joanna {h.s}

2

It was Monday again and school was finally over. I decided to go over Alice's again like I usually do but maybe just for a few hours.

We went into the kitchen and I sat on the counter.

"You know my mom doesn't like it when you sit on the counter." Alice told me while looking through the fridge.

I took the cigarette and lighter I had stashed in my bra and lit the cigarette. "Yeah, she doesn't like when I smoke in here either." I inhaled  the smoke and right on time, Mr. Styles walked in.

I exhaled the smoke, letting the aroma fulfill the kitchen. I swung my legs and smiled at Mr. Styles, who was letting out fake coughs.

"Joanna." He said. "You know the rules. No smoking."

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "You're no fun." I put the cigarette out on the counter and put it back in my bra.

Alice phone began to ring, breaking the silence. "It's mom. It's gonna be a while." She left the kitchen and I was alone with Mr. Styles.

I looked at his eyes and noticed that it was concentrating on my legs so I stopped swinging them. He noticed that I noticed his long stares so he let out an awkward cough. He loosened his tie and made himself a cup of coffee.

"So, Joanna, how's school?"

"School is school. Boring as hell."

His eyebrows raised when he heard the swearing. "Oh, lighten up. I'm not 6."

"Oh I've noticed." He assured.

"Mrs. S hasn't been home a lot lately." I mentioned.

"Yeah, she would rather work than be home."

"Trouble in paradise?"

"There could be no trouble if there never was no paradise." He sighed. "Besides my daughter, you're the one thing I look forward to when I get home."

I smiled, maybe even blushed. "Really?"

"Joanna, you're so beautiful. You don't care what anyone say or think about you. I'm so mesmerized by you and I know that it's wrong."

"Know that what's wrong?" Alice asked, standing in the kitchen doorway.

"Nothing, sweetie." Mr. Styles said before leaving.

"What was that all about?" Alice asked confusedly.

"Your dad is just really upset that your mom is almost never home." I lied. Well, technically it wasn't a lie.

"Can you spend the night?"

"That depends... is your mom coming home?"

"Nope." She smiled. "She's going to be out all week and we get to have the house to ourselves. Well, my dad will still be here but still."

"That's okay. Your dad won't be a problem."