Alex and I were now officially a couple. It still felt strange to say it, but it made me happy. After dinner, we went back to my place. I couldn't stop thinking about our night in the car, but this time, we were in my room—no rush, no distractions, just us.
We lay on my bed, side by side. The light from my lamp made the room feel warm and calm. Alex reached out and gently moved my hair away from my face.
"Why are you smiling like that?" he asked, teasing me.
I shrugged and said, "I'm just happy about us. I never thought we'd end up like this."
"Like this as in your room? Or like this as in being together?" he joked, giving me a small smile.
I laughed a little. "Both, maybe."
He leaned closer and held my hand. "Well, here we are," he said softly. "And I'm not going anywhere, Lyn."
Hearing those words made my chest feel warm. For once, I wasn't overthinking. Being with Alex felt easy, like I could just be myself.
We stayed awake for hours, talking and laughing. The night felt special, like the beginning of something real.
I froze when I heard a noise downstairs. At first, I thought it was nothing. Maybe the wind or the house making sounds. But then I heard it again—a soft thud, like footsteps.
Alex sat up in bed. "What's wrong?" he asked in a low voice.
"I think someone's downstairs," I whispered, my heart beating fast.
I got out of bed quietly and grabbed a random book from my desk. Alex followed me as I tiptoed to the stairs.
The sounds got clearer. A cupboard opened. Footsteps moved around. I leaned over the railing to see who it was.
Then I saw her. Mom.
"Oh no," I whispered, feeling my stomach twist.
Alex's eyes went wide. "Is that your mom?" he whispered.
"Yes," I said in a panicked voice.
Mom looked up and saw me. Her face changed right away. "Lyn? What are you doing up there?"
I froze, still holding the book. "Uh… nothing! I thought I heard something and… and…" My voice trailed off.
Mom looked at me and then at Alex. She didn't say anything at first, but her face showed she wasn't happy. My hands started shaking, and my heart was beating fast.
"Lyn," Mom said finally, her voice calm but strong. "Who is this? And why is he in my house?"
I held the book tightly. "Mom, this is Alex. He's… he's my boyfriend."
Alex stepped forward. "Uh, hello, Mrs. Peterson. It's nice to meet you." He smiled and tried to shake her hand, but she didn't take it.
Mom just looked at him, her arms crossed. "Nice to meet me?" she said, sounding upset. "At this time? In my house?"
I felt my face get hot. "Mom, it's not like that!" I said quickly.
"Oh?" she said. "Then what is it?"
Alex took a step back, looking a little nervous. "We were… studying," I said, my voice shaking.
"Studying?" Mom said louder. "In your room, at this time? Do you think I'm stupid?"
Alex sighed. "I think I should go," he said.
Mom didn't say anything. She just watched him leave. Alex walked past her and out the door.
Mom didn't say anything more. She just looked at me and said, "We'll talk about this tomorrow."
I stood there, feeling awful. Tomorrow was going to be really bad.
The next morning, Mom and I sat at the table, and the room felt really quiet. I didn't know what to say. I just stared at my plate with fried eggs and hot dogs, trying to eat, but it was hard to focus.
Mom didn't say anything for a while. She just drank her coffee, looking at me like she was waiting for me to speak.
Finally, she put her cup down and looked at me seriously. "Lyn, we need to talk."
I nodded, feeling nervous. "I know, Mom. I'm sorry."
She didn't seem angry, but I could tell she was upset. "Sorry for what?"
I didn't know how to answer. Was I sorry for sneaking Alex in? Or for keeping it a secret? Or for how everything felt strange now?
"I didn't mean for it to happen like this," I said quietly. "It just… happened."
I looked down at my plate and added, "Alex is also the one who kept me company when I felt really lonely. Especially those times when I had no one to talk to because I was always alone in the house."
Mom's eyes softened, but I could see she was thinking about what I said. "I understand you were lonely, but that doesn't mean you should hide things from me. You know you can talk to me about anything."
I felt nervous, my chest tight. "I didn't want to upset you," I said. "I wasn't sure how you'd feel about Alex."
Mom sighed. "I want you to be happy, Lyn. But you need to be open with me. I just want to know what's going on in your life."
I nodded, feeling a bit better. "I won't hide anything again, Mom."
She smiled, but there was still a thoughtful look on her face. "Just make sure you're being careful, okay? I don't want you to get hurt."
"Would you like to meet him? Maybe tomorrow?" I asked, feeling a little shy.
Mom thought for a moment, then nodded. "I think that's a good idea. I want to know more about him, and if he makes you happy, I want to see that."
I felt a bit better, but still nervous about how it would go. "Thanks, Mom," I said quietly. "I'll tell him."
She smiled. "We'll take it slow, Lyn. Just make sure you're sure about him."
I nodded, hoping everything would be okay tomorrow.
After talking to Mom, I went back to my room and sent Alex a message.
Me: Hey, Alex. I talked to my mom. She wants to meet you tomorrow to properly introduce you and talk about what happened.
A few minutes later, he replied.
Alex: Really? That's good. I'm nervous, but I'm happy she wants to meet me.
Me: Yeah, she wants to make sure you're a good guy. We'll take it slow.
Alex: I understand. I'll be on my best behavior. I just want her to know I care about you.
Me: Thanks, Alex. I really appreciate it.
Alex: No problem. We'll make it work.
I smiled at his message, feeling a little better but still nervous about tomorrow.
Today is Saturday, and I don't have school. I felt happy that Mom wanted to meet Alex. It made me feel better about everything. I decided to spend the day getting ready for tomorrow. I cleaned up my room, and laughed a little while cleaning m room like why wil i clean this when alex wont be here tomorrow in my room because mom is here. I made sure everything looked good, and even thought about what I should wear.
I was still nervous about how it would go, but I was hopeful. It felt like things were slowly getting better, and maybe this could be the start of something good with Alex and my mom. I couldn't stop thinking about what would happen tomorrow.