The Girl Who Wore Jordans

Chapter Twenty-Five

Dedicated to FanningEveryone for making the WICKED AWESOME banner to the side that just about sums up this story. Thank you!! 

Chapter Twenty-Five

      “Are you really going to make me do this?” I whined, pulling the front of my dress up due to the fact it was exposing way too much skin for my liking. Per request, it was the same dress I had originally gotten for the dance, but never had the chance to wear due to the, er, unfortunate trip to my hometown.

      “Yes,” my mom said firmly, smiling at me as if she could burst at any moment.

      “I really don’t want to,” I sighed.

      “Most teenagers would be thrilled to be allowed out on a Friday night, Liz,” she muttered, adjusting the neckline of her shirt out of habit like she so often did when nervous.

      “Like we figured out long ago, I’m not like most teenagers,” I said, a sad grin finding its way across my face.

      “Okay, well, you’re going, and you’re going to enjoy yourself. Be back by morning, and use protection.”

      “Mom!” I scolded, shuddering at her inference.

      “What?” she questioned, oblivious for her major gap in parenting.

      I opened my mouth, about to explain why her words lacked all aspects of responsibility, when I was saved by the doorbell. The notes echoed all around the house, and my mom’s eyes grew large, full of a mixture of excitement and anticipation. Before I had the chance, she rushed down the stairs, and greeted the guest on the other side of the door.

      “Come on in, sweetie!” she said in her sickeningly friendly voice that she only reserved for people she didn’t like, and, apparently, boys I went on dates with.

      “Thanks, Ms. Turner,” he said, smiling meekly at me, a bit overwhelmed by my mother’s welcoming.

      “Call me Monica!” she stressed, giving him a tight hug that I could feel the pain emanating off of.

      “Uh, okay,” he gulped.

      “So, are you kids going to get out of here, or what?”

      “Yeah, let’s go,” I said, wanting to get out of the slightly awkward situation I had been placed in before it could escalate to anything more. I led Eric back over to the door he had entered from mere minutes before, and waved to my mom. “Bye, mom.”

      “Elizabeth,” she bid, making me cringe with the addition of the extra six letters to my name. I rolled my eyes, exiting the house once and for all. As soon as my skin hit the chilled autumn air, I knew it would be a good evening.

      There was something about the fall that I loved. Maybe it was the weather, mood, or even the scents of pine and sap roaming about in the air; I loved it. Even when I was little, fall was my favorite time of year. It overlapped the unbearable heat of summer and the freezing winter to create the perfect season. I loved the fall.

      “So, where are we going?” I asked as we made our way down the driveway to Eric’s less than environmentally friendly car.

      “It’s a surprise,” he said knowingly, his face not giving off any indications as to where we would be sharing the next few hours with each other.

      “Of course it is,” I mumbled, walking over to the passenger’s side of the car, only to have Eric open my door before I had the chance to.