I am Veronica (bwwm)

Awkwardness, talks, and cake (21)

Chapter twenty one: Awkwardness talks and cake:

The next few weeks were amazing. If it wasn't a movie date, it was an impromptu dinner. He was making me happier than I'd been in  a long time. Nothing was official yet, though. I was cool with that. . . sort of. I was having fun and everything, but was he serious about me? I felt like I was serious about him,  a few days ago I'd asked him,

"Do you want to come over for dinner on Friday?" I blurted out. We were sitting on the couch in his living room, me sitting with my back on the arm of the couch, my legs in his lap.

He looked surprised. "Uh, sure. What time?" 

"Around seven."

"Okay."

"You know my parents have been waiting a while to meet you," I babbled on when he didn't say anything. "My mom has dinner all planned out and stuff, she's really excited to meet you and --" I cut myself off, my words sounded awkward. He muttered something too low for me to hear. "What?"

"Nothing." He said, making me even more suspicious. Why wasn't he excited?

"What's wrong?" He shook his head. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Tell me."

"Nothing. It's just that..." He frowned. "I don't want them to expect some perfect guy, 'cause I'm not." I searched his eyes, I didn't like the expression on his face. It was full of disappointment.

"News flash, blondie," I said. "Nobody's perfect, but if it makes you feel any better I think you come pretty close to it." He scoffed, but smiled none the less.

"C'mere."

I raised an eyebrow, but switched positions so I was actually in his lap now. Just being around him made me feel happier, comfortable. I nestled my head in his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around my waist, securing me. Secure. For once in my life I actually felt like I was secure. When I was younger I was always wondering what people thought about me, because it seemed to matter. Society, magazines, and people told me it mattered. Norah and Chanel taught me it didn't matter what people said, I shouldn't care.

But I still did.

In this moment though, with me sitting in Chris's lap, feeling his warmth radiate into me, I felt secure. Secure and happy. And that was all that mattered.

  ★-★-★-★-★

"Stop pacing, honey."

I looked down. I hadn't even noticed I was. I smoothed my dress and I sighed as I set the table. I really hoped my parents liked Chris, this was like the most important moment in every teenage girls life, her hopefully soon-to-be boyfriend meeting the parents. I knew he had doubts about himself and my parents impression of him, but Chris was pretty charming when it came to people. Even if he didn't realize it.

I set the bowl of potato salad on the table and nervously straightened my dress again. I leaned against the counter and zoned out as I waited. I didn't know what to expect at dinner. My parents had mixed reactions when I told them I was dating someone else. My mom had already known of course, but all the same she seemed enthusiastic about it. My dad on the other hand gave me a judgmental-father look, eyeing my like I was suspicious. Maybe I was.

My mother was just setting a stack of plates on the tabe when the the doorbell chimed. My heart jumped into my throat and I struggled to swallow it down as I heard my father conversing with with my date.  ". . . Chris, sir. It's nice to meet you." A couple seconds later Chris and my dad appeared, my dad's face looking unimpressed and Chris's looking awkward.

"Veronica why don't you set the table?" My mom suggested. I wasn't sure if I imagined it or not, but I thought I saw her shoot my father a look. My sister suddenly ran in the room as I finish setting the table. She opened her mouth wide, about to start saying something, when her eyes fell on Chris. "Mommy, who's that?" She said, pointing at Chris.