Young Love In VA

Chapter 2

Beep, beep, beep, my alarm is sounding off, it is time to get ready for school. I shower, dress, grab my book bag, and my phone off of the charger. I looked at my phone and noticed I had a good morning message from Eric! The biggest smile spread over my face as I texted him back and started heading downstairs to the kitchen to grab my coffee. I start my walk to the bus stop, sipping my coffee and texting Eric along the way. Another thing I hate is riding the bus to school, especially since I got my drivers license. My parents refuse to help me get my own car until I graduate from high school. My mother works from home, and she still rarely lets me drive her car. But today, I enjoyed texting Eric that before I knew it, the bus was pulling up at my school. We agreed that he would be coming to meet me at my house after school. I hope that this day flies by, I can't wait to see him again. I spend my days at school blocking out most of the other students by focusing on my school work and the teachers, reading books, or reading on my tablet. Most of the other students seem to be either trying to compete with each other for popularity or the top class clown award. They are usually doing or saying something stupid or annoying. I have a few school friends who are like me, with good grades, and feel the same way. We mainly talk at lunch, between classes, and we study together sometimes when we have big projects or tests for our college prep courses that we take. Luckily, the day went by smoothly and I am back on the bus on my way home. I texted Eric to let him know that I was on my way home, as my nervousness and excitement grew as the bus got closer to my stop. I damn near skipped all the way home from the bus stop, I was so excited. When I got to my house, I hurried inside and floated up the two flights of stairs to my room. My room is all the way up on the third level of my house that we call the loft floor. It has two sides, one side is my bedroom and the other side is my sister, Elianna, 19, bedroom. In the middle is a full bathroom with double sinks and a huge walkin closet that we share. Lately, I mostly have the whole level to myself since Elianna started college last school year. During the school year she stays on campus more than she stays at the house. Her school is less than 2 hours away so she comes and goes whenever she wants. Below us is my parents bedroom, a guest bedroom, and my parents office (a converted bedroom). My two brother's bedrooms are in the basement. My house is about the size of an average single family house size, maybe slightly larger due to the third floor. My parents are not wealthy, they are average middle to upper middle class. I dropped my book bag at my desk, went to my bathroom to freshen up, brush my teeth, and apply fresh lip gloss. I stopped to speak to my mom on the way back out to the porch to wait for Eric. I sat on the porch and less than 10 minutes later, I saw his car coming up my street. He parked in front of my house and came to join me on my porch. "Hey," I said. "Hey, how was your day?" he replied. "It was average, not bad. How was yours?" I said. "My day was smooth, I was thinking about how I could ask you out to dinner with me," he replied. "Oh really!? Well I am not sure about that today because I just met you to be hopping in the car with you and my parents will probably say the same thing," I replied. "You got that right!" We both hear coming from the front doorway. We turn and see my mom standing there. She comes out on the porch and says, "So, you are the reason Ariyanna hurried outside to sit in this chilly air. Hello, I am Mrs. Johnson, Ariyanna's mother." "Hello, Mrs. Johnson, I am Eric Edwards. It is nice to meet you. Can I please have your permission to order dinner this evening until I earn your trust to take Ariyanna out?" My mom raised an eyebrow and replied, "Well, my husband, Mr. Johnson, is away on a business trip right now so we normally would not allow male company inside of our house. But, Ariyanna's older brothers are home so I will check with them and we let you know our decision." "Thank you, I appreciate your generosity and consideration. I just want to talk to Ariyanna for a while and it is a little too chilly this evening to sit out on the porch for too long," Eric replied. My mom nodded her head in understanding and turned to go inside to speak with my brothers. I think that I can speak for both Eric and I that we felt the suspense in the air while we were awaiting my mom's return to deliver the decision that she and my brothers were deliberating. We were the defendants awaiting the jury's verdict. I guess that I should feel a little lucky though because it could be more intense if my father was home. After a short while, my mother returns with my brothers, Jason, 21, and Jonathan, 23, and they come out on the porch to meet Eric. After I make the introductions, my brothers instruct my mom and I to go inside and wait while they talk to Eric.