I Tried To Change But I Changed My Mind

Bringing home a friend is not an unusual act for teenagers. Schools generally let out where there is still plenty of time before the sun comes down, so some kids may opt to do some homework at someone else’s place, or simply just hang out to kill a bit of time.

Bringing someone of the opposite sex may be less common, but it still very much a normal thing. Inviting them over alone when no one else is at home, while frowned upon by most parents, is also something that would not be weird if it occurred.

It does not happen to everyone, however. There are only a few who are able to unrestrictedly bring someone to their house, like kids in a single child household who have both parents working, and they are not the majority. For the rest, they have to wait for the stars to align to get that opportunity, like when their parents go on a trip and their sibling or two go spend time somewhere else. But even then, whenever they are able, a lot of them do not have that special someone they can invite over. Sometimes, even if they do, the other party may not be willing to cross that line yet. For this reason, as it is such a rare occurrence, Stacy thought that those situations only ever happen in fictional teen dramas.

That is not to say her worldview is innocent though. She may have been single for her entire sixteen years of existence so far, and she neither had someone to invite over nor to pressure her into doing so, but she still had friends who happily kissed and told so she was no longer unaware that these things are actually happening around her. It was just that no one among those that bragged to her could attempt or dare do it in their homes for a variety of reasons. Her perception was simply a product of her environment.

Either way, despite being part of an exclusive few who could easily invite someone to fool around at their home any time she wanted, bringing a boy to her empty home was not something she thought about doing anytime soon. Never mind the fact that she has never had a boyfriend yet, she had determined to stay chaste until at least she graduated university and got a decent job.

Well, at least until the just past weekend, but nothing happened anyway. Still, she had thought that the chance of it happening soon was gone after that event, so she was surprised that she was able to bring her current crush over, and they were alone!

Although, she would have preferred if the event was under different circumstances. But, there they were, not up to no good behind their parents’ backs. In fact, despite her visitor being her love interest, she wished he would leave as soon as possible because his reason for being there is something she did not want to welcome.

“Look! See, I was telling you the truth! She isn’t home!” Stacy exclaimed to Steven after she had given him a quick tour of her home.

It was not much of a tour though. The apartment was small with one bedroom and a bath. The kitchen and the living room are practically the same space that it did not even take ten steps to get from one end to the other. A person can take a view of everything from simply standing at the entrance. There was no place for an adult-sized person to hide if they wanted to.

Except, of course, when the other rooms are closed. So, as soon as he got a clear view of the room, Steven began eyeing the two doors on his left suspiciously.

He came over to Stacy’s home to try and finally meet her mom, his crush. It had already been over a week since he tried asking that one person who could introduce him to her, but there had been no progress so far. Stacy was not suspecting it as she had not really been trying to see things from his point of view, but he was already growing impatient. This is why he had been more insistent on coming over for a visit because he thought that he would not get the chance of meeting the woman of his dreams if he did not do so. Regardless of whether Stacy tried to tell him that she was out for work.

It just so happens that Stacy’s mom was actually not at home, but Steven was not believing what he was being told. Convinced that Stacy was still putting up a resistance to him meeting her mom, he tried asking if he could open the door closest to him.

“Can I take a look in this room?” he said pointing to his target.

Stacy glared at him and sternly replied “No”.

As she was on the other end of the room, Steven thought about doing it regardless of whether he had Stacy’s blessing. But, she immediately caught on to his intentions.

“Don’t even think about it!”, she barked. “You may not care much about what I think of you, but what about my mom if you took a peek at that room?”

Using her mom as a deterrent was effective as Steven dropped the idea. He was already trying to raise his arm and reach for the doorknob, but instead used the momentum to go for his head and brush his hair to pretend he was not thinking about it.

“I’m mature enough to know not to open doors without permission”, he smilingly claimed as he feigned innocence.

Stacy was not convinced by it, but she could only look at him disapprovingly.

“So I guess this is your mom’s room”, Steven said, continuing the conversation. He then pointed to the other door. “I’m assuming that the other door leads to your room, can I take a look at it?”

She fell silent and simply stared at him.

Steven waited for a response, but half a minute passed without her saying a word, or even breaking the glare she was giving him. “Can I?” he asked again.

Stacy seemed offended by the question, but she agreed to his request. “Feel free.”

He was confused by the reaction, but he got the permission he was looking for so he stepped towards the door he was allowed to open. He was only going to check if the door was hiding someone behind it, but he could not help getting excited in seeing what the room where a girl his age occupies looked like.

Will it be girly with walls painted in pastel colors? Will it be full of stuffed toys? Will it be plastered with posters of boy bands?

But, to his surprise, he only found a small bathroom. He took a second to process what he was seeing. Apart from the front door, there were only two doors in the apartment. The first one was the door he was not allowed to open, and the second is the one is looking at now. He then turned to Stacy to ask “Wait, where’s your room?”

“Go and take a guess”, she replied mockingly.

Steven took a quick peek into the room he opened then turned to Stacy again. “You sleep in the shower?” he asked with a straight face and not a hint of irony in his voice.

“I share the bedroom with my mom, you smart ass!” she rebuked.

“Oh”, was Steven’s reaction, finally becoming aware of what Stacy’s home situation looked like in terms of room arrangement. He also realized he was being insensitive, which made him embarrassed for his behavior, so he also apologized.

“Well, are you satisfied now?” Stacy asked him. “My mom is at work, you’re not going to be able to see her today so go home.”

“What time is she coming back from work?” Steven answered with a question.

“I keep telling you, she works nights at a bar. She’s not coming home until early tomorrow morning.”

“I refuse to believe that such a lovely woman works in something degrading as a bar”, he sternly stated as he continues to dismiss the truths being told to him by Stacy. “I bet right now she’s in some classy office doing managerial stuff or something.”

“Why are you having delusions of what kind of job someone else’s parent does?” Stacy asked rhetorically, exasperated, but not loud enough for Steven to hear.

“Besides”, Steven continued. “If she really does work nights, then she would not be at work yet at this time of day.”

It was only a quarter past four in the afternoon, which is why he sounded confident with his deduction. He was smugly convinced it was an “aha!” moment.

“I already told you,” Stacy responded, purposefully sounding annoyed. They have had the same conversation over and again about her mom’s occupation and availability for the day ever since she finally agreed to let him meet her mom earlier. She had been trying to let on that she’s tired of the conversation, but to no avail. Yet, she continues to answer. “She’s also working a second job and that’s where she’s at right now.”

“We’ll see if you’re telling the truth when she comes home some time tonight.”

“Like I said…” Stacy cut short what she was about to say as she processed what Steven had just said. “Wait, you’re going to stay here?”

“I’ll wait all night for your mom if I have to.”

Realizing Steven’s stubborn intent, rather than being alarmed that he was blatantly overstaying his welcome, an idea came to Stacy on how to make this development work to her advantage. She had resolved to cut ties with him, but she thought that this was too good a chance to pass up to make him look her way.

Or, if nothing else, it can instead be an opportunity to finally get Steven off her back once and for all.