Through The Camera (bxb)

chapter 26

Oliver's POV

The smile Max gave me after I transferred the money made my heart skip a beat. In that moment I knew I made the right choice.

Yesterday, I called my parents which is something I haven't done ever since I came of age, and asked them for money. After pleading them and ensuring them I would pay back the amount I borrowed as fast as possible, they complied. But they came up with a condition.

A family meeting. Over dinner.

I reluctantly agreed, although I had no desire to meet them. The hatred I've had for them in my heart hasn't yet disappeared. And what surprised me even more was that they wanted me to bring along the one I was doing this all for. I should've known it wouldn't be so easy.

They knew me all too well. They were aware that I wouldn't reach out to them even if I was on my death bed. But if the person I was in love with needed my help and I couldn't help them on my own, I'd call them.

Did that mean they really wanted to meet my boyfriend? But why? They always used to be disgusted by only hearing or mentioning the love between the same gender. And now they acted like supporting parents? I couldn't understand why they changed. Or did they really change? Maybe they just wanted to break us apart. Scare Max by threatening him and then I would be all on my own again. I couldn't let that happen!

However, now I had no other choice but to agree to their request and bring Max with me. I know he won't be so eager to meet them and I hope he won't get angry at me or them. I can just hope for the best outcome.

I was planning to tell him about the dinner at the end of the day. So now I forced myself to concentrate on the work I had yet to finish and began typing on my computer.

***

"You ready to go?" Max asked as he walked up to my desk. "Yeah, just give me a moment." I replied whilst closing the file and then proceeded to shut down the computer. "Let's go." I announced and grabbed my stuff. With a smile we moved to the elevator and entered it together. As the doors closed, silence fell upon us. I thought about how to bring up my parents and the meeting. When I finally found the courage and spoke up, Max was speechless for a second.

"You borrowed money from your parents?! Why didn't you tell me? No, why did you do it in the first place?! Those people... they don't deserve your forgiveness!" he burst, anger evident in his eyes.

"Calm down, Max. I don't think they plan to apologize or anything. It will be just dinner and some small talk. Please. Can you do it for me just this once?" I pleaded him, putting my hands together. Max sighed and took a deep breath to think about it. "Of course I'll accompany you. I just... I wish you wouldn't have gone this far for me. I feel bad. It's my fault you had to reach out to those... people and ask them for help."

I instantly wrapped my arms around him and engulfed him in a long hug. "Thank you... And don't feel guilty. It was my choice." He just nodded and I let go. "They said the dinner will take place on Saturday in the evening and that they'll send the address later." Max's eyes looked anywhere but at me. It was clear he was still mad so I smiled and grabbed his hand, intertwining our fingers.

"Everything will be just fine so don't worry and let's go home." Max complied and let me drag him out of the elevator and then through the front door of the building. From there we walked hand in hand to the bus stop. Arriving there, I gave him a long kiss on the lips to which he happily responded and watched with a sad look in my eyes as he entered his bus and drove off.

***

In no time, Saturday was here and I was now way more nervous than before. I wasn't ready to meet my parents at all. They abused me for years and now acted as if nothing happened. As if they hadn't ruined my teenage years. As if they hadn't put me through hell. Just thinking about them made me sick.

But imagining Max being there with me and standing up for me made me immediately calm down. I could get through this. With him by my side I could overcome my fears.

With this new mindset I started preparing my breakfast whilst humming a song that came to my mind.

Evening was nearing and I was now in my bedroom choosing an appropriate outfit for myself. I ended up with a simple white suit and black pants with a belt. I didn't want to seem like I cared about our reunion that much and spent a long time choosing the clothes to wear. Which was a lie.

A ringing sound coming from my phone made me halt and drop the outfit on the bed. Grabbing my phone, I answered the call and put it to my right ear. "What's up, babe?" I spoke up.

"B-babe?!" Max stuttered, seeming flustered. I grinned to myself, knowing I surprised him. I didn't know why, but I felt like teasing him right now.

"A-anyways... I just called to check up on you. Are you ready to go?" he asked. "Not yet and we still have time so no need to hurry." I replied while nervously pacing around my room, thinking about the meeting.

"You're right, I was just worried about you." he confessed. "Why are you worried?" I stopped my movement and waited for his answer. "You must be at least a little bit nervous about tonight, no? I would be in your case. That's why I wanna ask if you're okay and if you wanna talk about it or not."

His statement made a smile appear on my face. The thought of him caring about me resulted in my heart beating loudly and a faint blush spreading on my cheeks. "Thanks for being there for me. Really, I mean it. But I'm okay."

"If you so say." came from the other side. "Now hurry up and get ready because we don't have all the time in the world." Rolling my eyes, I responded and hung up, the grin still plastered on my face.

Time passed quickly and I was now driving my car to the location my parents sent me. Max was seated next to me with a worried expression and sometimes I'd catch him biting his lip. "Stop doing that. You're hurting yourself." I ordered, making him stop and sink into his seat. We continued the drive in silence, both of our eyes fixated on the road ahead of us.

"We're here." I announced while parking the car in front of a luxurious looking restaurant which seemed to be part of a hotel.

This place screamed money and I wasn't even surprised by what my parents chose. They were the type to only eat in expensive restaurants and despised poor places.

Locking my car, I turned to face Max who was gazing at the massive building full of bright colors, his face full of astonishment. But I wasn't impressed at all. "C'mon." I instructed and confidently took his hand in mine. Max didn't back away and followed me through the glass door that automatically opened and let us enter.

With my head held high, I didn't let my surroundings break my sudden confidence and marched through the place like I owned it. My eyes were on the lookout for the pair I was here for and when I finally spotted them in a corner, my heart sank and all my confidence dispersed.

I felt a knot forming in my chest and my legs wouldn't move. "What's wrong?" Max asked me, clearly troubled with my sudden change of mood and glanced the same way my eyes were looking.

"It's them." I whispered and my eyes widened in that moment. My so-called mother's eyes met mine and a wicked smile made its way to her red lips full of lipstick. All my muscles tensed and I froze.

I was wrong. I wasn't ready to face them yet. But now it was too late.

A/N: Sorry for taking a break and not releasing a second chapter as promised, but I'm on holiday right now and I don't think I'll have the time or motivation to publish often. However, I'll still try to write another chapter this week:)