Diary Of An Introvert

Chapter 13 | Getting to know him (sort of)

"Wow. The first time Snow White actually puts effort into looking good but it's too bad you can't wear that. It's not corporate." Cory said, not taking his eyes off her. "You look pretty."

"I cannot believe this, was it because Cory was coming over you dressed like this? You look stunning one-chan." Chloe said from the kitchen.

"I have to agree with them both, but what's this I hear about a dinner date?" Emily said also from the kitchen and approached Joanne.

"Mom it's not what you think-"

"Go."

Joanne stared at Emily, did she just say 'go'? As in go to the dinner date with a stranger and his father.

"Yes I did." Emily answered her thoughts. "This fine young man here showed up about thirty minutes ago. He claimed to be a friend and there was a dinner date his father was organizing that he wanted to go with you."

"Yeah but-"

"And..." Emily drawled out. "You have nothing you're doing. He said he was your friend. Go. I want you to be happy, to have fun. He's the first friend you've made in two years and I take it he's your boyfriend." Joanne tried to protest again her mother's accusations. "Be back before eight though, and don't come home drunk." Emily said out loud, and left for the kitchen.

Joanne was puzzled by her mother's sudden change of heart. Whatever happened to no boys in the house?

"What are you doing here?"

"I brought something for you." Cory said. He still couldn't take his eyes off Joanne. There was no denying the fact that she looked gorgeous. If only Joanne didn't pack her hair up into a ponytail she would look like a goddess - Athena preferably.

"No, I'm not wearing that." Joanne pointed at the strapless, long black gown Cory was holding.

"C'mon, I even got a long one cause I know you don't like short things."

"I still don't wear gowns and not strapless ones to be precise."

Cory groaned. "What - do you have something you're hiding?" His eyes scanned Joanne's body. He smirked. "Is that it?"

Joanne folded her arms and placed them on her chest. "W-what?" She traced his line of sight and found them on her boobs. She cursed under her breath, pervert.

Chloe loved it whenever Cory and Joanne argued. It was always interesting and Joanne would get either embarrassed or annoyed. Both reactions no one else could get out of her tough-as-nails sister. "He's right, since you don't have something you're hiding, just wear it then."

Emily chuckled and Cory laughed. Joanne grabbed the black gown and went upstairs embarrassed. Not before yelling 'aaaah!' though.

The gown stuck to her skin. It went as far as where her ankle was. It brought out curves Joanne never knew she had. She thought it looked okay. She loosened her hair tie and let her dark hair flow down to her waist, to top it off she wore black Air Force Jordans. Staring at the mirror Joanne decided she would go to the dinner date. She wasn't afraid of how she looked like. She would show them.

"Y-y-you," Cory did a double take at the Joanne standing in front of him.

"I know it looks weird, I tried to-"

Cory shook his head. "You look beautiful."

Chloe cooed. "You guys should get a room."

Emily glared at Chloe and Chloe looked away, carefully avoiding her mother's hawk-like-stare. "You kids should be on your way now."

"Yeah let's go." Cory reached for her arm. Joanne didn't resist and he dragged her to his Bugatti. "You're driving."

"Hmm, I know." Joanne said as she started the car.

Joanne and Cory arrived at the audonbon place at exactly four pm. They alighted the car. Cory in his suit and Joanne in a gown. They resembled an actual couple.

"May I?" Cory held up his arm and twined it with her's.

"May you what? You sound so stupid right now." Joanne smiled.

Cory pressed the doorbell repeatedly. No response. He decided to barge through the front door of the mansion.

"Woah, rude much?" Joanne said. She removed her arm and drifted towards the pictures on the wall.

"Oh please. It's my house I can do whatever I want to."

Just when they were getting closer and really starting to get along, Cory had to go and say something like that. He was so rude and that was maybe one of Joanne's greatest pet peeve ever.

"Who are these?"

Cory glanced at the picture hanging on the wall. A three foot tall frame. Three men clothed in black suits and ties and a woman sitting in front of them. She wore a long black gown similar to the one Joanne had on. Cory looked away. He didn't want to go into their history. "It's a family picture dumdum."

"I can see that." Joanne reiterated. Not allowing Cory set her off. "He looks so much like you, is he your brother?"

Cory clenched his fists. He tried to sound, well - not pissed. "Goddamnit, it's none of your business Joanne."

Joanne realizing she may have overstepped a little. She said. "I'm sorry, I was just - nevermind, let's go and meet your dad now I guess."

Cory calmed down immediately. He had lash out on Joanne for no particular reason. "No I'm sorry. I overreacted."

Did the most popular guy in school, the great Cory Williams just say 'I'm sorry'? Joanne nudged herself. She probably misheard him. "What?"

Cory smirked. "I don't repeat myself." He stared at the picture on the wall once more. "But sorry for lashing out on you. I've just been real over the edge these days. It's nothing special but my mom's-" Cory looked at Joanne as if determining if it was safe to tell her. "memorial is coming soon, and yes so is Hunter."

Joanne rubbed her temples. So she hadn't misheard him. Cory really just apologized for something he did without blowing it off. Where the hell was the humane part of him all this while? Joanne wasn't settling at that though. She needed to feed her curiosity about who Hunter was or at least know what happened to them.

Just as she was about to ask, a man in his mid-forties opened a black wooden mahogany door that was eight foot tall and stepped down the aisle elegantly. He reeked of power. "Didn't know you had arrive."

"Yeah yeah. I'm here with my date." Cory said.

His father Gerald was clearly unamused by Cory's rebellious act. If anything he had expected Cory would bring this disgusting woodland creature. "Ah your name again young miss?"

Joanne started to tremble. She remembered the last encounter with Cory's father. It wasn't too pretty and maybe just maybe he had an evil glint in his eyes that made her want to run back home. Heart in mouth and cower beneath her bed. "It's Joanne."

"We meet again Joanne." Then to his son. "You do realize this is a family dinner date with the Marinos and nobody else is to be involved."

"So that illegitimate wife of your's is to be considered family then." Cory frowned. "What a rip. If she's gonna be part I don't see why my girlfriend can't."

Gerald decided to end it at that. It wasn't the brightest idea to argue with his son just as the Marinos were entering the house. "Very well then. We shall have her at the dinner table - provided she doesn't say a word."

Cory looked at Joanne with pleading eyes.

"Fine, whatever." Joanne said, sighing as Amanda and a huge manly figure walked up to them.