Not Your Typical Prom

Chapter Seven

Brandon had turned to me with an angry expression.

"What the hell Scarlett?" he had said.

"He really isn't worth it. And you have football season," I told him calmly.

He took a step closer and observed me closely. "I don't believe you. you are hiding something."

I took a step closer and looked him straight in the eye. "No I'm not."

Brandon must have seen something in my eyes because he took a step back and nodded. "Okay, if you say so."

I nodded back and smiled.

And then Brandon's expression changed entirely and he smirked at me. "So...Scarlett...what would you say to a date? You, me and the new pasta place in town?"

I had smirked back. "Depends, what's in it for me?"

He grinned. "The pleasure of my company of course."

"But I'm getting that now. What's the difference?"

He frowned, looking adorably bewildered. "Well, the food of course."

That made me laugh.

"Okay, I'll go out with you."

When the water began to run cold, my mind was snapped back to the present and I winced as it rained down on my red and now prune-like skin.

I smiled to myself as I recalled the bright smile Brandon gave me after I had accepted his offer for a date. And the way he had hugged me and kissed my forehead before getting into his car and driving away.

He smelled like cologne. Purely male. It made shivers run down my spine.

I drew a love heart on the fog that had collected on the shower door and stepped out while simultaneously wrapping a towel around my body.

I walked into my closet and mulled over what outfit to wear for the day. I was doing nothing special today so I just decided on some cotton shorts and a blue top. Once I had brushed my hair and applied my minimal make up I headed down stairs to where Jolly was making breakfast.

When I sat down on the breakfast bar she slid a whole stack of pancakes across the counter which were heavily drowned in syrup and decorated with strawberries.

I took all of the pancakes off my plate except for two and began to chew those as Jolly gave me a disapproving look.

"Scarlett, you gotta eat, you're all skin and bones," she said worriedly, pinching the skin of my arm. It surprisingly warmed my heart how sweetly concerned she was and I gave her a quick smile.

"I'm not that hungry though, it's okay. And I do eat!"

She gave me a 'oh really' look but began to eat the pancakes I had put aside.

"Where's Mom?" I asked after I had swallowed my bite.

Jolly frowned and looked uncomfortable. "Oh, um, something came up in work for her."

I rolled my eyes. Something always came up in her life.

I went back to attacking my pancakes with renewed vigour, imagining them to be my mother's make up slicked face. It made me feel marginally better.

I sighed and rubbed my tummy once I was done. Jolly sat opposite me, watching reruns of the Oprah Winfrey Show on the TV. She kept on nodding enthusiastically as Oprah spoke and I smiled to myself.

It was okay, I didn't need my mother, I had Jolly.

I put the dishes in the sink for Jolly to clean later and headed up to my room to get some assignments done and out of the way.