Three months have passed, and Alex and I are closer than ever, more like best friends with a little something extra between us. I don't even know how to describe it. But I can't stop thinking about how he reminds me of my dad. He's not a father figure, but his personality is so similar—he's always caring and thinking about how others feel. It's one of the reasons I find myself loving him more and more.
While we were sitting on the school field, where we usually hang out, Alex turned to me with a soft smile. "We've known each other for a while, and I think we both feel the same," he said, his eyes warm but a bit nervous. "I don't want to sound weird, but I feel like the day I saved you was a sign that we're meant to be together."
I had a feeling this moment was coming. My heart raced as I looked into his eyes, a mix of hope and excitement filling me. I was ready for whatever he had to say next.
"I just want to make what we have official. I want to court you. Will you let me do that?" he asked, clearly relieved to get those words out.
I laughed a little, shaking my head. "You silly! We don't need to go through all that. Even if you didn't ask, we're already there," I said, grinning. "What if I said I wanted to be your girlfriend? How does that sound?" I asked, suddenly nervous. Why did I say that? I felt so embarrassed.
Before I could say anything else, he pulled me into a tight hug. "Of course, I would love for you to be my girlfriend," he said, holding me close. Then he kissed my forehead gently. My cheeks warmed up, and I could feel butterflies in my stomach. I couldn't help but smile, but before I knew it, I kissed him on the lips, and he kissed me back with just as much passion.
A week after we became official, Alex decided to introduce me to his parents.
"Isn't it too soon? I'm nervous, I don't think I'm ready for this," I said nervously.
"Don't be! They are the most loving human beings on earth, and I know they will like you too," Alex said with those reassuring eyes. How could I say no to those beautiful eyes?
"Next week, I want you to meet them," he said, smiling and proud.
"O-ok," I stammered. Oh no! What if they don't like me? Of course, they are his parents and it's natural for him to say they are kind, but what about me? As if I had a choice.
"It is set then, I will pick you up at school this Friday. Don't forget that, okay, Babe?" he said, then kissed me gently on the forehead, making my heart flutter.
"Wait, 'Babe?'" I asked, a little shyly.
He chuckled softly, looking into my eyes. "Yes, you are my Babe, and there's no changing that. Gotta go, my class will start soon," he said, giving me one last warm smile before turning to leave.
Then he turned back, his eyes twinkling playfully, and shouted, "Bye, Babe!"
I felt so embarrassed that everyone at school heard it, but proud and happy at the same time.
The day finally came to meet Alex's parents, and I was nervous all day, barely able to focus in class. Alex sent me a quick text between classes: "You'll be great. My parents will love you." But it didn't calm me down.
After class, I changed into a yellow dress and put on some makeup. Alex picked me up, giving me a warm smile. "You look beautiful."
"Thanks," I said, my heart racing.
The drive felt long, even though it wasn't far. When we arrived, Alex squeezed my hand. "Ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," I replied, trying to look confident.
Alex's mom opened the door with a warm smile. "Welcome, Lyn! So nice to finally meet you," she said, hugging me.
"Thank you, Mrs. Ludwig," I replied, feeling a bit more relaxed.
Alex's dad came over, shaking my hand. "Good to meet you, Lyn. We've heard a lot about you."
"All good things, I hope," I joked.
He chuckled. "Of course."
We moved to the dining room, where a lot of food was on the table. "Come sit and eat," Alex's mom said, pointing to a chair for me.
"So, Lyn," she said, "we've heard a lot about you from Alex."
I smiled, still a bit nervous. "Thank you. It's nice to meet you both, too."
Alex's dad leaned in. "Alex tells us you're very independent. He really admires that."
I nodded, feeling shy. "I've been on my own a lot, so I had to get used to it."
Alex's mom gave me a kind smile. "That's not easy, but it shows strength. We respect that."
I shrugged. "I just did what I had to do. I'm grateful for people like Alex. He's been a great friend."
Alex's mom looked at Alex with a smile. "He cares a lot about you, Lyn. We can see you mean a lot to him."
I felt touched. "He means a lot to me too. He's been there through a lot."
Alex's dad nodded. "We're glad he has you in his life, Lyn. You're welcome here anytime."
I smiled, feeling relieved. "Thank you. That means a lot.
We sat at the table, eating, talking, and laughing. I never had a meal like this before—everyone together, telling stories and jokes. At home, we didn't have family dinners, so this was new to me. I felt lucky to be here.
I looked at them and thought, I wish I had a family like this. The warm feeling made me smile, but also made me remember how much I missed having everyone together.
After dinner, we moved to the living room. Alex's mom brought out coffee and cookies.
"Here you go, Lyn," she said, handing me a cup. "I hope you like it."
I smiled and took the cup. "Thanks, it smells really good."
Alex's dad looked at me. "How's the coffee? We like it strong here."
I took a sip. "It's great! You guys make coffee really well."
Alex's mom laughed. "We do our best."
I smiled. "I can tell."
Alex leaned back and smiled at me. " three months yeah See? You're fitting in just fine."
I rolled my eyes. "I guess so."
Alex's mom smiled at me. "We're happy you're here, Lyn. You're good for Alex."
Alex's dad nodded. "Yeah, we can see that."
I felt a little shy, but I smiled back. "Thanks. He's been really helpful to me."
Alex's mom smiled at me. "It's not just about what you do for him. It's how you've helped him slow down and think things through."
Alex chuckled. "Yeah, I guess ever since I met Lyn, I've been taking things a bit slower. She's good at making me think before I act, and I've noticed I'm not as rushed or scattered as I used to be."
I looked at him. "You've helped me too."
He raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
I nodded. "You've helped me in ways you don't even know."
Alex's mom smiled softly. "It's nice to see you two helping each other. We think you're a good influence on him, Lyn."
I felt happy hearing that. It felt nice to be with people who cared.
We got up to leave, and I turned to Alex's parents. "Thank you for the dinner. It was really nice meeting you both," I said with a smile.
Alex's mom smiled back. "It was nice having you, Lyn. Come by anytime."
Alex's dad nodded. "Take care, Lyn. We're glad Alex has someone like you."
I smiled, feeling touched. "Thanks again. I'm happy I got to meet you both."
Alex squeezed my hand. "See ya, Mom. See ya, Dad."
"Take care, you two!" they called as we left.
Walking out, I felt warm inside. Being with them felt so nice, and I thought to myself, I wish I had a family like that. I'd never felt this happy before, meeting such kind, caring people.
As Alex drove me home, the ride was quiet but felt good. I looked out the window, thinking about how warm his family was.
When we pulled up, he looked over and smiled. "Did you have a good time?"
I nodded, smiling back. "Yeah, it was really nice. Your parents are great," I said, and I meant it.
"They really liked you," he said softly. "I think tonight meant a lot to them, too."
Feeling touched, I reached over and squeezed his hand. "Thanks for inviting me, Alex. It felt special." I almost felt a tear forming.
He smiled warmly. "Anytime, Lyn. You know I love you."
Before I got out of the car, we shared a passionate kiss. "It's late to drive back," I said, looking at him. "You can stay at my place tonight."
He grinned. "I think you're right."
"Mom and Ben aren't home, so you can keep me company," I teased, then kissed him again, even deeper.