Missing You

Chapter #46

Panic.

Panic.

Panic.

Panic.

How could he do this to me, why is this necessary? I clearly not understand the masculine thought process, not in the least. I thought that after last night everything would settle back to normal around here but it seems he isn't having any of it, now I repent for almost telling him I kind of liked Mason.

"Tell this Mason kid we're inviting him to family dinner tonight," He said on the phone.

I froze. I'm not even saying it like a metaphor on a hyperbole, I froze and almost dropped my phone to the floor.

Every Sunday, we have family gatherings at my dad's where all his sisters and brothers attend along with my cousins. We have dinner, play games, and chat all afternoon, and well into the night, as everyone usually starts arriving after lunch. It's a tradition everyone in my family treasures a lot.

With that being said, I still can't wrap my head around the invitation I'm supposed to give Mason, a non-family member, to come over for family dinner.

My dad continued talking on the phone like he didn't say anything out of the ordinary and mandated I tell Mason to be home by four this afternoon and then went on to tell me that Lupita needed some stuff from the store to prepare her famous parrillada con guacamole.

Needless to say, I'm freaking out. It's not every day my dad invites a boy I like over for dinner, even more so, it is the first time, and he's treating the whole situation like he's done it a million times before. Mason and I aren't even together! I doubt that even both of us know where we stand! Months pass before any of my cousins dare bring their partners to meet the whole family. And yes, Mason has seen them already and he has sort of coexisted with them yesterday when he picked me up but that was already too much for me to handle, I can't even imagine how it must have been for him... and now this?! I'm afraid he'll feel overwhelmed with it all, it is so out of line...

But I can't tell my father that now. I've hung up and amid my brain malfunction caused by the panic attack my dad created with his request, I just said: "uh... yeah sure,"

I'm currently coming out the longest shower I've had, and about to head to the supermarket. I thought I'd magically come out with a plan of action to avoid having Mason at my house today but my thoughts are still jumbled and my brain is still on the verge of a neurotic attack.

I can't escape this now. I press Mason's contact on my cellphone and blush when I see he's added a heart emoji to his name. Despite my current state of neurosis, I find myself smiling and rolling my eyes at his childish antics.

"Bear," He sounds surprised. "Hey, what- um... what's up?"

"I'm sorry, did I distract you or something?" Please say yes, please say you're super busy.

"No! Not at all! It's just... I mean it's the first time you've called me, it took me by surprise." His tone changes to his usual flirty one after clearing his throat. "Can't get enough of me, can you?"

"Ha ha... funny," I blush at the accusation, knowing fully well that he's not wrong in the least. "I was um... you see- my dad he... ugh,"

I can't do this, this is so weird! I always pictured this moment -inviting someone over to meet my family- with me, being in an official relationship with a boy who I loved deeply and vice versa.

I love Mason, alright, but we're in a weird place where neither of us talks about it and me, being the ultimate chicken nugget between the two of us, am not going to bring up the conversation in case I've interpreted everything the wrong way. Clues or not, it is still an impending threat to me, being humiliated after confessing my feelings for the first time in my life.