Laugh Until You Cry

6 Fighting

Every couple has a first and a last fight and they both have an incredible significance in completely different ways. The first one is kind of the starting point for the real relationship. It is the end of the Cupcake Phase which, in some ways, is kind of sad, but it's also kind of cool. It's a nice feeling, in a way, when you make up because it's like 'wow. We're a real couple now' and there's a feeling of invincibility, like you think that you and the other person can make it through anything now that you've made it through a fight.

My and Andrew's first fight was about meeting his parents about a month into our romantic relationship.

"But why don't you want to meet them?" Andrew wonders with a small sigh that only hints at the beginning of some irritation. I feel bad because I don't want him to be irritated at me but I don't know what I can do at this point to make it better again.

We're sitting in his dorm room on a Saturday and it all started when he told me that his parents were coming to visit from where they live in New Mexico so it's kind of a big deal considering he obviously doesn't see his parents that much. At first, he's irritated because I don't immediately get excited for the arrival of his parents and that's because I don't necessarily see the value in parent-child relationships. The closest thing to a parent I ever had was Mrs. Rita, who was my nanny during elementary school and helped me with my homework sometimes or Miss Sandy who was my middle school science teacher who had to explain why I was bleeding out of my hoo-ha and she also bought me my first pack of pads. Basically, I don't like parents. So then, when he invited me to go to dinner with him and his parents, I immediately declined the offer and now, he's a little bit upset about that.

"They're really important to me, obviously, and you're really important to me- that is also obvious- and I just want you to meet my parents. They don't come around all that often so you won't get the chance again anytime soon," Andrew explains again, obviously very set on the issue although I still can't tell why it's such a big deal to him.

"But I don't like parents," I say (not realizing at the time that I was quoting Grease but I understand that now), sitting on the edge of his bed as he stands up with his arms crossed, continuing to get even more irritated, which I don't want to happen. I don't want to upset him at all, I just don't think that it's a good idea for me to meet his parents.

"It wouldn't go well," I say with a shrug. "I don't know how to act around adults at all."

"Just talk to them like you talk to your parents," Andrew suggests. "They're really nice, I promise. It's not as nerve-wracking as you'd think."

"Andrew, I don't talk to my parents," I remind him sheepishly. "I mean, I call them sometimes but I don't know how to talk to adults, especially not parents and especially not my boyfriend's parents."

"You could at least try," He sighs. "Like I said, they're really cool and it's just dinner."

"I don't want to mess this up, though," I insist. "I want to wait so that I know that if I mess up my first impression with your parents, you won't hate me and run for the hills or start to think that this is a bad idea or something."

"Do you really think that I'd do that?" He wonders with wide eyes that mix with what look like anger and hurt. "Stella, I really want you to get along with my parents because like I said, all three of you are so important to me and it'd be really amazing if you liked my parents and if they liked you but even if that doesn't happen, that doesn't mean that I'm going to stop loving you."

I smile a little bit because it was only a week after we had first said 'I love you' to each other and so I still grinned like an idiot every time he even mentioned the 'love' word. "I still don't know," I mumble, afraid to humiliate myself in front of Andrew's parents. This wasn't only important to Andrew- I wanted his parents to like me as well. I really did and I was afraid that if I did this too early or if I did it wrong and messed it up.