"Reni, is this normal?"
Serenity looked back at Malkiel and laughed at how he looked. He was wearing casual attire with a basket of fruits on his hands and a nervous look on his face.
"I don't know, I never introduced a guy to them before"
Malkiel wanted to back out, the nerves were getting to him and it was so much worse than having to perform on stage. But he didn't want to let Serenity down. They had been talking about this for weeks now and Serenity had opened this topic up before they officially became a couple.
It was time to meet the parents.
Serenity had already met Malkiel when they went to see one of their gigs last week. After that, she thought that it was also time for him to introduce himself to her parents.
"I can't help but notice when you said you never introduced a guy to them before"
Malkiel trailed off as he squinted his eyes on Serenity. Since he knew he wasn't Serenity's first love and boyfriend, he assumed she had introduced Jace to them. But Serenity shook her head.
"I just kinda had that feeling that my dad won't like him so I didn't bother before. They knew that I had a boyfriend but since Jace didn't want to go to my house either, I never really got the chance to introduce them."
"What about me? Do you think they'll like me?"
Serenity smiled at Malkiel before putting her arms around his.
"They'll love you don't worry"
But Malkiel couldn't help how his nerves were betraying him as he sat at the dining table beside Serenity, in front were her parents.
"I'm so glad you could join us today Malkiel"
"Thank you for inviting me over"
He replied almost too politely towards Serenity's mom. Serenity had to stifle her laughs when she saw how Malkiel flinched the moment her father glared at him.
"Oh don't scare the kid like that, what are you? a child?"
Malkiel couldn't dare smile when Serenity's mom scolded her dad.
"I'm sizing him up dear, Reni is our only child so of course I have to see if he's worth it"
"He is dad"
All gazes went to Serenity who smiled at them.
"He is worth it don't worry"
Malkiel could almost cry, he didn't know that being defended like this by Serenity would make his heart pound so hard. Serenity's dad coughed up before gazing at Malkiel again.
"I don't like having my little girl's heart get broken"
"I don't like it either sir. I won't break her heart or make her cry"
After staring at him for a while, Serenity's dad finally nodded to which Serenity's mom smiled.
"I'm happy that my daughter finally got to meet someone who could make her happy but if you don't mind, I would like to have some conditions"
Malkiel gulped down when he saw how her mom's gaze had changed. It brought back the nerves that had died inside him, but he still nodded nonetheless.
"I'd like you to court Serenity for seven more months"
Malkiel had to blink twice before Serenity's mom had settled inside of his head.
"Seven months?"
Serenity asked her mom, probably a clarification of what she had just said.
"What? It's not like you two are officially a couple right?"
Well, she wasn't wrong, Malkiel thought. Serenity did want him to court her first amidst their already clear feelings but he would have never thought that her mom would ask for him to court her for a long time.
But then again, he didn't mind it.
"Then I'll do that ma'am. I'll court Serenity"
He smilingly replied to which Serenity's mom smiled.
For him, it didn't matter how long he needed to court Serenity. It would still be all worth it in the end, because he knew that Serenity's feelings weren't feeble.
"Are you sure you're fine with that?"
Serenity asked Malkiel as the two of them stood in front of their house. The night was being colored by the street lamp posts and yet all Malkiel could see was Serenity with her worried look and beautiful face in front of him.
He took Serenity's right hand and kissed the top of it, making Serenity blush. He smiled at her while holding her hand.
"Believe it or not, I am Serenity. I would wait for you no matter how long it takes, haven't I already told you that before?"
Serenity smiled warmly when she felt Malkiel's sincerity. For the past few weeks since her confession at the cultural festival, Malkiel had been nothing but sweet and sincere towards her.
She felt loved and happy and that made her love Malkiel more. He was consistent with the time he gave her. He was sensitive to her emotions and mood swings. And his attention was always on her.
She knew that it was far too early to say that Malkiel was the ideal boyfriend she had always wanted but she promised herself to not doubt him anymore. Because Malkiel wasn't like any other man, no, he loves her and there isn't a day where he didn't tell her that.
She remembered how she jokingly told Galene and Quincey before that nonchalant boys were overrated. She loved how Malkiel was willing to express everything he felt, and how he was willing to communicate with her about his and her feelings.
That was enough for her to fall for him more.
"Then, it's seven months"
"Seven months, I'll just have to make you fall for me harder within those seven months"
Serenity laughed, if only you knew how much I had fallen already, she thought.
But those were words that she didn't dare tell him. She would eventually but not now, at least not yet.