"Mom!"

My mother looked surprised at my unusually warm greeting as she walked through the front door. She eyed me up, then glanced over my shoulder at Lisa who was standing up from her spot on the couch. "Hi. Who's your friend?"

I took a step closer to Lisa, placing one of my hands on her shoulder as I introduced her to my mom. "This is Lisa. Remember, I told you about her?" I glanced over at Lisa as I spoke and noticed her cheeks held a tint of red in them. She was blushing!

"Hi, it's nice to meet you," Lisa said to my mom politely and in return my mom smiled politely.

She was blushing! I almost physically shook my head to break myself away from that thought. I my heel, starting to follow after my mother as she went to the kitchen for her daily after work cup of coffee, but Lisa's hand on my arm prevented me from going. I looked back at her with a questioning look.

"I think I should go," Lisa said with a hint of disappointment in her voice.

She couldn't leave yet! "No, why? Please stay, you can stay. Really," I begged her.

Lisa shook her head sadly. "I don't think I'm very welcomed here..." I knew she meant that my mother wasn't the friendliest person to be around, and I didn't blame her, I knew my mom was a bit cold. But I didn't want Lisa to leave, especially not because of my mother.

"Then make yourself welcome." I took her by the hand and pulled her into the kitchen, quick to let go of her hand before my mother could notice even though she was turned around. "So," I said loud enough to catch my mother's attention. She glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of me leaning with my elbows on the counter and Lisa scooting herself onto a stool. "Lisa was over today, hanging out because Jennie was pretty busy today." I actually had no idea what Jennie's plans were for today besides ditching me and leaving me alone with a girl I'm having strange thoughts about.

She still had her back to us as she spoke to me. "Oh yeah? She staying over night?"

"No," Lisa answered almost too quickly, causing my mother and I both to look over at her. "No, I can't stay over tonight." Her cheeks were starting to go pink and I started to love the fact that she blushed so easily.

"I mean, it's fine with me if you decide to, but if you can't..." my mother's voice trailed off and something in her tone made me think that she really wasn't fine with Lisa staying over.

Did she know about Lisa's ual preference? Did she somehow find out? Was that why she was acting so cold and strange toward her? I knew my mother hated anything "unnatural" like that, but would she really be this rude and obvious about it?

Lisa looked at me with a slight look of nervousness in her eyes. I'd never seen her this flustered over anything before. "I'm busy tonight, is all. Maybe some other time, yeah?"

"Yeah," I mumbled as if answering her question. I pushed myself up from the counter and turned my body to face her, continuing to mumble under my breath so only she could hear me. "I'll walk you out to your car."

She mouthed a 'thank you' to me before she slid off the stool. "It was lovely to meet you, Mrs. Park. But it's time I get going."

My mom turned around with her coffee mug in both her hands and watched us scurry out of the kitchen. "See ya soon," she called after us.

On the way to the door, Lisa grabbed her coat and her purse, then I led her out onto the porch where she turned to me with a slightly embarrassed-looking frown. "I'm sorry."

I cracked a grin and