoxe,” she urged, her tone teasing yet firm. “Go before I embarrass you.”

Reluctantly, I ventured off in search of the shoes I hadn’t seen since childhood, and I was pretty sure I had broken them years ago. After a fruitless search, I emerged from my mom’s room and finally returned in the kitchen. When I returned, my mom’s face was much softer, and I couldn’t help but wonder what on earth they had talked about.

Later, as we drove away, I couldn’t contain my curiosity any longer. “So, what did you and my mom talk about?” I asked, glancing at him.

He smiled a secretive smile. “It’s between your mother and me.”

“Scott... what secrets can you have with my mother? You have your own girlfriend's mother to share secrets with,” I blurted out, immediately regretting my words. I saw his eyes flash with hurt for a second before he masked it with an easy crooked smile that made my heart flutter.

“Can it just be you and me today? Everything else be background noise?” he said, his voice low and sincere.

I eyed him suspiciously. “Have you watched *Gone Girl*? Because you just quoted a line from that movie.”