Meet You There

Meet You There - Chapter 30

Chapter 30

The Christmas party, three days later, was the exact opposite of the first time I had been to Bennett's apartment. He met me in the hallway, so we could go in together. I wore my nicest dress, my black leggings and my hair was up. I was wearing more make-up than usual. I saw Bennett check me out before slipping his hand into mine.

   Inside, the large main room was filled with fancy Christmas decor, lighting, and men and woman in expensive looking clothes. A man in a tuxedo walked past, with a tray of glasses, filled with champagne. Bennett took two, handing me one. I felt so very different from the girl who moved into this very condo building in August.

   "You look beautiful," he whispered to me, then sipped his drink.

   I smiled. "You clean up nice, too."

   He was wearing a suit with a grey shirt, black tie and his too long, messy hair was brushed and styled. I could see his bright blue eyes. I saw Kelly across the room, whispering something to Alex. They were dressed up, too.

   "My parents know how to party, huh?" Bennett asked me, as another man walked by, carrying a tray of appetizers.

   "Yeah, it's great," I answered.

   An instrumental of The Little Drummer Boy was playing, but I could barely hear it over the hum of all the people. It was my dad's favourite Christmas song.

   "So, I have to admit something," Bennett went on, squeezing my hand.

   "Okay."

   "When I take you over to introduce you to my parents... I am going to tell them that you're my girlfriend."

   "Yeah?" I asked. "It's funny how you want them tell them that, but you never asked me."

   He grinned. "Iris, are you my girlfriend?"

   "Well, things have been good," I said, ignoring the question.

   "They have," he nodded.

   "And... I mean... you're a pretty good kisser," I said, then half smiled at him.

   "Yeah?"

   I nodded, leaning in close to him. He back up so he was against the wall, pulling me closer. "I'm your girlfriend," I whispered.

   He kissed my cheek, then my neck. "Good."

   When he pulled me towards a group of older woman and men a while later, stopping to smile at them, my heart raced. He was still holding my hand, so I couldn't run away. But I wanted to.

   "Excuse me, ladies," Bennett began, as a lively version of What Christmas Means To Me began to play from somewhere. "Mom, Dad, can I have a second?"

   Bennett's parents excused themselves from the group and took a few steps away, with us. I noticed that his mom looked somewhat familiar. I maybe had seen her in the building. His dad looked like a nice man. He was tall and thin and had a grey beard. Neither of them said anything, they just sort of stared at us.

   "I wanted you guys to meet my girlfriend, Iris," Bennett said, looking at me.

   "Girlfriend?" His mom looked surprised. More than surprised. "Since when do you have a girlfriend?"

   Bennett ignored this. "Iris, these are my parents, Bill and Shannon."

   I smiled at them, waiting.

   "Iris is a lovely name," his dad told me, extending a hand to me.

   "Thanks," I said, shaking it. "Nice to meet you."

   "Iris just started at Renaissance in September," Bennett told them.

   "And where are you from, dear?" his mother asked me.

   "Um, I was living in California, with my dad," I answered, quietly.

   She nodded, but didn't say anything else to me. "Enjoy the party, Benny."

   Bennett nodded in their direction, then grabbed my hand again and pulled me away, towards the kitchen. I felt a bit disappointed after that interaction, but tried not to show it. Bennett lead me over to the dessert table, where he handed me a tiny cupcake. I unwrapped it and took a couple small bites.

   "I haven't really dated much, since we've lived here," he told me, as if I'd asked. "My dad got a job at the University as few years ago, so he moved out here a few months before us. We came the summer before tenth grade. My mom's a fashion freak, like she works for famous designers. She's in New York a lot."

   "Oh, wow," I said, looking around again. It was quite the party.

   "In Pittsburg, I was a totally average, boring kid. I was kind of a loser, actually," he went on.

   "Everyone's a loser freshman year," I told him.

   "Not Kelly. Or Lane." He said his quickly. "So basically, I've never really dated. I have had girls who are friends, and I've had... hook ups... but..."

   "Oh."

   "That's why my mom was surprised."

   "I'm your first girlfriend?" I asked, suddenly realizing what he meant.

   He nodded, popping another cupcake into his mouth. "Seems that way."

   "You are so cute," I told him, shaking my head.

   "Cute?" He raised his eyebrows at me.

   "And... sexy," I whispered into his ear.

   He looked satisfied with that, pulling me close again.

   All Bennett knew about my only other boyfriend was that he cheated on me and I ran away. He knew that I had been hurt. The fact that I was even doing this with him must have meant something. But I was scared, too. I wished Bennett was my first. I wished I didn't know the highs and lows of a teenage relationship. I knew I wouldn't let myself get hurt again. Not like that.