Life has been generally a bit liveable, subtracting the nightmares of cause.
I don't know if what I'm faced with right now is another.
I woke up early, showered for a long while, a very long while giving extra attention to my hair. I have never been to meet a guy's family before, hell I have never even dated before. Their expectations, what they expect to see and how I should act are things foreign to my mind.
The least I can do is dress decently, hopefully they will not be able to tell the kind of life I lead just by looking at me. Meeting them last time was brief enough, it was comfortable.
Not knowing what to expect has put me on the edge.
Right now I'm standing in front of my mattress in a black matching lingerie. I know, it is crazy but I'm kinda hoping tonight will be the night.
I have layed out six pairs of clothes on my mattress so that I can pick the perfect one. It took me more than an hour to narrow it down to six.
A strapless floral knee length sundress, a long sleeved burgundy pencil dress, a crop top paired with a denim jacket and a long skirt, cargo pants paired with a tank top and a pink two piece suit.
I'm exasperated, picking an outfit is the most tedious task. It's a dinner but at eight I'm already fussing over an outfit. I give up, slide into a tracksuit and head out.
I take my time getting my hair done. I decide on simple curls and let it flow loose. I have
my makeup kept close to the naturals. My go to whenever I decide to have make up on. I am usually not a make up person because I know my skin is flawless and all but today my confidence is a bit on the low side.
I have skipped breakfast, so I force down french fries and a chicken burger for lunch. The whole while I'm eating, my mind is restless. I wonder if I am rushing things or maybe it is just my coward mind trying to find an escape route. By the time I'm done stuffing myself, I have decided to go with it. Who knows, I might come out of it alive.
I drag myself back to my apartment, back to the dilemma, the war of picking 'the' perfect outfit. The struggle sure is real.
I crumble to the floor with my chin resting in my hand. All the clothes in front of me have equal pros and cons, I can't seem to find the right elimination criteria.
My three thirty alarm goes off, when I pick the phone to accept it, an idea pops in my head. I follow through with it, with a full smile plastered on my face.
"Hey girlfriend", Susan smiles, filling my screen. "Umm, hie." I reply. If it weren't for the fact that I just had my hair done and I want to avoid ruining it, I would be running my hand through it. "You called to lose yourself in thought while staring at my pretty face?" Susan teases, bringing me back from my thoughts.
"Sorry, I need your help picking an outfit, Ree invited me over to meet his parents and I don't know what to wear or expect." I rumble on, pouring out my day's stress. "Hey, calm down I've got you." She replies, smiling reassuringly. "Show me what you've got." She continues. I switch to back camera and show her the clothes I have layed out. "Ooo my God." She screams, her dramatic self coming through unexpectedly. "What?" I question, confused. "No wonder you were having a hard time picking out anything." She continues, I just look at the clothes and back to her blankly. "Where did you get those beauties?" She asks, I had forgotten she knows my wardrobe in and out.
"We went shopping with Ree yesterday." I say, I can feel heat creeping up my cheeks all the way from my neck, I can't help it. "Ncoow, you are blushing. Your relationship is swoon worthy." She says adoringly.
It's 17:30 hours and I'm standing in my apartment building parking lot. Susan took too much of my time, I ended up getting dressed in a rush.
We settled on the burgundy pencil dress and sneakers. Everything else was either too formal or too slutty. I was reminded that this is a casual dinner but I should not feel too casual. Whatever that meant I'm keeping it close.
I fish for my lip gloss from my purse and use my phone as the mirror. "You are already looking pretty, do you plan on killing me tonight." His voice has me flattering my eyes up to his. It's dripping with something I can't recognize but it sends butterflies in my tummy.
He takes the gloss from my hand and sniffs at it. "Woow, strawberries. Does it taste as good as it smells." He says, his eyes dipping to my lips. Before I can clear my mind to come up with a reply or anything to say, he smashes his lips to mine in a melting kiss.
I'm flushed when he finally steps away from me. He must have seen it because he takes my hand and leads me to his car without saying a word.
He came with the one he used the first time we commuted together. It's the first time he is bringing the same car twice in all the time I've known him. I wonder what his house looks like when their cars are this lavish.
"We are here." He says, saying something for the first time the whole ride. The silence has pushed me a bit over the edge but I have decided to just ride with it. I look around hoping to see some kind of a house, but all I see is trees.
"Are you a Bigfoot or something, living in the woods." I tease. He just lets out a deep throated chuckle and continues to drive. I finally make out the driveway. Trees flank the narrow path with lights casting a soft glow on it from somewhere in the trees.
We drive for what feels like an eternity before the house comes into view. I gasp involuntarily and I realize it when he rests his hand on mine. "Don't let it intimidate you." He says, but it's too late, I already feel underdressed.
The mansion is expansive, spanned out on a vast piece of open space. The grass surrounding it is neatly manicured and shrubs are dotted along the walkway up to the porch. The flowers in-between the shrubs gives it a homely feel.
The house itself has an ancient architectural design, seemingly exported through time from the 1800s Lords. The red bricks, high windows and hanging vines. I decide to shut my mind to all of it and head inside becaythe more I looked around the more little I felt.
Ree takes my hand and leads me up a flight of stairs. "Watch your step." He says,and I look down to realize that we had to descend into the lounge. I couldn't stop myself, I decided to give myself the freedom to take everything in.
The high ceilings and a low hanging chandelier gave it a spacious touch though it was already bigger than my apartment. There were two large couches placed in the center and bookshelves covered all the walls. I slowly follow Ree and everything I see along the way screams money.
"Oow you're here." Ree's mom almost screams, pulling me for a hug and kissing my cheek. "You are looking lovely dear." She says, leading me to where I assume is the dinning room. "Thank you." I mutter, following behind her.
As soon as I walk in, I see Kevin sitting at the head of the table scrolling through his phone. I faulter in my step before Ree takes my hand in his and gives it a gentle squeeze.
The table which can easily fit ten was layed out with food as if for such. I think I have counted six meat dishes if I didn't miss another.
"Who do you stay with Hazel?" Kevin asks during our meal. I look at Ree before answering, who gives me an assuring smile. "I live alone." I reply, refusing the urge to lie. "Since when? Where are your parents." He asks again, after a few bites. As much as this feels like an interrogation, I resolve it in me to reply to all of it. "Since as soon as I turned eighteen. I lost my parents when I was five months old, so I was told and lived with a foster family." Kevin just looks at me, his look apologetic, as if he was regretting ever asking.
"Dessert will be ready in a short while." Maria says, looking at me. "I'll show Haz around in the mean time." Ree says, pulling me up before I could voice my offer to help out in the kitchen. "Ok.Don't be long." She replies and I can't hide the blush that creeps up.
We go around the house until I lose count of all the bedrooms we pass. We finally stop in his bedroom at the back of the house, I recognize it from my unwelcome visit. The view from his window is stunning. "This is beautiful." I comment, to no one in particular.
He pulls me to him from behind and whispers in my ear, "It is isn't it." His voice sounding as it did back at my apartment.
Am I going to be able to make it back down to dessert or I'll have mine served up here.