(1) Talk Me Down: An All Time Low Fanfiction Romance

Chapter 27: Happy

        Friday came around quickly, and I still didn't have an excuse for Veronica about my plans. She was trying to get me to spend the night at her house with the girls, but I was trying hard to think of a reason not to go. She wasn't taking no for an answer.

        In our AP literature class, Rian had managed to slip his number onto my desk while sharpening his pencil, telling me to text him when I got home from school so we could figure out the plans. He was trying to be courteous of my situation with my friends, and other people who might tell Veronica, and I really was grateful for it.

        Now, I was in my kitchen, trying to think of ways to tell Veronica that I'm not going to her house. She lived across the street, so it's not like I can say I'm sick and risk her seing me walk out and get into his car. The plan was way too complicated to even make up, and I was thinking about telling Rian it wasn't possible for me to get out without anyone seeing.

        "Hi sweetie." My mom's voice scared me, especially considering she doesn't normally get home from work until later, and it was only four-thirty. I jumped, looking at her as ehe opened the freezer, pulling out a bag of peas, sure to be used for dinner tonight. "Why so jumpy?"

        "I didn't hear you," I muttered quietly, feeling defeated. I didn't really care to ask why she was home early. It was probably a simple reason anyway. I slumped against my hand, twisting my phone and watching it spin on the counter top. I could feel my mom's eyes on me, and I was waiting for her to ask me what was wrong.

        "What's wrong?" she inquired only seconds later. I looked at her, seeing her glance between the pot she was filling with water and my face. I shrugged, and for the first time -- ever, I'm pretty sure -- I opened up to her.

        "I'm supposed to hang out with a kid that Veronica hates tonight." I murmured, continuning to move my phone around and around. It would be a good distraction for not looking her in the eye. "But she can't know about it. If she find out, she'll kill me. And I need to think of a reason not to go to her house tonight."

        My mom's eyes seemed surprised at my sudden rebellion against Veronica. She couldn't keep the smile off of her face when I said what I said. It was like she was happy that I was pulling away from my friends for a night or something.

        "Why does she hate him?" She asked, placing the pot on the stove, and turning it on high while walking to the fridge and opening it up. She pulled out carrots, and walked to the sink again. She opened the drawer, pulled out a peeler, untied the bag, and grabbed a carrot before shredding it quickly.

        "I don't even know -- that's the worst part," I grumbled, rolling my eyes. "All I know is that my friends and his friends don't get along. He's so nice and I want to hang out with him and his band, but..."

        "He's in a band?" Now my mom was interested in hearing about Rian. I knew she was sick of hearing about Veronica all the time. She always had to listen to me fight on the phone with her, and even if I didn't tell her much about what was going on, I didn't have to. What I was saying on the end of the phoen call was enough to figure it out.

        "Yeah, they're signed to a small label. They're really good, apparently, and I wanted to go out with them. We were going bowling or something a few towns over, so there wasn't a chance I'd run into someone. It was perfect." I really did feel bad about the night. There was no way I was getting out without Veronica seeing. No way.

        "He sounds really great, Kar." I barely explained, but I knew my mom was saying that to encourage me to make new friends. I knew I was doing the wrong thing, but I couldn't help but feel a slight distain for the way she wanted me away from Veronica, my best friend.