FAKE

PART II: JASON

III: afterparty

An hour passes without a word from Evelyn or Jason so Andrew and I turn on the tv and some action movie starts playing. I'm curled up on the couch with his arm wrapped holding me together. If it wasn't for Andrew, I would've already fell apart to pieces.

Andrew starts to kiss my cheek and then runs his hands down my shoulder. My phone starts vibrating on the table and I check who's calling me. I laugh at the name that appears on the screen. She never calls me.

Mom.

I look over at Andrew and pick up the phone.

"Hey baby. You aren't home so we guessed you're with friends right?"

"Yes ma'am. Why?"

"We want to invite you out to eat. We're home early and we haven't been able to see you because of our ultra-busy time schedules. Please?"

"Can I invite Andrew?" I blurt out.

"Andrew? Who's that? What about Ashley?"

"She's not with me right now. Andrew is," I kindly say. I shiver at the name Ashley.

"Right. Ok. Yes."

"Thanks mom. I'll be home in a second," I hang up.

I notice that Andrew has gone upstairs and I follow. He puts on a shirt with some old red sports car on it. He looks really hot in it.

We head to Andrew blue BM&W. Fancy.

I've never been in it before and it feels so comfortable. The scent inside the car smells of his strong cologne and I feel like I might suffocate from anxiety in the front seat. My parents are going to meet the boy I've secretly have had a crush on for such a long time but never started talking to until recently. How do I explain that to them? Do I even explain that at all?

"Calm down, Jane," Andrew smiles and brushes hairs off my face.

"I'm trying. My parent's... I don't really talk to them."

"You'll be fine. I don't talk to mine either, you're not alone."

It's magic how with anything Andrew says, I automatically feel better and calmer. His voice is magic.

"I hope they don't embarrass the heck out of me."

"Trust me, it will be perfectly fine."

I slump in my seat and focus on the grey sky of Ohio. I can see some birds pass the sky and cast a shadow on the street. I look at everything I possibly can to distract me from thinking about my parents at all.

We finally pull into my driveway and there they are waiting for me. They look like stalkers just standing there doing nothing. Andrew gets out of the car and smiles at my parents, waving to them. He walks up to my dad and shakes his hand. He proceeds to hug my mom. They start talking and motion me to come out of the car.

I slump even further into the seat. I don't want to get out.

Finally, I step out of the car and my parents come over and hug me.

"We're sorry. We didn't know this was your boyfriend," my mom says, happily.

I shiver and my face blushes violently.

"Andrew!" I blurt out.

"It's fine. He's a man," my dad says and it makes my face turn even more red.

My mom takes me inside and closes the door, leaving my dad and Andrew alone outside.

"I know I haven't been here for you for the past couple of months. Just never stop believing that I love you. I think about you day and night, trust me."

"I believe you."

"Now, what happened with Ashley?" my mom throws me a shady look.

"She's not my friend anymore."

"I am so sorry I didn't notice. I am extremely happy you have Andrew though. How long has it been?"

"A month." I say, finally smiling.

"I hope he's the one for you, baby," she plants a kiss on my forehead after saying this.

"I hope so too."

We walk outside and my dad is already checking out Andrew's car. Great.

"Can we go to dinner already?" I say.

My dad looks at me and smiles, "yup!"
I seat myself back in the car and Andrew closes the door behind me. He circles around the car and gets into the driver seat. My parents went inside to get the car from the garage. We're going to the mini Chinese restaurant in town. I loved that place when I was younger. I remember going with Clarissa there almost everyday when we were smaller. That's when my parents worked as employees. They only worked from 8 to 5 and were actually there for us. Then they got busier with every passing year. We didn't have as much money as we have now, and certainly not the luxury we have now, but we were a little bit happier. A little bit more together. I wish things were like that again. Most of all, I wish my sister was back.

What if they never had gotten better jobs? I wouldn't go to the private school I go to now. I wouldn't have met Andrew, Jason, or Evelyn.

I wouldn't have met Ashley.

There's so much things that could've been different but I can't think of that right now. The past is the past and all I can do is just look in the face of the future. I fear the future sometimes.

I play some music on Andrew's phone connected wirelessly to his car. Adele's soothing voice plays romantically around the car and I feel content that Andrew has good taste in music. I wonder if Jason told him to listen to this. I wouldn't be surprised or weirded out if he did. It's just funny thinking about Andrew actually listening to Adele.

We arrive at the restaurant.