I sighed.
Did I seriously have to stay off school for ANOTHER DAY?!
I was so bored at home!
Mom was off work today and Daddy had already booked today off to look after me, so both of them were home for most of the day, although Daddy had to run some errands and wouldn't be home for a little while.
Daddy was still being a bit off with me after yesterday, I don't blame him though...
I guess all that did come as quite a shock, and I can tell he still isn't happy about the idea of Josh in general and wouldn't even have let it drop yesterday if it weren't for Mom.
I wonder what she had to say to him to get him to agree.
I feel really bad knowing that Daddy isn't happy with me dating at all, never mind someone he doesn't like or approve.
But at the end of the day he can't tell me who I can and can't love.
And I love Josh.
Not that I plan on telling him that any time soon.
Claire had asked me to come around and babysit this Friday, so I was looking forward to that, but it was going to be a bit difficult with Josh there.
It was only Wednesday though, maybe between now and then the boys will come up with something for them to do and get him out of the house.
I didn't like not being able to talk to Josh much lately since he's at school, I couldn't wait to get back to school and see him more often!
The school had phoned Mom back after her complaint and that girl who beat me up got suspended for a month.
Hopefully with her gone, in time everyone else will forget about me soon enough again and when she comes back she wont be able to do anything.
Hopefully.
What was I going to do today then?
I was sitting on my bed in my pyjamas, my hair a mess and my eyes drooping closed.
It was really late before I got to sleep last night for some reason, I just couldn't bring myself to fall asleep.
Mom came in, dressed and ready for the day with a big warm smile on her face.
''Morning.'' she said.
''Morning.'' I mumbled tiredly.
She laughed.
''Sleepy?''
I nodded.
''I wanted to talk to you about yesterday.'' Mom told me.
I cringed.
''What about it?''
''Well, your Dad still isn't happy about it, but personally I think he's being immature and judgemental...'' She started, ''Anyway, he'll keep his mouth shut as long as you're happy, just try not to bring it up too much or have Josh over when your Dad's home, and try not to tell him if Josh is going to be there when you're over at Claire's babysitting.''
I nodded my head.
''Kay, thanks Mom.''
She smiled.
''Don't worry about it sweety, your Grandpa never liked the idea of me and your Father either.''
I smiled sadly.
I don't like to talk of Grandpa often, it makes me too sad to think of him being gone now. When he passed away it was a really hard time for all of us.
She realised what she'd said and her smile turned sad too.
She sighed.
''Sorry Rosie.''
I shook my head for her to continue.
''Anyway, I also wanted you to know that you don't have to keep these things from me, your father maybe, yes. But me? I'm here to help.''
I smiled.
''Thanks Mom.''
Josh's P.O.V
''Josh?''
''Here.''
I sighed.
Why was the day only beginning?
Why couldn't I go home?
Argh.
''So how'd yesterday go?'' Liam asked once the teacher had finished calling roll.
I rolled my eyes.
''Guy's an ass.'' I told him.
He laughed.
''Is he gonna let you date Rosie then?''
''Yes, but it wouldn't have stopped me if he wasn't.'' I said nonchalantly.
''Is this about you meeting Rosie's Dad?'' Craig asked.
Zack stuck his head into the conversation then too.
''Yeah.'' Liam said.
''And?'' Craig pushed.
''It went okay,'' I told them, ''He doesn't like me.'' I laughed.
''Dude, no one does.'' Craig laughed.
I rolled my eyes playfully.
''Yeah I know but you should of seen him, he was tranna scare me or something.''
''Take it it didn't work?'' Zack asked.
''Course not.'' I laughed. ''He was trying to be 'intimidating' but like come on, have you seen me?''
They all nodded their agreements, and then the bell rang for first period.
I never would have thought it, but I hate maths even more now without Rosie there.
Firstly, there's no one to copy answers from, secondly, there's no one to talk to and thirdly, she's my girlfriend now, I want her with me all the time.
Damn I miss her.
Why the hell do I miss her? I saw her yesterday!
I am so fucking whipped it just isn't funny any more.
As the day past, a lot of people kept giving me funny looks, as they have been ever since Monday.
I ignore them all, they aren't worth it.
They're too chicken shit to actually say anything to me, they have to pick on Rosie 'cause she's defenceless.
Well, they wont even be doing that any more, after word got around of how I dealt with that whore who dared try and break my girlfriend's nose.
I smiled evilly to myself as I walked through the corridors, just remembering the look on her face when I had her slammed up against the wall.
Bitch was probably scared for her life.
As anyone will tell you, you just never know with me.
After the bell rang for last period, I high tailed my ass out of there and jumped in my car.
The guys all followed quickly after me and jumped in too, barely having time to buckle up before the car was on the main road and on the way home.
Damn sometimes I wished they would just drive themselves and then I wouldn't have to be slower getting home.
I kept my cool though, I mean it isn't that big a deal.
Shoving a pair of aviator sunglasses on my face I cranked up the music and drove carefully along the roads until I reached Liam and Zack's street and let them out before continuing to Craig's and doing the same.
Picking up speed a bit, I drove the car to my house and parked it safely in the driveway, before climbing out and heading strait to Rosie's house.
Okay, so maybe I have gotten a bit needy and clingy...
I laughed at myself, before knocking on her front door and shaking my head.
Hannah, her Mom opened the door with a warm smile on her face.
''Hi Josh, how are you?''
''Uh, fine...thanks.'' I said awkwardly.
Shit why can't I talk to people?
Mentally laughing at my own issues with being 'polite' to the mother of my girlfriend, Hannah smiled warmly at me and opened the door wider so that I could come inside.
''She's in her room.'' she told me.
''Kay.'' I said, a little unsure if that was an invitation for me to just go up there.
She laughed.
''Josh?''
''Uh hu?''
''Go.''
I laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of my head.
''Yeah...uh thanks.''
She laughed after me as I jogged up the stairs and over to Rosie's bedroom door.
I knocked but there was no answer, I could faintly hear music playing so I presumed she hadn't heard me.
Shrugging my shoulders I pushed open her bedroom door.
But Fuck did I wish I had of stayed downstairs anyway.
Rosie's P.O.V
Okay, so I did absolutely nothing today.
Like as in, I didn't even get out of my PJ's!
Ha, I really couldn't be bothered, but I regretted it later since I felt icky and had to take a shower.
I stripped off all my clothes and climbed into the shower, letting the spray of hot water cascade down my back.
I ran my hands over my face and hair to get it away from my eyes and started to get washed.
The hot water felt good on my cool skin, warming me instantly and easing the tense muscles in my back and neck.
Once my body was done, I started on my hair, watching as some of the red dye ran down the drain with the water.
After massaging in the shampoo and conditioner and rinsing thoroughly, I stayed in for an extra few minutes just so I wouldn't have to get out into the cold.
The house wasn't cold or anything, I just hate it when you step out of the shower with wet skin and your body instantly gets cold.
Sighing, I gave in and quickly jumped out of the shower to wrap a towel around my goose fleshed body. My hair hung messily around my face, a damp tangle of reds and browns. It dripped water droplets onto my body and the floor.
Jogging quickly to my room, I had a funny feeling I heard Mom talking at the bottom of the stairs but it obviously wasn't to me so I ignored it in a haste to get dressed and warm, and shut my bedroom door behind me.
''Okay.'' I breathed to myself, walking over to my Ipod and plugging it into the docking station, one hand over my chest holding the towel in place.
I soon had the music playing loud enough that I couldn't hear much of anything else, and started to dry off.
I dropped the towel to the floor after making sure my body was dry, and my hair was now only damp, no longer dripping onto my carpeted floors.
I pushed my hair to one side around my neck to get it out of my way and clutched hold of my girly boxers from the bed, quickly slipping into them so that I was standing in the centre of my room entirely topless.
That's when my bedroom door opened.
''AAAAAAH!'' I screamed at the top of my lungs.
My hands and arms snapped up to my chest, a feeble attempt at covering myself.
''Shit!'' Josh exclaimed, slapping both hands to his eyes and turning around quickly.
He walked strait into the door frame so quickly that he bounced off of it, landing smack on the floor and not without a few choice words.
''JOSH!'' I shouted.
He groaned and staid on the floor, his back was turned to me but I could tell he was cringing and his hands remained safely over his eyes.
This was going to be one of those times that you laugh about later, but at the time are completely mortified.
I just knew it.
I heard shouting and rushed footsteps, but everything was happening so fast, only in the space of a few seconds so I hadn't had the time to get a top or something on before Mom and Daddy who I didn't even know was home were running into my room to join us.
Mom tried to hide her smile while Daddy had a face like thunder.
He stared between the two of us, me and Josh.
Josh on the floor, eyes still covered with me standing just behind him, horrified expression and hands over chest.
In other words, it didn't look good.
But it wasn't one of those times you could say that it wasn't what it looked like.
Because right here, right now?
Was exactly what it looked like.
Mom stepped around Josh who groaned again from the floor and quickly helped me get a top on without having to accidentally flash anyone...again.
I knew my face was redder than it had ever been before, and I almost felt like I was going to pass out from embarrassment.
Did that seriously just happen?!
Josh peeked up through his fingers, and Daddy staid right in front of him, glaring down so hatefully it scared me.
''Daddy-''
I tried to calm him down as he grabbed Josh by the shirt and pulled him to his feet.
Had it been under different circumstances, I would have laughed lovingly at how panicked Josh was when he had tried to turn around but since his eyes were covered he walked into the door frame.
It was adorable, silly, cute, typical Josh.
''What do you think you're doing?!'' Daddy growled at Josh.
What was his problem? Its not like Josh did anything wrong!
I let out a cross between a sigh and a gasp. What was wrong with him!?
But as per usual, Josh stood his ground.
Probably not a good idea in these circumstances...
Forcefully removing Daddy's hands from his shirt, Josh glared back.
''Would you relax? It's not like I'm going to rape her just because I happened to see her-''
Oh dear god.
Could he make things any worse?
I quickly slammed my hand down on Josh's mouth to shut him up.
That sentence was not going to end well.
In fact, neither was this entire conversation.
I still felt extremely awkward that I was standing here in a t-shirt and a pair of girly boxers, but I had to stop this before it got out of hand or something.
''Daddy you're overreacting.'' I stated, putting myself in front of Josh.
''Overreacting?'' Daddy scoffed, ''He just came in when you were-''
''He didn't know that!'' I exclaimed, ''You need to stop looking for excuses to hate Josh when he's done nothing wrong!'' I shouted at him.
''Rosie it's fine.'' Josh said quietly.
''No it's not.'' I answered.
He sighed.
''Not done anything wrong? Rosie all you have to do is look at him to see that he's a delinquent! He's rough Rosie and you shouldn't be associating with the likes of him. I let it go yesterday but I wont today.''
I glared at him as a tear escaped my eye.
Was he serious?
''Fine.'' I whispered. ''Just don't expect me to speak to you again.''
His eyes widened as Josh stood there a little surprised looking.
Did he really think I would chose my Dad over him? Especially when my Dad's being unfair?
Never.
''Rosie, that's taking things a little far.'' Mom tried to reason.
I shook my head as more tears escaped.
Why was my Daddy being so mean to the boy I loved?
''Rosie, please.'' Daddy seamed to beg.
''Your Dad loves you Rosie, he's just looking out for you.'' Mom said quietly.
Josh seemed pretty uncomfortable now and I presumed he was wishing he could leave right now.
''You're taking his side?'' I gasped.
''No! No sweetheart I completely agree with you that he is overreacting but you can't not speak to your Dad again over this.''
''You're not being fair!'' I shouted at Daddy.
''Yes I am Rosie, I don't want you to see him again.'' he said. ''I think you should leave.'' he added to Josh.
I grabbed Josh's hand as he went to walk past me and held it with all the strength that I had.
What was happening? Why wouldn't Daddy let us be?
I shook my head.
''No.''
''Rosie it's fine, I'll just talk to you later or something.''
I ignored him.
He wasn't going anywhere.
''Rosie.'' Daddy scolded, reaching to take my hand from Josh's.
I pulled it back though, taking Josh with me.
''Rosie stop it. We're not discussing this any more. I don't want you seeing him again.''
''You can't stop me.'' I told him.
He laughed humourlessly.
''Yes I can, I'm your Father.''
''Daddy please.'' I tried.
He remained silent.
I sighed.
He was going to make me say it wasn't he?
''I love him...''
Josh's head snapped from my Dad to me in a second, and his eyes widened considerably.
Mom grinned and pushed Daddy away from us a little bit.
''Aiden, look at them.'' she told him.
Daddy reluctantly looked at us.
Josh seemed to have stopped breathing all together and he hadn't moved since he heard what I said.
I'll deal with him later.
''Can't you see that he makes her happy?'' Mom asked Daddy, ''He's a good kid, I trust him and you should too. Whatever it's going to take for you to trust him you are going to have to.''
Daddy looked at me, a pained expression on his face.
''For Rosie.'' Mom added.
His eyes narrowed on me for a few more long, agonising seconds.
He cleared his throat, the tears in his eyes from earlier slowly going away.
He wasn't happy with what he was about to do.
With one fist clenched by his side, Mom's hand tightly around it, his other raised slowly, and at first I panicked, but when it flattened in front of Josh, and he took a deep breath, I breathed a sigh of relief.
Mom did too, smiling at me excitedly.
Josh hesitated.
I squeezed his hand and Mom nodded at him encouragingly.
And then they shook hands.
But it wasn't like yesterday.
It seemed more sincere.
''I'm not happy about this.'' Daddy told Josh.
''Yeah I know.''
''I will let this go...properly this time, but I swear to god if you-''
''Yeah.'' Josh said. ''I get it - I won't hurt her.''
I smiled, biting on my bottom lip slightly.
Daddy nodded once, before letting go of Josh's hand and hastily leaving the room.
''Josh, I'm so sorry about him. I'm sure you can understand he's just extremely protective of Rosie, he always has been.'' Mom said, ''Rosie, sweetheart are you okay?''
I shook my head and let go of Josh's hand, stumbling towards my Mom who grabbed me in a tight hug.
I sobbed quietly into her chest, unable to hold it in any longer.
I hated that.
I hate fighting with Daddy!
I hate going against his word and I hate it when he's mad at me!
It just really hurt seeing the look on his face when we were fighting, because I knew he hated it just as much as I did.
But I loved Josh and I couldn't let Daddy stand in the way of that.
I was just going to have to make it up to Daddy in another way.
I felt so guilty, but I knew I had done nothing wrong.
I stood up for myself and the person I love, I grew emotionally stronger and I grew up just that little bit more.
But I hurt the most important person in my life by doing so.
''Shh, it's okay sweety.'' Mom whispered, stroking my now reasonably dry hair.
I didn't think it was going to get that big.
''He'll come around, trust me.''
I nodded weakly against her and slowly pulled away.
Oh my god, Josh!
I turned around really quickly.
I just indirectly told him I loved him.
WHY AM I SUCH AN IDIOT!?
''I'll leave you two too it.'' Mom said, quietly slipping from the room and closing the door behind her.
My heart crashed against my chest.
What do I say!?
He was smiling ever so slightly, just the corner of his lips had turned up but it was there, I could see it.
His eyes met mine, and he breathed a laugh.
I found myself smiling a little teary eyed again and I hesitantly pulled him into a hug.
''Sorry.'' I mumbled.
''What for?'' he asked.
''I dunno.'' I said, muffled into his chest.
He laughed, setting his head on top of mine.
''Don't be stupid, you didn't do anything.''
I tightened my hold on his waist and pulled myself even closer to him.
What Mom said was true.
He does make me happy.
In a weird, dysfunctional way...he makes me happier than I've ever been before.
And it was only the beginning.
His warm lips met the side of my face and he hugged me tightly to his chest.
But I noticed something.
Why didn't I feel the cold metal of his lip ring?
Pulling my head away slightly I looked up at him curiously.
Sure enough, no lip ring.
Why...?
He looked at me worriedly.
''What?''
''You're lip ring...''
He smiled.
''Yeah I took it out.''
''But...what for?''
He chuckled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
''So I don't rip your mouth open when I kiss you.''
''Oh.'' I laughed.
He would do that for me?
''But... why?'' I had to ask again.
That was part of who he was, I know it's happened to a lot of people before but I never expected him to take out his piercing just as a precaution for me.
He smiled.
Properly.
With dimples.
''Because I love you.''