Who's Fault?

Chapter Fourteen

"C'mon Birdie! It's not that big of a deal!"

"Of course it is, Eli! Meeting your parents is a very big deal." The two of us had been headed to the campus parking lot when Eli had brought up coming over for dinner one night to meet his parents. Immediately, I shot the idea down. It wasn't that I didn't want to meet them, I did. I just didn't think I was ready for it. Things were good, great even, between Eli and I; if his parents didn't like me then it would change things, possibly ruin them.

"Please! It's important to me! They even told me earlier that they want to 'meet the girl I won't shut up about!'" He told me using air quotes.

"You talk about me? So much that your parents want you to stop?" I asked him, amused. The thought was a little terrifying, but I tried telling myself it was normal for people to do that.

"Of course I do! You're so important to me. And they're dying to meet you. Please? It's just one dinner." Eli was practically begging me at that point.

I thought about it for another minute, still hesitating. I really didn't think I was ready for it, but I could tell from Eli's reaction that this was important to him. "Okay."

I watched as his eyes lit up like a child's on Christmas morning and he smiled at me. Before I could say anything else his lips crashed to mine roughly. He pushed me up against my car and placed one arm at my waist and the other at the back of my head, tangling his fingers in my hair. I had a delayed response, not expecting that from him, but eventually rested my hands against his chest. As our lips moved against each other's in sync, I slowly wrapped my arms around Eli's neck pulling him closer to me.

I thoroughly enjoyed the feeling, the bliss that being so close to and with someone who genuinely cared about me brought on. It caused this warmth to spread through me, just knowing that I had someone like that in my life, someone that wouldn't destroy it.

I wasn't sure how long it had been before we broke away. When we did, Eli tucked my hair behind my ear, rested his forehead on mine, and said, "thank you. It means a lot to me."

I hummed in response, my mind reeling on cloud nine. There was a couple more minutes of silence between us in which we stood in that same position enjoying each other's presence. That was until I was brought down from the high I had been on, "as long as Sadie's there, I'll be fine. She's my new best friend after all!!" I told him, laughing at the thought.

A few days later on my night off from work, I found myself wrapped up in a towel staring blankly into my closet. What the hell am I supposed to wear?! I had been standing there for at least five minutes already and I'd come up with nothing. What were you supposed to wear when meeting your boyfriends parents? I'd never done that before.

Jordan had never introduced me to his parents. He said that he didn't want them to meet me because he didn't want me to embarrass him. He didn't trust me to do everything right; to say the right things and act properly. So, I had never met them.

I didn't want to do anything to mess this up for Eli. I knew he was very different from Jordan, but I still didn't trust myself to not make a fool out of the both of us. And that started with an outfit. I considered texting Chloe and asking her for help but didn't want to bother her with something so stupid. It was just an outfit; it shouldn't matter that much. Right???

After standing in my closet, clueless, for a few more minutes, I decided to wear a pair of black skinny jeans and a cream-colored top tucked in the front. I matched it with a pair of black flats. Then I moved onto my hair and makeup. I made sure all my products were applied to my hair so it wouldn't frizz, then put on my concealer, eyeliner, and mascara. I was anxious as I examined how I looked in the mirror, but before I could think anything more of it my alarm went off telling me that it was time to leave.