It was a joke
1503 Words
Mom smiled on. "You look really cute sweetheart," she said.
"Awesome,” Blake responded bluntly, doing something on her phone.
"Love the addition of the biker boots, it shouldn't work but it does."
"Sweet."
Silence swept as she drove on. She wanted to compliment her more on how beautiful she looked but she didn’t seem happy and so she decided to keep her compliments to herself and change the subject.
"Who are you texting?" she asked.
"Millie,” Blake answered.
"Oh hey Millie, how is she?"
"School is a total bore-fest without me but other than that, she's o.k.”
"You miss her?"
"Of course I miss her mom, she’s my BFF.”
"Well, maybe when you both have some free time she can come over or you can go over to her place and you two can hang out and catch up," mom said.
“Yeah right.”
“What?”
"Uh hello forgetting something, I’m not allowed to go for sleepovers,” Blake said giving her a ‘duh’ look.
"Yeah well, this is us trying new things. Besides it's Millie, you've known her since you were ten years old, she's your best friend."
"Yes, she was also my best friend two months ago when I asked you if I could sleepover at her place and you said no.”
"I know.”
Blake turned to her and folded her arms, giving her another look. "Is there anything you’d like to say for yourself with regards to the happenings of that day?”
“Maybe,” mom said slightly guilty.
“I’m listening.”
“Ugh, refusing you to sleepover especially when all the other girls were sleeping over might have been a little too harsh on my part.”
“Wow, you don’t say.”
“O.k. it may have been harsh but at least I had a very good reason as to why I said no. There were a lot of boys at the party and I was fearful that some of them were going to sleepover too."
“Oh yes and then we would have all stripped down to our birthday suits and formed a massive mating ball in the living room,” Blake said, looking at her like she was talking crazy.
"I don't even know why you're saying it like that or giving me that look because those things do happen," mom said. "Some of the parties I went to had people indulging in that kind of behaviour."
"Eww, what kind of parties did you used to go to?"
"Not those gosh," she said and they laughed. "All I'm saying is that it gets pretty wild at these parties and I was worried that you might be pressured into doing something you shouldn’t, especially when it’s not the right time.”
“Wow, was that a transition into the talk?”
“Maybe.”
“Absolutely not,” Blake said chuckling.
“Absolutely not what?”
“Absolutely not having this conversation with you.”
"Why not?" mom asked wondering. It was a conversation that every mother and daughter needed to have and they hadn’t had it yet.
"Coz I already cashed in my ‘V’ card and it wasn't that bad," she said and mom immediately stepped on the brakes, taken so aback by the words that just came out of her mouth she freaked.
"Blake!!"
"Oh my gosh!” She laughed. “Did you just step on the brakes in the middle of the road you crazy woman?"
"I can't believe you. Blake, how could you do that? You know you’re supposed to wait until you’re married. You know that."
Blake laughed on. “Goodness you are so easy, I’m kidding.”
“Kidding?”
“Yes, I haven’t done anything, I still have my ‘V’ card, it was a joke,” she said and mom gave out a huge sigh of relief as inside her heart pounded like she was going to have a heart attack.
“Why would you say that?”
“It was a joke.”
“Yeah not a very good one,” mom said, still freaking out.
“Clearly, if we were on the highway you could well just killed us.”
She gave out another huge sigh of relief and sat quiet to herself for a moment, calming her racing heart, as behind them, a car pulled up and hooted.
Blake looked back. "Can we please move? We’re kind of in the middle of the road,” she said and mom opened her eyes and turned to her, giving her a look. “What?”
“That was the worst joke in the history of worst jokes.”
“Yeah well, serves you right for not trusting me and letting me sleepover after the party.”
“I was looking out for you,” mom said.
“Same difference, drive,” Blake said and continued texting Millie as mom just sat there looking at her. She wanted to delve deeper into the issue of trust she just brought up but like the many other conversations she wanted to have with her, she didn’t know how or where to begin.
The car hooted again.
“Mom drive, you’re holding up the line let’s go.”
“Alright,” she said and continued driving.
Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the school and mom parked in the car park in one of the empty spaces. The school was Stonewood High School and it was one of the best schools in town; known not only for its clean surroundings and modern architecture, but also for its well-equipped facilities and excellent academic curriculum that boasted a pass rate of over 90%.
“Alright here we are,” mom smilingly said as she looked at the school. The front yard was flooded with students of different shapes, sizes and colours and as the majority of them made their way into the school building, the rest hanged around; either talking with their friends or talking on their phones.
"Yippee," Blake said halfheartedly, playing a game on her phone.
"Honey come on, I know a lot has been going on and I'm not your favourite person right now but can you please just try and go into this with a positive attitude? Who knows, it might just turn out to be one of the most exciting experiences of your life.”
“I highly doubt that but, whatever helps you sleep better at night.”
“Blake?” mom said reaching out and she paused her game and looked at her. “Please.”
"O.k."
"Thank you. And don’t forget to smile and greet your classmates.”
"Yeah I’m not doing that,” Blake said as she slid her phone into her inner jacket pocket.
“How are you going to make friends then?" she asked as Blake removed her seatbelt and opened the door.
"I'm not.”
She got out of the car and closed the door, and then opened the backdoor to get her schoolbag.
“Everybody needs friends honey, even you.”
“No thanks I’m good,” she said as she hanged her schoolbag over her shoulder and shut the door.
Mom rolled the front passenger window down. “Honey please, this could be really good for you, but you’re never going to know unless you try. Please try. Please.”
“Alright I’ll try, go.”
“Have a good first day.”
“Yeah, you too,” Blake said and they smiled.
“Alright I’ll see you later, bye.”
“Bye.”
Blake walked off and started making her way down the concrete path to the school building as in the car and still parked, mom watched her go; hoping that she didn’t just have a good first day but a good term as well because she didn’t want to have to ship her off to St. Bridget’s.
Things between them were already rocky enough as they were; if she got into trouble and ended up being shipped off to a distant boarding school, that could very well be the end of their relationship, and so to prevent things from going from bad to worse, she hoped with all her heart that Blake wasn’t going to do anything to jeopardize the amazing opportunity for a fresh start they had been given.
Giving out a hopeful sigh, she then reversed out of the parking space and drove to work as inside the school, Blake made her way down the crowded hallways to her classroom, looking around at how busy her fellow students were. Most of them were making their way to their classrooms like she was whilst the rest were standing by their lockers talking and laughing, playing on their phones, combing their hair and doing their make-up, listening to music and singing, reading books, talking on their phones and even cuddling. There was a lot going on but Blake just ignored it all and moved along.
- Writer
