Mistletoe

December 9th

Tuesday December 9th 

06.45pm

I don't think there's anything in the handbook of life that can tell you what to wear to what is supposedly a date that's going to happen outside in December. Because it's in moments like that when warmth kind of trumps style, but that might just be my opinion. I didn't know how long we'd be gone for, all I had to go on was that we were watching a meteor shower, which at the moment seemed to be very little information.

In the end I opted for a thick, but comfy sweater, jeans and thick socks. I also brought some cut off gloves in my bag just in case. It was not lost on me the energy I put into my hair and face afterwards; I added soft curls to my usually ramrod straight hair, and also some light eye makeup. I felt nervous when I looked in the mirror, but this time the nerves were of the good kind.

"You look nice," mom noted as I came upstairs.

I tried to avert my attention, but I knew there was no getting around it now. "I told you I was going out to watch the meteor shower."

She looked me over once more, "You did, but clearly I should've asked who you're going with."

"You don't know him."

That made her smile, "I didn't exactly think I would. Care to fill me in?"

Not particularly… but out loud I said, "His name is Parker North. He's two years older than me. A nice guy. I met him at Pleym."

"Honey, he's supposedly a human I hope? And not a check list."

"I know that."

"Then perhaps you'd want to elaborate on Parker North the human?" It was very obvious she was trying not to crack a smile. 

Dad strolled out from his office just then. "What are we talking about?" 

"Valerie has a date," Mom declared, making me groan, to which dad looked me over.

"Is that so? Who is he?"

"Apparently he does very well on a check list."

"Mom!" I exclaimed in half horror.

Dad laughed, but mom just smiled at me before saying, "You're not giving us much to go on, honey."

I buried my face in my hands, knowing that he'd be here any minute. "Okay, fine. He's nice. Really nice. He makes me laugh, and he took me skating the other day. He's taken a year off of college and is traveling the country and he's in town until the twenty-first. Happy?"

Mom beamed, "Ecstatic." Worst was that she seemed to mean it as well. "Will we get to meet him?"

"Absolutely not," I said, feeling panic creep up on me, and then I quickly backtracked, "not tonight anyway. Maybe another time."

The doorbell rang then and I practically ran out of the house in order to not give them a chance to follow. "Bye!" I shouted and snuck through the door at lightning speed. It was a shocked Parker that met me on the front steps.

"Hi, hey, hello!" I told him and the bounded down the steps.

"Are we in a hurry?" He seemed puzzled by the fact.

"Not unless you want to strike up a conversation with the parents," I explained, already at the pickup truck's passenger door.

Parker had one hand in the front pocket of his jeans and indicated a thumb with his other hand towards the front door. "I thought that was sort of a given."