Chapter 7

Amanda Pov.
-I'm so glad you have a friend like Ron. Mom says helping me pack some clothes for the weekend.
- Me too, mother. I don't know what I would do without him.
-Hmm... She says, thinking about something, then takes out a bathing suit from the drawer that I certainly wouldn't wear. We put this one too.
- No, mother.
-Why? I hear there's a bit of a pond, so you'll definitely need a bathing suit.
-Probably, but not that one.
-But what does this one have? I think it's sexy.
-Exactly. Why would I want to be sexy?
Mom sighs and walks over to me sitting on the edge of the bed.
-Amanda. Honey. You are young, you are beautiful, you are smart...But sometimes I have the impression that you are a bit stupid.
-Wow...Thank you, mom.
-There's no need to be upset. I'm just saying...you never know who likes you. It can be anyone or it can be a person you wouldn't know what to do without.
- I think that since you've been away on vacations, you've gone crazy. I don't understand anything you want to say.
My mother sighs again as if she is tired of explaining and then she gives me a warm smile.
- It's ok, my dear. You'll figure it out at some point. For now, all I want is for you to accept this bathing suit and allow yourself to be young for once.
I roll my eyes not wanting to argue with her and agree to take that bathing suit with me. Although I don't know if I will wear it. It looks like it's just patches stuck together.
I zip up my suitcase and check my watch again to make sure I'm on the schedule. It's twenty minutes until eight o'clock, so I decide to wait for Ron in the living room. Mom goes into the kitchen to make some slimming smoothie, and Ron is already walking through the door with a case of six beers in hand.
-Are you ready? He asks me after greeting my mother.
- Yes, I was waiting for you. I say and his eyes light up at my words.
I hear my mother chuckle, not knowing why, and Ron gives her a cold look.
What happens here? Why do I get the impression that they both know something that I don't?
-We're going? It's very crowded in the city and we have to go get Max too.
I nod and get up from the armchair then go to give my mother a hug. By the time I get back from this trip she will be long gone and who knows when I will see her again. Ron takes my suitcase and carries it to the car giving me and my mother the privacy we need.
- Take care of yourself, my dear.
-Mom... It's just an outing with friends, and if you're still worrying so much, you have to remember that Ron is with me. Surely nothing will happen to me.
-That's right... Do you realize how well you would look together? As a couple?
I snort, not knowing where she got that idea from, and now I'm more certain than ever that the vacations she goes on are hurting her.
-OK Mom. And you take care of yourself. I tell her and kiss her cheek before I leave.
I rush out of the house not wanting to make Ron wait too long for me and see him leaning against the back of the car waiting for me. He has sunglasses on, because even though it's eight in the evening, the Miami sun is still high in the sky, and somehow I know Ron is watching me approach him without seeing his eyes.
-Do I have something on my face? I ask him as soon as I reach him.
He stares at me for a few more moments without saying anything, then tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.
-Not. You are just beautiful. Never believe anything else about yourself. He says suddenly, and I, for some unknown reason, blush.
For God's sake, it's just Ron. He always compliments me. Why am I blushing right now? It must be because of my mother. She filled my head with all kinds of theories about me and Ron.
I will recover sooner or later.
-Let's not make Max wait for us too long. I say, getting into the car.
Ron immediately follows me and we hit the road. I turn on the radio and Chris Brown's LOYAL comes on and I start singing the lyrics to Ron's amusement as always. But, again, like every time, he can't help himself and he also sings a verse at a time, making an exceptional duet. Okay, we wouldn't play in front of millions of people because they'd throw tomatoes at us, but we have fun doing it.
Having our little concert in the car, we didn't even realize how we ended up in front of the block where Max lives. Looks like we managed to distract ourselves from the infernal traffic outside.
-Hey, what are you doing? Max asks us as soon as he gets into the car after putting his suitcase of clothes in the trunk.
-Hello man. We are very well. But you? How did you manage to stay on the outside again? Ron says and I turn in my chair as much as I can to see Max.
-I decided to share the car with you because I didn't want to drive two hours listening to Joe and Paul talk about sports cars.
-But you were with your girlfriend at least...
-You don't want to be around her when guys are talking about sports cars. Karla transforms into a different person when she gets involved in her siblings' discussions.
I just nod that I understand then settle back comfortably in my seat. My gaze catches Ron's who is looking at me with a small smile on his face and I smile back.
-What do you think about Ron? When he has a girlfriend, how do you think he would act?
I don't know why it occurred to me to ask this question, but it is certain that it was not only me who found it strange to hear myself ask this, but also the two men. Both Ron and Max look at me puzzled.
-Excuse me, but you two don't... Max says, looking at both me and Ron, but Ron interrupts him from whatever he wanted to say.
-Joe wrote me now. He says they're almost at the cabin.
-Great...It would be good if he didn't try to make a barbecue like last time but now he manages to set the forest on fire. Max says and they both start laughing.
Even me, even if I don't know the story. I think it was funny to watch.