Affection // irwin

Chapter 12

(It's been 2 weeks and I've already got 2000 reads!! THANK YOU ALL SO SO MUCH! I love you <3 Keep commenting and voting. This chapter is kind of a filler, but: "all chapters are important chapters, or else they wouldn't be in the book" - Quote by me. Still hope you like it. xx )

Monday morning and I’m up before the alarm goes off, just like always. I join my parents in the kitchen downstairs, but the minute I step in I realize it’s a mistake.

“Joselyn,” mom starts, putting her coffee mug down. “If you’re going out, please tell us first where you’re going and when you’ll be back home. And for God’s sake, you could at least have woken up for dinner last night.”

Well you could have tried waking me up, I think to myself, but decide not to tell her. She’d get mad. I was still asleep when she came home yesterday and slept throughout the evening. I didn’t wake up until now, actually. 18 hours of sleep, and yet, I’m still tired.

“Yeah, yeah. I did tell you I was going for a walk.” My mood quickly turns and mom lowers her head but keeps her eyes on me. She’s not very happy either.

“We’re just worried. I know we said we would give you some more space, but we still…”

“...care. I know. You told me already.”

Mom closes her mouth, not expecting my quick return. She looks confused, not sure whether she should say something back or let me be. She chooses the latter when she starts talking about her new work and a co-worker who already asked her to grab a coffee with her. It’s amazing how fast they can adapt, I think to myself. Dad is getting along very well at his work and mom, too. Adam has already gotten a few friends and me, what do I have? Ashton? Michael? I had talked to a lot of people, more than I used to talk to in a month or even a year, but it was nothing compared to the rest of my family.

It’s been a week since I ran into Michael here, I think as I walk back to my car after class. I wrote 5 pages of notes and had to explain why I did it by hand instead of on the laptop, to the girl with glasses next to me. I’ve always preferred writing over typing. I learn more and it’s easier to study reading off paper than off a screen. The girl started talking about saving trees and the global warming, so I shut her out. How come there’s always that one girl who’s passionate about the environment, in every class? 

Unlocking my car, I realize I really do want to run into Michael again. Not as much as I want to run into Ashton, though, but I know Amy will be with him so it would ruin my mood. Maybe I should go to The Diner or Sunday’s? They might be there. Michael did seem to like me so maybe we could become friends. Am I ready for that? Am I ready to finally have a friend? 

When I step into The Diner it’s almost full, but I manage to get a table in the back. The waitress quickly takes my order – a cheeseburger and fries. Girls nowadays never eat that kind of food and yes, I can understand why. It goes straight to the thighs or stomach, but it’s just so good. Salads never tastes as good as burgers. They never will taste as good as them. The fries aren’t as hot as I expected them to be, but I’m too hungry to even care. Halfway through my meal I see two people with blue and red hair walking through the bar, trying to find a table. Just when they find one, one of them raises their heads and meets my eyes.

“Hey Joselyn. Long time, no see,” Emma smiles and walks towards me. I stand up to give her a hug. “Can we..?”

“Sure,” I gesture to them to take a seat.

“Actually, you did see each other just the other day,” Michael says to Emma.

“Nah, it was a week ago?”