Hold Me Now

Chapter 21: One Day

When Ava arrived at school, Rachel met her at her car. They've been parking beside each other, now, since Monday. She unlocked her doors and Rachel got in, her friend began asking questions. "How are you? How did the dinner, and conversation beforehand, go? Meeting parents is always difficult, even you know them already."

Those are interesting questions because "I'm fine. Tired but fine. It was good and bad." She saw Rachel's confusion turn to worry. "Let me explain," Ava told her all about the conversation with Johnny's mother. Even the part regarding how she felt in ninth grade and her hope for the future. 

With a wistful face and voice, Rachel spoke. "Oh wow! That's so sweet. I agree with his mom. I think the two of you are wonderful together. I believe it's clear you're meant to be. There's so much love between the both of you. Plus he's so different when he's with you. It's like he's not trying so hard to be something he isn't. He's a cool guy, and everyone knows he is, but with you, he doesn't try so hard to be cool. He just is." 

She twirled a piece of hair and continued talking. "Like with Ali, he was trying so hard to be something. I remember sitting in math (I think it was math). He was in my class last year. Anyway, he always tried to be the class clown or the cool guy, or he'd smart off and get into trouble. I have history class with him. Honestly, he sits there and doesn't goof off. It's like now he's just Johnny."

Hmm... Ava likes that. Just Johnny. She agrees with her friend. Smiling a bright smile, Ava told her "I agree. He was faking it. Fake people have an image to keep up. Real people just don't give a shit. Johnny cares, and I still think he cares a lot, but he's not as wound up. He's his normal self, but only with those he really trusts." 

Twirling her hair, Rachel smiled hugely and spoke. "He must trust you a whole lot then." 

Turning to look off in the distance, through the windshield, Ava let a heavy sigh. "Well, thank you. But let me tell you about the actual dinner and then you'll understand my sigh and concern." She began telling her friend all about it.

"Ms. Laura had everything set on the table. Johnny and I both helped her carry things into the dining room. Anyway, Sid came home and we all went to sit down and eat. This is where things got dramatic. Each of us had sat down and served our plates."

"The dinner looks delicious Ms. Laura." It does. Ava couldn't help but say so. "And thank you for having mac and cheese. It's one of my favorites."  Everything looks amazing. There's ham, mac and cheese, green bean casserole, corn, a side salad, freshly baked rolls, and black-eyed peas. For dessert, there's homemade apple pie. 

Laura turned her head with a smile. "Thank you Ava for your kind words. Johnny told me mac and cheese is one of your favorites, so I wanted to be sure to have some for you." She picked up her wine glass and took a sip.

After putting his own wine glass down, Sid remarked "Cooking is one of the things she does well. What do you do well?"

Finishing her bite of ham, Ava remembered her manners and smiled pleasantly. Before she could speak, Johnny answered for her. "She does lots of things well. For one, she's well-read in literature and writes her own poetry for the poetry elective. Plus Ava's the top golfer on our women's golf team. She came in second overall, beating out a ton of other chicks, in the fall golf season." 

Sid's eyes watched Ava like a hawk. It made her skin crawl, but Johnny put his hand on her thigh for support. "So you're a golfer on the women's golf team. Women's golf." He scoffed. "You clearly move the ball well for a girl, then. But still not as good as the men."