Hold Me Now

Chapter 20: Love Bug

All-day long Johnny thought about his mother and girlfriend getting together talking. It's going to either be great or a total disaster. Personally, he thinks everything will be OK. His mother likes Ava. She always has, even when they dated in ninth grade. 

His girlfriend, on the other hand, is super nervous. Why she is, he doesn't know. She dresses nicely. Not too trampy, not too buttoned-up, just right. Those skirts and dresses she wears are hot,  smokin' hot. Her manners are way better than his own, and that's saying something. His mother had him enrolled in cotillion classes in elementary school. He knows what to do, he just chooses to not do it to annoy Sid. 

Back to Ava, first, she fretted about her outfit. She described it to him "A floral skirt with a mint green and silver polka dot sweater and a red gumball type necklace. Do you think it will be OK? Should I go for a more classy look?"

The heck if he knows. He just grabs whatever is clean, usually something plaid or a polo. "I think it'll be fine Babe. You're worrying yourself over nothing." He kissed her cheek. 

Then she fretted over their conversation. "What if she thinks I'm not good enough for you?"

Holding her hand, he stated with authority "Nah. Won't happen. If anything she'll think you're too good for me." 

He thought he had succeeded in calming her down. However, lunchtime proved he was wrong. "What's your mom's favorite flowers. I want to stop on the way home and pick them up. I need to carry something. It's only proper." 

Her favorite flower? No idea. None. Zero. Zip. "I don't know. Sid always buys her daisies, and she seems to like them. So I guess those?"

Taking her lunch out of the bag, she exclaimed "Seriously Johnny. You are no help. How can you not know your mother's favorite flower?"

Because he doesn't know. That's why. He never asked. But he does know "She loves lemon tiramisu." 

Ava's face lit up like a rocket. "Oh! Thank you. That's perfect!" With a kiss on his cheek, now she knows exactly what to get her. Instead of the flower shop, she'll stop by Sweetie Pies. They keep tiramisu in stock.

Lunch was an odd affair. He and Ava, not so odd, but everyone else very much so. Tension is all around the table. Starting with his girl, first and foremost. She doesn't really speak to her "friends" any more than she has to. 

Now to top that off, she does acknowledge Rachel's presence. Out of all of them, she is the one Ava talks to the most. And that's just super weird in itself, considering she's always spoken more to Joy or Charley. You can tell the girls notice this too. 

While he no longer thinks Rachel is a weirdo, he can't say the same for his best friend. Bobby, for some reason, thinks she is. Personally, he thinks Bobby likes her, he's just making excuses. The guy hasn't had a decent girl in who knows how long. They love him and leave him. It's sad really. But who's he to talk? He dated Ali for two years trying to get over Ava, which never happened. 

As he continued going around the table, he stopped at Tommy and Kara. He's liked her for a long time and finally asked her out. The only problem is his girlfriend could be a gossiper. Which honestly would fit Tommy, since he is one too. But then if she is, that would cause tension between him and Tommy. 

Then there's Jimmy and Charley. Like the previous couple, all the same, things apply. Which leaves Dutch and Joy. The only other two who aren't together. Dutch is dramatic at best and he can make any awkward situation more so. But if anyone is truly odd it's Joy. Like Bobby thought about Rachel, he thinks the same of Joy. To him, there's something off about her. He can't put his finger on it. But if he had to put money down, Joy is his bet for spreading the rumor.