On getting home, I was all smiles. Today I did the one thing I had shied away from and it wasn't so bad after all. After parking the car in the garage, I came out spinning my keys with a huge grin on my face as I stepped into the manor. On entering the sitting room, I saw mum who was watching her favourite TV show. Moving towards the couch, I placed a kiss on her cheek while greeting.
"Hi mum, good evening."
You must be wondering why I call Violet mum. My mum died when I was 3 and times were really tough. I don't even remember what she looked like aside from the picture of her which I had always kept in my room. Dad had to marry Violet for my sake. I didn't like her at first no matter how nice she was to me. It really isn't easy to accept a step parent. I felt like she wanted to take my mum's place and my dad away from me. No matter what problem or trouble I caused her, she always cared and smiled at me. Obviously, I started having a soft spot for her and I finally opened myself to her the day I accidentally eavesdropped on her conversation with dad. She decided to undergo an operation so she won't give birth so as to make me more secure. I was 10 by then and I totally understood what she had said and done and it was a big sacrifice on her part though I never wanted her to do that. She is a nice person and I would have wanted her to have her own kids and for me to also have little siblings. Since then, any other alternative opinion I had about her changed. I took her as my mum and not a step mum. I still remember her expression the first time I called her mum. She was on the verge of tears while asking me to call her again which I did.
"Someone looks happy today." she said wriggling her brows. "Am I missing something, tell me the secret, who is she?" she asked curiously with a mischievous grin.
I pretended to the clueless, having no idea of what she was talking about but I should have known better.
"Do I know who she is, is it one of the girls you introduced to me at the party? What are their names again." Mum bombarded me with question after question.
"Luen and what is the name of the other one, umm June. Yeah June, I bet she's the one." I heard mum say.
"Why would you think so?" I asked looking at mum curiously. Looking at me with the "are you serious?" face,
"What do you take me for,12? Duh, I have eyes. I saw the way you looked at her and that other girl obviously has a thing for Luka besides, I was once your age bro." Mum deduced.
Well, I should have expected nothing less. Mum has a keen eye for detail. Chuckling, I wonder what Luen would say knowing she was read easily like a book. Well it shouldn't come as a surprise and I wonder how my so called best friend couldn't interpret that.
"Okay, you're right." I said to her smiling.
"I knew it!" mum exclaimed. "She looks like a good girl and you two would make a great couple. I think she also has a thing for you." mum said.
"Really?" I asked with pure doubt. "Anyways, I'm headed to my room now." I said.
"Okay, son. Good night." she said placing a kiss on my cheek before returning to her show while I headed upstairs.
Laying down on my soft king sized bed, I thought back to my date with June. It was like a dream come true though I can't tell her that right now. Xander Stone, 18 years. I first saw June in a mall with her mum, dad and little brother. They looked like a very close and happy family. Her laugh and smiles caught my attention but little did I know that I would see her again. That morning, I was forced to my new school, I remember the huge tantrum I threw and looking back now all I can do is laugh at myself. I had just arrived at the middle school on transfer and there I saw her again. I forgot that I was supposed to be throwing a tantrum as I stared at her. Dad used that opportunity to drive off before I would think to follow him back home. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, alighting from her father's car. She bid him goodbye with a kiss before taking a book which I suppose was a novel in her hand before commencing reading. She wasn't even paying attention to where she was going and young me being lovestruck forgot to move making her bump into me. Her book fell to the floor and I hurriedly picked it while apologizing. She stared at me for sometime and before I could speak, I saw a young girl of the same age sprinting forward towards us while calling a name. She looked up and smiled at the bubbly girl before moving to meet her while calling her Luen. I later discovered that she was her best friend and I figured that she was the June the Luen called. I thought I wouldn't be seeing more of her but I discovered later when I got to class that we actually happened to be in the same class.I tried to talk to her but I was always too shy or nervous and when I eventually muster up the courage to speak to her, I would either get cut off by another person or she wouldn't pay attention. That was our last year in middle school and so I decided to stay away from her but would always sneak a peek at her once in a while. In high school, I sort of became very popular and girls would always cluster around me but she was totally different. At some point, I felt that she just didn't like me because she would clearly speak with my best friend but would totally ignore my existence. I decided to play the bully and bad guy and would intentionally call her a nerd or other mocking words just to piss her off. I did know she hated being called that but it was my only bet to talk to her as she would reply back to counter my statement. Although it wasn't the kind of conversation I wanted but at least she was speaking to me. Now us almost leaving high school, I decided to tell her everything and start afresh and this by far has been the best decision I have ever taken.
Today was great, though I like her, I can't tell her because her rejection would hurt like hell. I would try to win her over. Closing my eyes, I soon drifted off to dreamland with a nice smile on my face.