Hold Me Close (Edited Version)

Chapter 14

I stood awkwardly on the doorstep of Ryan's house as Ryan's parents observed me critically. They looked extremely proper for people living in a neighborhood such as this. His mother was wearing a pretty yellow dress with expensive jewelry hanging from her neck and ears, and his father was wearing a three piece gray suit, hair slicked back on his head and completely in place. I almost felt it was rude to go inside wearing just my jeans and t-shirt.

I wasn't sure where Ed was, but he wasn't where I could see his encouraging smile. I felt quite nervous and suddenly wished I could go home and pretend I had forgotten Ryan's invitation altogether.

Neither of the two parents smiled as Ryan's dad asked, "Are you the Jacob that Ryan has been telling us about?"

I shrunk away a little as I replied, "Yes, sir."

The man glanced at his wife and she narrowed her eyes at me as if in deep thought. It wasn't so different from the way Ryan did when he was thinking hard about something. "Come in," she said; more like ordered.

I didn't want to. "Yes, ma'am..." I said, and I entered the house. I stood tensely by the door, politely thanking the two adults for allowing me into their home.

Ryan's parents looked me up and down and the man held out his hand to me. "I'm Ryan's father, Mr. Richards, and this is my wife, Mrs. Richards," he introduced.

"Jacob Coulson," I said quietly as I shook his hand.

"Ryan isn't home yet, so please, join us in the living room," Ryan's mom, Mrs. Richards, said, gesturing towards another room. I ducked my head as I entered and sat down on one of the couches. Ryan's parents followed and sat across from me on the other one. I tried not to stare at them too much by keeping my gaze trained at the coffee table.

"So, how long have you known our son?" Mr. Richards asked.

One glance up, smiling to the best of my ability. "Since I transferred here," I said. "I moved in with my dad recently and had to change schools."

The two parents exchanged a glance before returning their attention to me. "How did you meet?" Ms. Richards asked.

Somehow, I felt like this was more of an interrogation session than a 'get to know you' conversation. "Well, we sort of met at the park one time," I explained.

"What do you mean by 'sort of'? That's not really an answer," Ryan's mother said.

I glanced at Mrs. Richards and then at the ground, my hands wringing themselves over and over again in my lap. "What I mean...? Well-"

Suddenly, the door to the living room burst open and a breathless Ryan rushed into the room, arms loaded down with grocery bags that he quickly dumped onto the floor near the coffee table. "Mom! Dad! I told you not to perster him!" Ryan scolded, frowning at them. He hurried over to me and pulled me off the couch, tugging me towards the door as he said, "Call us when dinner is ready."

He took me away from the prying eyes of his parents as he forced me upstairs and into his room. I watched him shut the door and listen quietly for anyone following us before turning to me and sighing. "Sorry. I meant to be home before you got here so you could avoid all that, but I got caught in a long line at the store," he explained.

I glanced at the door warily. "That's okay," I said, but I wasn't sure if it was.

He gave me a sympathetic smile. "Ignore them. They're just super over protective and don't want me hanging out with a 'bad crowd' is all. They'll warm up to you," he said. I nodded slowly and he grinned, glad to have the tension gone. "So, I went and rented like, six different movies in case you wanted to stay the night, so I have plenty to choose from, and then I have tons of board games or Xbox games if we stay up late, which we probably will because it's a weekend and who doesn't stay up on the weekends, and also-" He took a deep breath so he could keep going to finish the thought. "...my parents bought snacks and stuff if we get hungry or soda for if we're thirsty."